Title: Medicare Extra Rx HELP Act of 2019
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Medicare Extra Rx Higher Eligibility Limits in Part D Act of 2019 or the Medicare Extra Rx HELP Act of 2019
This bill expands eligibility for certain premium subsidies for low-income beneficiaries under the Medicare prescription drug benefit. Specifically, the bill raises the maximum allowable income for beneficiaries to qualify from 135% to 200% of the federal poverty line.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 691 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 691

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to enhance prescription 
drug affordability by expanding access to assistance with out-of-pocket 
costs under Medicare part D for low-income seniors and individuals with 
                             disabilities.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 7, 2019

   Mr. Casey (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal, Mrs. Gillibrand, and Ms. 
   Baldwin) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
                  referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to enhance prescription 
drug affordability by expanding access to assistance with out-of-pocket 
costs under Medicare part D for low-income seniors and individuals with 
                             disabilities.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Medicare Extra Rx Higher Eligibility 
Limits in Part D Act of 2019'' or the ``Medicare Extra Rx HELP Act of 
2019''.

SEC. 2. ENHANCING PRESCRIPTION DRUG AFFORDABILITY BY EXPANDING ACCESS 
              TO ASSISTANCE WITH OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS UNDER MEDICARE 
              PART D FOR LOW-INCOME SENIORS AND INDIVIDUALS WITH 
              DISABILITIES.

    (a) In General.--Section 1860D-14 of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1395w-114) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in the heading, by striking ``150 Percent'' and 
                inserting ``200 Percent'';
                    (B) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) in the heading, by striking ``135 
                        percent'' and inserting ``200 percent''; and
                            (ii) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
                        (A)--
                                    (I) by striking ``135 percent'' and 
                                inserting ``200 percent''; and
                                    (II) by striking ``and who meets 
                                the resources requirement described in 
                                paragraph (3)(D) or who is covered 
                                under this paragraph under paragraph 
                                (3)(B)(i)'' and inserting ``or who is 
                                covered under this paragraph under 
                                paragraph (3)(B)(v)'';
                    (C) by striking paragraph (2);
                    (D) in paragraph (3)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A)--
                                    (I) in clause (i), by adding 
                                ``and'' at the end;
                                    (II) in clause (ii)--
                                            (aa) by striking ``150 
                                        percent'' and inserting ``200 
                                        percent''; and
                                            (bb) by striking ``; and'' 
                                        at the end and inserting a 
                                        period; and
                                    (III) by striking clause (iii); and
                            (ii) by striking subparagraphs (D), (E), 
                        and (G); and
                    (E) in paragraph (4), by striking subparagraph (B); 
                and
            (2) in subsection (c)(1), in the second sentence, by 
        striking ``subsections (a)(1)(D) and (a)(2)(E)'' and inserting 
        ``subsection (a)(1)(D)''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 1905(p)(1) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d(p)(1)) is amended by adding at the end 
the following flush matter:
``The Secretary shall apply subparagraph (C) as if the amendments made 
by section 2(a) of the Medicare Extra Rx Higher Eligibility Limits in 
Part D Act of 2019 had not been enacted and shall continue to calculate 
the maximum resource level applied for a year under section 1860D-
14(a)(3)(D) (as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of 
such Act) without regard to such amendments.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
apply to plan year 2020 and subsequent plan years.
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