jiayi-li23/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2009-06-19 00:00:00

Medicare Specialty Care Improvement and Protection Act of 2009 - Amends part C (Medicare+Choice) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to extend through December 31, 2013, the authority to restrict enrollment for specialized Medicare Advantage (MA) plans for special needs individuals (SNPs). Extends such authority through December 31, 2015, in the case of a SNP designated as a Fully Integrated Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan.. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to evaluate the MA and the health status risk adjustment payment mechanisms in order to resolve plan payment inequities relative to Medicare fee-for-service payments for high-risk, high cost beneficiaries. Directs the Secretary, using the results of the evaluation, to refine the risk adjustment payment mechanism for such beneficiaries. Requires the Secretary to provide bonus payments to account for added SNP costs associated with additional benefit, care management, reporting, and other requirements established by Congress and the Secretary in excess of other MA plans. Requires the Secretary to take into account specified factors, including dual eligibility (for both Medicare and SSA title XIX [Medicaid] benefits) and geographic cost differences, with respect to the bid structure for SNPs. Requires the Secretary to have in place a process under which the Secretary designates dual eligible SNPs as Fully Integrated Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans for the purpose of advancing fully integrated Medicare and Medicaid benefits and services for dual eligible beneficiaries, including state-designated Dual subsets. Directs the Secretary to establish or designate an Office on Medicare/Medicaid Integration. Authorizes a plan, at state option, to provide for a period of presumptive eligibility for an individual who has attained age 65, who has 12 or more consecutive months of Medicaid eligibility, and who the state has reason to believe will be determined to be a full-benefit dual eligible individual. Conditions such presumptive eligibility, however, on the state's: (1) agreement to randomly conducted eligibility audits by the Secretary; and (2) ensuring that any individual enrolled under the state plan who is determined ineligible for medical assistance as a result of such an audit is notified at least 30 days before disenrollment. Extends prescription drug discounts to enrollees of Medicaid managed care organizations.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Date: 2009-07-21 00:00:00

Commission on Catastrophic Disaster Risk and Insurance Act of 2009 - Establishes the bipartisan Commission on Catastrophic Disaster Risk and Insurance to assess: (1) the condition of the property and casualty insurance and reinsurance markets in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma in 2005, and the four major hurricanes that struck the United States in 2004; (2) the ongoing exposure of the United States to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, and floods; and (3) recommend and report legislative and regulatory changes that will improve the domestic and international financial health and competitiveness of such markets.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2009-07-21 00:00:00

COBRA Coverage Extension Act of 2009 - Extends COBRA coverage (health insurance continuation benefits) that would currently end before the 12-month period following enactment of this Act because of the 18-month coverage limitation to the earlier of: (1) the end of the 12 calendar months following the date of enactment of this Act; or (2) 24 months after the date of the qualifying event.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2009-07-30 00:00:00

Supporting Military Families Act of 2009 - Amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to revise its requirements for exigency leave with respect to employees belonging to the family of members of the Armed Forces, particularly the requirement that an employee's spouse, son, daughter, or parent be on active duty in the Armed Forces in support of a contingency operation. Repeals the condition "in support of a contingency operation," and requires only that the Armed Forces member be on duty during deployment to a foreign country. Entitles to coverage by the Act an eligible employee who is a family member caring for a veteran undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy for a serious injury or illness who was a member of the Armed Forces (or of the National Guard or Reserves) at any time during the five-year period preceding the date on which the veteran undergoes that treatment, recuperation, or therapy. Defines a veteran's serious injury or illness of a veteran to be one: (1) incurred by the veteran as an Armed Forces member in the line of duty while on active duty in the Armed Forces, or which existed before the beginning of the member's active duty but was aggravated by service in line of duty on active duty in the Armed Forces; and (2) that manifested itself before or after the Armed Forces member became a veteran. Amends federal civil service law to entitle civilian federal employees to the same leave allowance with respect to family members who are: (1) members of the Armed Forces in deployment to a foreign country; or (2) ill or injured veterans for whom they are caring.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Finance and financial sector
Date: 2009-08-06 00:00:00

