```

[Journal of the House of Representatives, 1995]
[Friday, June 30, 1995 (90), Para 90.9 Medicare Select Policies Expansion]
[Pages 1089-1090]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

para.90.9  medicare select policies expansion

  Mr. BLILEY, pursuant to House Resolution 180, called up the following 
conference report (Rept. No. 104-157):

       The committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the 
     two Houses on the amendment of the Senate to the bill (H.R. 
     483), to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to 
     permit medicare select policies to be offered in all States, 
     and for other purposes, having met, after full and free 
     conference, have agreed to recommend and do recommend to 
     their respective Houses as follows:
       That the House recede from its disagreement to the 
     amendment of the Senate and agree to the same with an 
     amendment as follows:
       In lieu of the matter proposed to be inserted by the Senate 
     amendment, insert the following:

[[Page 1090]]

     SECTION 1. PERMITTING MEDICARE SELECT POLICIES TO BE OFFERED 
                   IN ALL STATES FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD.

       Section 4358(c) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 
     1990, as amended by section 172(a) of the Social Security Act 
     Amendments of 1994, is amended to read as follows:
       ``(c) Effective Date.--(1) The amendments made by this 
     section shall only apply--
       ``(A) in 15 States (as determined by the Secretary of 
     Health and Human Services) and such other States as elect 
     such amendments to apply to them, and
       ``(B) subject to paragraph (2), during the 6\1/2\-year 
     period beginning with 1992.

     For purposes of this paragraph, the term `State' has the 
     meaning given such term by section 210(h) of the Social 
     Security Act (42 U.S.C. 410(h)).
       ``(2)(A) The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
     conduct a study that compares the health care costs, quality 
     of care, and access to services under medicare select 
     policies with that under other medicare supplemental 
     policies. The study shall be based on surveys of appropriate 
     age-adjusted sample populations. The study shall be completed 
     by June 30, 1997.
       ``(B) Not later than December 31, 1997, the Secretary shall 
     determine, based on the results of the study under 
     subparagraph (A), if any of the following findings are true:
       ``(i) The amendments made by this section have not resulted 
     in savings of premium costs to those enrolled in medicare 
     select policies (in comparison to their enrollment in 
     medicare supplemental policies that are not medicare select 
     policies and that provide comparable coverage).
       ``(ii) There have been significant additional expenditures 
     under the medicare program as a result of such amendments.
       ``(iii) Access to and quality of care has been 
     significantly diminished as a result of such amendments.
       ``(C) The amendments made by this section shall remain in 
     effect beyond the 6\1/2\-year period described in paragraph 
     (1)(B) unless the Secretary determines that any of the 
     findings described in clause (i), (ii), or (iii) of 
     subparagraph (B) are true.
       ``(3) The Comptroller General shall conduct a study to 
     determine the extent to which individuals who are 
     continuously covered under a medicare supplemental policy are 
     subject to medical underwriting if they change the policy 
     under which they are covered, and to identify options, if 
     necessary, for modifying the medicare supplemental insurance 
     market to make sure that continuously insured beneficiaries 
     are able to switch plans without medical underwriting. By not 
     later than June 30, 1996, the Comptroller General shall 
     submit to the Congress as report on the study. The report 
     shall include a description of the potential impact on the 
     cost and availability of medicare supplemental policies of 
     each option identified in the study.''.

       And the Senate agree to the same.

     Tom Bliley,
     Michael Bilirakis,
     Dennis Hastert,
     Bill Archer,
     William Thomas,
     Nancy L. Johnson,
                                Managers on the Part of the House.

     Bob Packwood,
     Bob Dole,
     Daniel Patrick Moynihan,
                               Managers on the Part of the Senate.

  When said conference report was considered.
  After debate,
  Pursuant to House Resolution 180 the previous question was considered 
as ordered to its adoption or rejection.
  The question being put, viva voce,
  Will the House agree to said conference report?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore, Mr. EWING, announced that the yeas had it.
  Mr. DINGELL objected to the vote on the ground that a quorum was not 
present and not voting.
  A quorum not being present,
  The roll was called under clause 4, rule XV, and the call was taken by 
electronic device.

Yeas

350

When there appeared

Nays

68
```