I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4223 
To prohibit cuts in Federal funding under the Medicaid Program until full 
consideration is given to recommendations of a Bipartisan Commission 
on Medicaid. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 3, 2005 
Mr. PASCRELL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To prohibit cuts in Federal funding under the Medicaid 
Program until full consideration is given to recommenda-
tions of a Bipartisan Commission on Medicaid. 
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 ‘‘Medicaid Preservation 
Act of 2005’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Medicaid was established by law in 1965 as 
title XIX of the Social Security Act.
(2) Medicaid is the cornerstone of the United 
State’s health care safety net providing health and 
long-term care services to more than 40 million low- 
income families. 
(3) Medicaid is the largest public health insur-
ance programs in the United States, covering more 
than one in seven Americans and accounting for 
more than 15 percent of spending on health care in 
the United States. 
(4) Medicaid is the primary source of Federal 
financial assistance to the States in a shared dedica-
tion to improving the lives and the health of Amer-
ica’s low-income population. 
(5) Medicaid is a health insurance program for 
low-income adults and children, a comprehensive 
source of medical coverage for people with disabil-
ities, the primary source of public funding for long- 
term care, and a supplement to Medicare for the el-
derly. 
(6) Medicaid is the most efficient payor in the 
market. 
(7) Medicaid reduces disparities in health care 
delivery to racial and ethnic minorities, who make 
up approximately one-third of the total population of 
the United States.
(8) Medicaid’s protection against high out-of- 
pocket expenses for vulnerable, low-income Ameri-
cans has encouraged and increased access to nec-
essary health care. 
(9) Medicaid has drawn on the flexibility built 
into the program for States to pioneer innovations in 
coverage and service delivery. 
(10) Medicaid has provided a stable source of 
financing to States to meet the challenges of a rap-
idly changing health care marketplace and has fos-
tered the development of consumer protections for 
the frailest and most vulnerable in our society. 
(11) Medicaid’s multiple roles present financial 
challenges for Federal, and State governments that 
warrant a comprehensive review in light of the in-
creasing number of uninsured Americans and the in-
creasing number of low-income Americans in need of 
long-term care services. 
SEC. 3. NO CUTS IN FEDERAL MEDICAID FUNDING UNTIL 
FULL CONSIDERATION OF RECOMMENDA-
TIONS OF BIPARTISAN COMMISSION ON MED-
ICAID. 
No reductions shall be made in authorized Federal 
funding under the medicaid program under title XIX of 
the Social Security Act until full consideration has been
given to the recommendations of the Bipartisan Commis-
sion on Medicaid established under section 4. 
SEC. 4. BIPARTISAN COMMISSION ON MEDICAID. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a com-
mission to be known as the Bipartisan Commission on 
Medicaid (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Commis-
sion’’). The Commission shall locate its headquarters in 
the District of Columbia. 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) APPOINTMENT.—The Commission shall be 
composed of 23 members to be appointed as follows: 
(A) One member shall be appointed by the 
President. 
(B) Three members shall be appointed by 
the majority leader of the Senate of whom— 
(i) one shall be a Member or former 
Member of Congress; 
(ii) one shall be an advocate for popu-
lations who are served by Medicaid; and 
(iii) one shall be a health care pro-
vider that provides a disproportionate 
share of care to recipients of benefits 
under Medicaid or a representative of an 
organization that represent such providers.
(C) Three members shall be appointed by 
the minority leader of the Senate of whom— 
(i) one shall be a Member or former 
Member of Congress; 
(ii) one shall be an advocate for popu-
lations who are served by Medicaid; and 
(iii) one shall be a health care pro-
vider that provides a disproportionate 
share of care to recipients of benefits 
under Medicaid or a representative of an 
organization that represent such providers. 
(D) Three members shall be appointed by 
the Speaker of the House of Representatives of 
whom— 
(i) one shall be a Member or former 
Member of Congress; 
(ii) one shall be an advocate for popu-
lations who are served by Medicaid; and 
(iii) one shall be a health care pro-
vider that provides a disproportionate 
share of care to recipients of benefits 
under Medicaid or a representative of an 
organization that represent such providers.