I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 480 
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to limit the penalty for 
late enrollment under part B of the Medicare Program to 15 percent 
and twice the period of no enrollment, and to exclude periods of COBRA, 
retiree, and VA coverage from such late enrollment penalty. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 25, 2021 
Ms. PORTER (for herself, Ms. HERRERA BEUTLER, Ms. UNDERWOOD, Ms. 
NORTON, Ms. BROWNLEY, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. HASTINGS, Ms. LEE of 
California, Ms. MATSUI, Mr. PAPPAS, Miss GONZA´LEZ-COLO´N, Mr. 
SMITH of New Jersey, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Ms. DEAN, Ms. BARRAGA´N, 
Mr. VICENTE GONZALEZ of Texas, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. DEUTCH, Mr. 
NEGUSE, Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. 
WELCH, Mrs. LURIA, Ms. PINGREE, Mr. PANETTA, Mr. RYAN, Mrs. KIM 
of California, and Mr. LARSON of Connecticut) 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 sub-
sequently 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 title XVIII of the Social Security Act to limit 
the penalty for late enrollment under part B of the 
Medicare Program to 15 percent and twice the period 
of no enrollment, and to exclude periods of COBRA, 
retiree, and VA coverage from such late enrollment pen-
alty. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
15:40 Feb 14, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6652
E:\BILLS\H480.IH
H480
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Medicare Economic 
Security Solutions Act’’. 
SEC. 2. LIMITING MEDICARE PART B LATE ENROLLMENT 
PENALTY TO 15 PERCENT AND TWICE THE 
PERIOD OF NO ENROLLMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The first sentence of section 
1839(b) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395r(b)) 
is amended by striking ‘‘10 percent of the monthly pre-
mium so determined for each full 12 months’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘15 percent of the monthly premium so determined 
for premiums paid during a period equal to twice the num-
ber of months in each of the full periods of 12 months’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 1818 of 
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i–2) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (c)(6), by striking ‘‘and shall 
only apply to premiums paid during a period equal 
to twice the number of months in the full 12-month 
periods described in that section and’’; and 
(2) in subsection (g)(2)(B), by striking ‘‘by sub-
stituting’’ and all that follows and inserting the fol-
lowing: ‘‘by substituting ‘section 1818 (without any 
increase resulting from the application of section 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
15:40 Feb 14, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H480.IH
H480
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
1839(b) to such section 1818)’ for ‘section 1839 
(without any increase under subsection (b) there-
of)’.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply to premiums paid for months 
beginning after the end of the 90-day period begin-
ning on the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(2) CLARIFICATION.—In applying these amend-
ments, months (before, during, or after the month in 
which this Act is enacted) in which an individual 
was or is required to pay an increased premium shall 
be taken into account in determining the month in 
which the premium will no longer be subject to an 
increase. 
SEC. 3. EXCLUSION OF PERIODS OF COBRA, RETIREE, AND 
VA COVERAGE FROM MEDICARE PART B 
LATE ENROLLMENT PENALTY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The second sentence of section 
1839(b) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395r(b)) 
is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘by reason of the individual’s 
(or the individual’s spouse’s) current employment’’; 
and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
15:40 Feb 14, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H480.IH
H480
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
(2) by inserting ‘‘or months for which the indi-
vidual can demonstrate that the individual had cov-
erage under chapter 17 of title 38, United States 
Code’’ before the period at the end. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
subsection (a) shall apply to premiums paid for months 
beginning after the end of the 90-day period beginning 
on the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 4. SPECIAL ENROLLMENT PERIOD FOR INDIVIDUALS 
WHOSE COBRA OR RETIREE COVERAGE TER-
MINATES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1837(i) of the Social Se-
curity Act (42 U.S.C. 1395p(i)) is amended— 
(1) in the first sentence of paragraph (1), by 
striking ‘‘by reason of the individual’s (or the indi-
vidual’s spouse’s) current employment status’’ in 
subparagraph (A); 
(2) in the first sentence of paragraph (2) by 
striking ‘‘by reason of the individual’s (or the indi-
vidual’s spouse’s) current employment status’’ each 
place it appears in subparagraphs (B) and (C); and 
(3) in paragraph (3)(A) by striking ‘‘by reason 
of current employment status’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
subsection (a) shall apply to terminations of coverage oc-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
15:40 Feb 14, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H480.IH
H480
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS
curring after the end of the 90-day period beginning on 
the date of the enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
15:40 Feb 14, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H480.IH
H480
pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS