Medicare Rx Drug Benefit and Discount Act of 2003

Bill: 108-hr-1199
Sponsor: Rep. Rangel, Charles B. [D-NY-15]
Introduced: 2003-03-11 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Administrative fees
Administrative procedure
Administrative remedies
Advertising
Ambulatory care
Antibiotics
Antitrust law
Auditing
Business records
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Civil actions and liability
Civil procedure
Coinsurance
Commerce
Competitive bidding
Conflict of interests
Consent decrees
Consumer complaints
Consumer discounts
Contracts
Cost control
Cost effectiveness
Department of Health and Human Services
Drug abuse
Drug approvals
Drug industry
Drug interactions
Drug therapy
Drug utilization
Drugs
Economics and Public Finance
Executive reorganization
Federal Trade Commission
Federal advisory bodies
Federal-territorial relations
Finance and Financial Sector
Fines (Penalties)
Generic drugs
Government Operations and Politics
Government contractors
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Government trust funds
Health care fraud
Health counseling
Health education
Health insurance
Health insurance continuation
Health maintenance organizations
Health warnings
Housing and Community Development
Independent regulatory commissions
Indexing (Economic policy)
Injunctions
Insulin
Insurance premiums
Intellectual property
Labeling
Labor and Employment
Law
Managed care
Marketing
Medicaid
Medical economics
Medical records
Medical supplies
Medicare
Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
Medigap
Patent infringement
Patents
Patient satisfaction
Performance measurement
Pharmaceutical research
Prescription pricing
Pretrial procedure
Quality of care
Restrictive trade practices
Retiree health benefits
Right of privacy
Rural health
Science, Technology, Communications
Smoking
Social Welfare
Standards
Telephone
Warning labels

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-11
text: Medicare Rx Drug Benefit and Discount Act of 2003 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to add a new part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) under which each individual who is entitled to benefits under Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance) or eligible to enroll under Medicare part B (Supplemental Medical Insurance) is entitled to obtain qualified prescription drug coverage.
Outlines standard coverage benefit packages. Includes for the standard package a monthly premium of $25, an annual deductible of $100, a coinsurance of 20 percent and an annual out-of-pocket spending limit of $2,000. Directs the Secretary to negotiate fair prices with pharmaceutical manufacturers.
Amends part C (Medicare+Choice) of SSA title XVIII to provide for the availability of prescription medicine benefits under the Medicare+Choice program.
Provides for accelerated generic drug competition under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-03-24
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2003-03-20
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2003-03-12
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E431-432)
action_date: 2003-03-11
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-03-11
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-03-11
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-03-11
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-03-11
text: Introduced in House