Protecting Medicare Beneficiaries Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-2148
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Introduced: 2015-10-07
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Government trust funds

Health programs administration and funding

Medicare
Latest action: action_date: 2015-10-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-10-07
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Protecting Medicare Beneficiaries Act of 2015</b></p> <p>This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to: (1) prevent 2016 increases to Medicare Part B premiums and deductibles for enrollees, and (2) authorize federal funding to offset the corresponding reduction in aggregate monthly premiums.</p> <p>Under current law, the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services must annually determine the monthly actuarial rate upon which Part B premiums and deductibles are based. The bill temporarily freezes that rate at the 2015 level for enrollees, effectively preventing increases to premiums and deductibles for those enrollees in 2016. (Current law already protects Part B enrollees whose benefits are deducted from their Social Security benefits from premium increases that would result in a smaller Social Security check.)</p>

tv_txt: II 114th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 2148 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES October 7, 2015 Mr. Wyden (for himself, Mr. Bennet , Mr. Brown , Mr. Cardin , Mr. Casey , Mr. Menendez , Mrs. Murray , Mr. Nelson , Ms. Stabenow , Mr. Schumer , Mr. Sanders , Ms. Baldwin , Mr. Leahy , Mr. Carper , Mr. Udall , Ms. Hirono , Mr. King , Ms. Mikulski , Mr. Coons , Mr. Franken , and Mr. Merkley ) 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 prevent an increase in the Medicare part B premium and deductible in 2016.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Protecting Medicare Beneficiaries Act of 2015 . 2. Preventing Medicare part B premium and deductible increases in 2016 (a) In general Section 1839(a) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395r(a) ) is amended— (1) in the second sentence of paragraph (1), by striking Such and inserting Subject to paragraph (5), such ; and (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (5) In applying this part (including subsection (i) and section 1833(b)), the monthly actuarial rate for enrollees age 65 and over for 2016 shall be equal to the monthly actuarial rate for such enrollees for 2015. . (b) Conforming funding Section 1844(a) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395w(a) ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; plus ; and (2) by adding at the end the following: (4) a Government contribution equal to, as estimated by the Chief Actuary of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the reduction in aggregate premiums payable for a month under this part that is attributable to the application of section 1839(a)(5) with respect to— (A) enrollees age 65 and over; and (B) enrollees under age 65. In applying paragraph (1), the Government contribution under paragraph (4) with respect to enrollees described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of such paragraph (4) shall be treated as premiums payable and deposited in the Trust Fund under subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively, of paragraph (1). .