I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1357 

To amend part B of title XVIII of the Social Security Act to change the 

rules relating to enrollment of residents of Puerto Rico under part 

B of the Medicare program. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 4, 2011 

Mr. PIERLUISI (for himself, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. GONZALEZ, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. HINOJOSA, Ms. BORDALLO, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, and Mr. GUTIERREZ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy 

and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 

for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 

for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 

committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend part B of title XVIII of the Social Security 

Act to change the rules relating to enrollment of residents of Puerto Rico under part B of the Medicare 

program. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Puerto Rico Medicare 

5 Part B Equity Act of 2011’’. 


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•HR 1357 IH

1 SEC. 2. CHANGE IN RULES FOR ENROLLMENT OF RESI2 DENTS OF PUERTO RICO UNDER PART B OF 

3 THE MEDICARE PROGRAM. 

4 (a) EXTENSION OF INITIAL ENROLLMENT PERIOD.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1837(d) of the So6 cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395p(d)) is amended 

7 by inserting after ‘‘seven months later’’ the fol8 lowing: ‘‘(or 3 years in the case of an individual for 

9 whom subsection (f) does not apply because the indi10 vidual is a resident of Puerto Rico)’’. 

11 (2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made 

12 by paragraph (1) shall apply to initial enrollment pe13 riods which begin after the date of the enactment of 

14 this Act or which have not yet ended as of such 

15 date. 

16 (b) LIMITATION ON PART B LATE ENROLLMENT

17 PENALTY.— 

18 (1) IN GENERAL.—The first sentence of section 

19 1839(b) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395r(b)) is amend20 ed by inserting before the period at the end the fol21 lowing: ‘‘, except that in the case of an individual for 

22 whom section 1837(f) did not apply because the in23 dividual is and has remained a resident of Puerto 

24 Rico, the increase under this subsection shall not 

25 apply for longer than 60 months’’. 


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•HR 1357 IH

1 (2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made 

2 by paragraph (1) shall take effect on the date of the 

3 enactment of this Act and shall apply to premiums 

4 for months beginning with the first month that be5 gins after such date. In applying such amendment, 

6 premium increases paid for months before such first 

7 month shall be taken into account. 

8 (c) ENHANCED OUTREACH AND ENROLLMENT OP9 PORTUNITIES.—The Administrator of Social Security, in 

10 consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human 

11 Services, shall implement a plan— 

12 (1) to better inform individuals residing in 

13 Puerto Rico who are potential beneficiaries under 

14 part B of the Medicare program about their eligi15 bility to enroll under such part and of the con16 sequences of their late enrollment under such part; 

17 and 

18 (2) to facilitate the enrollment of those desiring 

19 to so enroll. 

Æ 


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