I
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4557
To amend the Social Security Act to waive the 24-month waiting period
for Medicare coverage of individuals disabled with acquired immune defi-
ciency syndrome (AIDS), and to provide Medicare coverage of drugs
used for treatment of AIDS.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 25, 2000
Mr. COBURN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Com-
merce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned
A BILL
To amend the Social Security Act to waive the 24-month
waiting period for Medicare coverage of individuals dis-
abled with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS),
and to provide Medicare coverage of drugs used for treat-
ment of AIDS.
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 ‘‘AIDS Treatment and
Assistance Act of 2000’’.
SEC. 2. WAIVER OF 24-MONTH WAITING PERIOD FOR MEDI-
CARE COVERAGE OF INDIVIDUALS DISABLED
WITH ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYN-
DROME (AIDS).
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 226 of the Social Security
Act (42 U.S.C. 426) is amended—
(1) by redesignating subsection (h) as sub-
section (j) and by moving such subsection to the end
of the section, and
(2) by inserting after subsection (g) the fol-
lowing new subsection:
‘‘(h) For purposes of applying this section in the case
of an individual medically determined to have acquired im-
mune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), the following special
rules apply:
‘‘(1) Subsection (b) shall be applied as if there
were no requirement for any entitlement to benefits,
or status, for a period longer than 1 month.
‘‘(2) The entitlement under such subsection
shall begin with the first month (rather than twenty-
fifth month) of entitlement or status.
‘‘(3) Subsection (f) shall not be applied.’’.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 1837 of
such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395p) is amended by adding at the
end the following new subsection:
‘‘(j) In applying this section in the case of an indi-
vidual who is entitled to benefits under part A pursuant
to the operation of section 226(h), the following special
rules apply:
‘‘(1) The initial enrollment period under sub-
section (d) shall begin on the first day of the first
month in which the individual satisfies the require-
ment of section 1836(1).
‘‘(2) In applying subsection (g)(1), the initial
enrollment period shall begin on the first day of the
first month of entitlement to disability insurance
benefits referred to in such subsection.’’.
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by
this section shall apply to benefits for months beginning
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 3. MEDICARE COVERAGE OF DRUGS TO TREAT AC-
QUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME
(AIDS).
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1861(s)(2) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(s)(2)) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of subpara-
graph (S),
(2) by striking the period at the end of sub-
paragraph (T) and inserting ‘‘; and’’, and
(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph:
‘‘(U) any drug (which is approved by the Fed-
eral Food and Drug Administration) prescribed for
use in the treatment or alleviation of symptoms re-
lating to acquired immune deficiency syndrome
(AIDS).’’.
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by
subsection (a) shall apply to drugs furnished on or after
the first day of the first month beginning after the date
of the enactment of this Act.
Æ