I
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 3529
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act and the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974 to improve access to health insurance
and Medicare benefits for individuals ages 55 to 65 to be fully funded
through premiums and anti-fraud provisions, to amend title XIX of
the Social Security Act to provide financial assistance for those individ-
uals who are too poor to afford the premiums, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 24, 2000
Mr. PALLONE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Com-
merce, and Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provi-
sions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act and the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to
improve access to health insurance and Medicare benefits
for individuals ages 55 to 65 to be fully funded through
premiums and anti-fraud provisions, to amend title XIX
of the Social Security Act to provide financial assistance
for those individuals who are too poor to afford the
premiums, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the
‘‘Early Medicare Access and Affordability Act of 2000’’.
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
TITLE I—ACCESS TO MEDICARE BENEFITS FOR INDIVIDUALS 62-
TO-65 YEARS OF AGE
Sec. 101. Access to Medicare benefits for individuals 62-to-65 years of age.
‘‘PART D—PURCHASE OF MEDICARE BENEFITS BY CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS
AGE 62-TO-65 YEARS OF AGE
‘‘Sec. 1859. Program benefits; eligibility.
‘‘Sec. 1859A. Enrollment process; coverage.
‘‘Sec. 1859B. Premiums.
‘‘Sec. 1859C. Payment of premiums.
‘‘Sec. 1859D. Medicare Early Access Trust Fund.
‘‘Sec. 1859E. Oversight and accountability.
‘‘Sec. 1859F. Administration and miscellaneous.
TITLE II—ACCESS TO MEDICARE BENEFITS FOR DISPLACED
WORKERS 55-TO-62 YEARS OF AGE
Sec. 201. Access to Medicare benefits for displaced workers 55-to-62 years of
age.
TITLE III—COBRA PROTECTION FOR EARLY RETIREES
Subtitle A—Amendments to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974
Sec. 301. COBRA continuation benefits for certain retired workers who lose re-
tiree health coverage.
Subtitle B—Amendments to the Public Health Service Act
Sec. 311. COBRA continuation benefits for certain retired workers who lose re-
tiree health coverage.
Subtitle C—Amendments to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986
Sec. 321. COBRA continuation benefits for certain retired workers who lose re-
tiree health coverage.
TITLE IV—FINANCING
Sec. 401. Reference to financing provisions.
TITLE V—PROVISION OF PREMIUM ASSISTANCE FOR LOW-IN-
COME INDIVIDUALS PURCHASING EARLY COVERAGE UNDER
THE MEDICARE PROGRAM
Sec. 501. Provision of premium assistance for low-income individuals purchasing
early coverage under the Medicare program.
TITLE I—ACCESS TO MEDICARE
BENEFITS FOR INDIVIDUALS
62-TO-65 YEARS OF AGE
SEC. 101. ACCESS TO MEDICARE BENEFITS FOR INDIVID-
UALS 62-TO-65 YEARS OF AGE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title XVIII of the Social Security
Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) is amended—
(1) by redesignating section 1859 and part D
as section 1858 and part E, respectively; and
(2) by inserting after such section the following
new part:
‘‘PART D—PURCHASE OF MEDICARE BENEFITS BY
CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AGE 62-TO-65 YEARS OF AGE
‘‘SEC. 1859. PROGRAM BENEFITS; ELIGIBILITY.
‘‘(a) ENTITLEMENT TO MEDICARE BENEFITS FOR
ENROLLED INDIVIDUALS.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—An individual enrolled
under this part is entitled to the same benefits
under this title as an individual entitled to benefits
under part A and enrolled under part B.
‘‘(2) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this part:
‘‘(A) FEDERAL OR STATE COBRA CONTINU-
ATION PROVISION.—The term ‘Federal or State
COBRA continuation provision’ has the mean-