Medical Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2009 - Amends federal bankruptcy law to cite circumstances under which a medically distressed debtor may elect to exempt from the property of the estate in bankruptcy up to $250,000 of the debtor's aggregate interest in specified real or personal property that the debtor (or debtor's dependent) uses as a residence, in a cooperative, or in a burial plot for the debtor or a dependent. Revises requirements for dismissal or conversion of a Chapter 7 case to prohibit the court or specified parties in interest from filing a motion to dismiss or convert to Chapter 11 or 13 if the debtor is a medically distressed debtor. Waives the credit counseling prerequisite for filing for relief from debt in the case of a medically distressed debtor. Denies a discharge in bankruptcy from any debt incurred that relates to attorneys' fees generated as a result of the debtor's filing of a Chapter 7 petition. Requires a debtor who seeks relief as a medically distressed debtor to attest in writing, and under penalty of perjury, that the medical expenses of the debtor are genuine, and not specifically incurred to bring the debtor within the coverage of the medical bankruptcy provisions of this Act.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2009-08-06 00:00:00

Affordable Access to Prescription Medications Act of 2009 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), and the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to prescription drug plans, to limit the required co-payment or coinsurance for any one prescription to $200, and for all prescriptions in any month to $500. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2011, to expand the formulary tier exception request process to allow Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in a prescription drug plan to request an exception for a specialty prescription drug as a non-preferred prescription drug. Requires the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission to study and report to Congress on: (1) the prescription drug program under Medicare part D and the interaction of such program with Medicare beneficiary access to covered drugs under part B; and (2) cost-sharing for prescription drugs under Medicare parts B and D, including an analysis of the impact of eliminating cost-sharing for covered part D drugs for Medicare beneficiaries who incur annual out-of-pocket cost-sharing, after the initial coverage limit, that exceeds 5% of their income and who do not otherwise qualify for an income-related subsidy or other extra help or cost-sharing relief.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2009-08-06 00:00:00

Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage Improvement Act - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a Federal Coordinated Health Care Office within the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to bring together Medicare and Medicaid officials in order to: (1) integrate benefits more effectively under title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) and SSA title XIX (Medicaid); and (2) improve coordination between the federal government and states for individuals dually eligible for benefits under both programs Amends Part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of SSA title XVIII to direct the HHS Secretary to: (1) offer one or more Medicare operated prescription drug plans with a service area consisting of the entire United States; and (2) enter into negotiations with pharmaceutical manufacturers to reduce the purchase cost of covered part D drugs for eligible part D individuals who enroll in such a plan. Provides a premium subsidy and cost-sharing for subsidy eligible individuals. Directs the Secretary to establish a formulary that meets certain requirements. Outlines accreditation requirements for all specialized Medicare Advantage plans. Revises requirements relating to specialized Medicare Advantage plans for special needs individuals. Requires continuous updating of eligibility and enrollment data for dual eligible individuals, continuity of prescription drug coverage for such individuals, and collection and sharing of drug utilization data and formulary information for them. Requires each contractor under the HHS Point of Sale Facilitated Enrollment process to enroll full-benefit dual eligible individuals into a Medicare operated prescription drug plan. Requires the Secretary to lower covered part D drug prices on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries by: (1) negotiating directly with pharmaceutical manufacturers for additional discounts, rebates, and other price concessions; (2) entering into rebate agreements with manufacturers; (3) educating physicians and pharmacists on the comparative clinical effectiveness of covered part D drugs; and (4) instituting prescription drug prices negotiated under the Federal Supply Schedule of the General Services Administration (GSA) for the reimbursement of covered part D drugs. Revises requirements for the financial assistance available to low-income Medicare beneficiaries, including those related to enrollment, a Medicare plan complaint system, and use of a single, uniform exceptions and appeals process.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2009-09-17 00:00:00

Expanding Access to Medical Records Act - Amends titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) grant the authorized representative of a deceased beneficiary full access to information with respect to the deceased beneficiary's benefits under the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2009-09-30 00:00:00

