To extend for one year parity in the application of certain limits to mental health benefits, and for other purposes.

Bill: 110-hr-4848
Sponsor: Rep. Pallone, Frank, Jr. [D-NJ-6]
Introduced: 2007-12-19 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Collection of accounts
Economics and Public Finance
Employee health benefits
Hospital rates
Income tax
Labor and Employment
Medical fees
Medicare
Mental health services
Physicians
Social Welfare
Tax administration
Tax returns
Taxation

Summary:
action_date: 2007-12-19
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), and the Public Health Service Act to extend until December 31, 2008, mental health parity provisions, which require group health plans to treat equally mental health benefits and medical and surgical benefits for purposes of lifetime limits or annual limits on benefits covered by the plan.

Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to take all necessary steps to participate in the Federal Payment Levy Program as soon as possible and ensure that: (1) at least 50% of all payments under parts A (Hospital Insurance) and B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) are processed through such program within one year after enactment of this Act; (2) at least 75% of all such payments are processed through such program within two years; and (3) all such payments are processed through such program by September 30, 2011.

Requires the Financial Management Service and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to provide assistance to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to ensure that all payments are included in the Federal Payment Levy Program by the deadlines specified.

Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide for specified expenditures from the Physician Assistance and Quality Initiative Fund for payment for physicians' services.

action_date: 2008-02-07
text: 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), and the Public Health Service Act to extend until December 31, 2008, mental health parity provisions, which require group health plans to treat equally mental health benefits and medical and surgical benefits for purposes of lifetime limits or annual limits on benefits covered by the plan.

Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to take all necessary steps to participate in the Federal Payment Levy Program as soon as possible and ensure that: (1) at least 50% of all payments under parts A (Hospital Insurance) and B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) are processed through such program within one year after enactment of this Act; (2) at least 75% of all such payments are processed through such program within two years; and (3) all such payments are processed through such program by September 30, 2011.

Requires the Financial Management Service and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to provide assistance to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to ensure that all payments are included in the Federal Payment Levy Program by the deadlines specified.

Directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to offset Medicare payments by the amount of the payee's delinquent federal debt.

Requires the Secretary of HHS to provide for specified expenditures from the Physician Assistance and Quality Initiative Fund for payment for physicians' services.

Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer specified funds from general revenues to Social Security trust funds to ensure that assets of such trust funds are not reduced as a result of enactment of this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-08
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2008-02-07
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2008-02-07
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 384 - 23 (Roll no. 35). (text: CR 2/6/2008 H583-584)
action_date: 2008-02-07
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 384 - 23 (Roll no. 35).(text: CR 2/6/2008 H583-584)
action_date: 2008-02-07
text: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H640-641)
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4848.
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H583-588)
action_date: 2008-02-06
text: Mr. Pallone moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2007-12-19
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2007-12-19
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and Labor, 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: 2007-12-19
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and Labor, 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: 2007-12-19
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and Labor, 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: 2007-12-19
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and Labor, 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: 2007-12-19
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2007-12-19
text: Introduced in House