H. R. 483
One Hundred Fourth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE FIRST SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday,
the fourth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-five
An Act
To amend the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 to permit medicare
select policies to be offered in all States.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. PERMITTING MEDICARE SELECT POLICIES TO BE
OFFERED IN ALL STATES FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD.
Section 4358(c) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of
1990, as amended by section 172(a) of the Social Security Act
Amendments of 1994, is amended to read as follows:
‘‘(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—(1) The amendments made by this sec-
tion shall only apply—
‘‘(A) in 15 States (as determined by the Secretary of Health
and Human Services) and such other States as elect such
amendments to apply to them, and
‘‘(B) subject to paragraph (2), during the 61⁄2-year period
beginning with 1992.
For purposes of this paragraph, the term ‘State’ has the meaning
given such term by section 210(h) of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 410(h)).
‘‘(2)(A) The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall
conduct a study that compares the health care costs, quality of
care, and access to services under medicare select policies with
that under other medicare supplemental policies. The study shall
be based on surveys of appropriate age-adjusted sample populations.
The study shall be completed by June 30, 1997.
‘‘(B) Not later than December 31, 1997, the Secretary shall
determine, based on the results of the study under subparagraph
(A), if any of the following findings are true:
‘‘(i) The amendments made by this section have not resulted
in savings of premium costs to those enrolled in medicare
select policies (in comparison to their enrollment in medicare
supplemental policies that are not medicare select policies and
that provide comparable coverage).
‘‘(ii) There have been significant additional expenditures
under the medicare program as a result of such amendments.
‘‘(iii) Access to and quality of care has been significantly
diminished as a result of such amendments.
‘‘(C) The amendments made by this section shall remain in
effect beyond the 61⁄2-year period described in paragraph (1)(B)
unless the Secretary determines that any of the findings described
in clause (i), (ii), or (iii) of subparagraph (B) are true.
‘‘(3) The Comptroller General shall conduct a study to determine
the extent to which individuals who are continuously covered under
H. R. 483—2
a medicare supplemental policy are subject to medical underwriting
if they change the policy under which they are covered, and to
identify options, if necessary, for modifying the medicare supple-
mental insurance market to make sure that continuously insured
beneficiaries are able to switch plans without medical underwriting.
By not later than June 30, 1996, the Comptroller General shall
submit to the Congress a report on the study. The report shall
include a description of the potential impact on the cost and avail-
ability of medicare supplemental policies of each option identified
in the study.’’.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.