Medicare Prescription Drug Savings for Our Seniors (Medicare Prescription Drug SOS) Act of 2007

Bill: 110-hr-3025
Sponsor: Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-25]
Introduced: 2007-07-12 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Coinsurance
Commerce
Congressional reporting requirements
Consumer complaints
Consumer discounts
Consumer education
Deceptive advertising
Drug industry
Drug therapy
Drugs
Economics and Public Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government trust funds
Governmental investigations
Health care fraud
Health insurance
Health maintenance organizations
Insurance premiums
Intellectual property
Law
Medicaid
Medical economics
Medicare
Old age, survivors and disability insurance
Pharmacies
Prescription pricing
Social Welfare
Subsidies
Trademarks

Summary:
action_date: 2007-07-12
text: 
Medicare Prescription Drug Savings for Our Seniors (Medicare Prescription Drug SOS) Act of 2007 - Amends part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) offer one or more Medicare operated prescription drug plans (PDPs) with a service area consisting of the entire United States; and (2) negotiate with pharmaceutical manufacturers to reduce the purchase cost of covered part D drugs. Requires the monthly beneficiary premium for qualified prescription drug coverage and access to negotiated prices to be uniform nationally. 

Provides for auto-enrollment of subsidy eligible individuals in Medicare operated PDPs.

Amends SSA title XIX (Medicaid) to provide for the use of 2005 as base in computing the state clawback provision.
 
Amends SSA title XVIII (Medicare) to eliminate part D cost-sharing for certain non-institutionalized full-benefit dual eligible individuals.
 
Provides for: (1) expedited low-income subsidies under the Medicare PDP; (2) indexing of deductible and cost-sharing for certain individuals; and (3) Commissioner of Social Security screening for Medicare savings program eligibility.
 
Sets forth anti-fraud and abuse provisions.
 
Provides for protection against a decrease in Social Security benefits owing to part D Medicare premium increases.
 
Prohibits late enrollment penalties for months before January 2008. Allows a one-time change in plan during first year of enrollment. 
 
Prohibits a PDP sponsor from removing a covered part D drug from the plan formulary, downgrading its cost-sharing status, or otherwise introducing a barrier to access to covered part D drugs, without advance notice.
 
Requires Medicare part D formularies to cover all drugs in six specified therapeutic categories.
 
Makes benzodiazepines covered part D drugs, subject to review by the Secretary.
 
Eliminates the MA Regional Stabilization Fund and certain Medicare Advantage overpayments.

Requires prompt payment of clean claims by Medicare and Medicare Advantage PDPs. 

Prohibits co-branding.
 
Extends part D coverage to medication therapy management services.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-07-20
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2007-07-12
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2007-07-12
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: 2007-07-12
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: 2007-07-12
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: 2007-07-12
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2007-07-12
text: Introduced in House