Fairness in Health Insurance Act - Prohibits a health insurance issuer from offering health insurance coverage unless the issuer demonstrates that such coverage has a medical loss ratio of at least 90%. Directs the Secretary: (1) to establish a uniform definition of "medical loss ratio" and methodology for calculating it, which shall take into account the circumstances of different plans and activities related to health services, such as chronic disease management and quality assurance; and (2) by December 31, 2010, to develop, publish, and implement the standardized data elements and definitions to be used by health insurance issuers in the reporting of data necessary to calculate such ratio. Requires each issuer: (1) beginning in plan year 2011, to provide the Secretary with data to enable the Secretary to determine whether the issuer is in compliance with this Act; and (2) to provide payment rebates to enrollees for any plan year in which the coverage has a medical loss ratio below 90%.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2009-10-01 00:00:00

Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to exempt small pharmacies from certain Medicare accreditation requirements for the purpose of providing diabetic testing strips under Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance).
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2009-10-13 00:00:00

Comprehensive Cancer Care Improvement Act of 2009 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage of comprehensive cancer care planning services. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct a two-year demonstration project for Medicare payment for comprehensive cancer care symptom management services furnished by an eligible entity in accordance with a described plan. Directs the Secretary to make grants to eligible entities for establishing a new, or expanding an existing, palliative care and symptom management program for cancer patients. Directs the Secretary to make grants to eligible entities to improve the quality of graduate and postgraduate training of physicians, nurses, and other health care providers, as well as continuing professional education, in palliative care and symptom management for such patients. Requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish a program of grants for research on palliative care, symptom management, communication skills, and other end-of-life topics for such patients.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2009-11-04 00:00:00

COBRA Subsidy Extension and Enhancement Act of 2009 - Amends the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to: (1) increase the subsidy under COBRA (health insurance continuation benefits under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985) to 75% of a worker's health care insurance premium; (2) extend such subsidy from 9 to 15 months after termination from employment; (3) extend coverage under COBRA to employees whose work hours are involuntarily reduced; and (4) extend until June 30, 2010, the period of eligibility for COBRA premium assistance.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2009-11-05 00:00:00

Rural Telemedicine Enhancing Community Health (TECH) Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish telehealth pilot projects for the purpose of analyzing the clinical outcomes and cost effectiveness associated with telehealth services in a variety of geographic areas. Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to: (1) provide for expansion of originating telehealth sites for stroke telehealth services; (2) provide access to store-and-forward telehealth services in facilities of the Indian Health Service and federally qualified health centers; and (3) direct the Secretary to establish reasonable regulations to consider the remote credentialing and privileging standards for originating sites with respect to telehealth services.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2009-11-10 00:00:00

Medical Foods Equity Act of 2009 - Amends titles XVIII (Medicare), XIX (Medicaid), and XXI (State Children's Health Insurance Program) (CHIP, formerly known as SCHIP) of the Social Security Act to include coverage of: (1) medically necessary food and food modified to be low protein; and (2) pharmacological doses of vitamins and amino acids used for the treatment of inborn errors of metabolism. Provides for similar coverage under the TRICARE program (military health care). Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the Public Health Service Act, and the Internal Revenue Code to provide coverage in group and individual plans of such food and vitamins and amino acids. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to determine the minimum yearly coverage for all health insurance plans based upon the expanded coverage provided by this Act.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Economics and public finance
Date: 2009-12-23 00:00:00

Economic Fairness for Seniors Act - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to keep the same Medicare part B premium for 2010 that was in effect for 2009. Amends the American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009 (ARRA) to require an additional economic recovery payment (of $250) in calendar 2010 to certain beneficiaries of SSA title II (Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) (OASDI), railroad retirement, or veterans benefits. Makes appropriations to fund such payments. Directs the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the Department of Labor to study and report to Congress on: (1) whether a consumer price index for elderly consumers (CPI-E) more accurately reflects the true costs of inflation for elderly Americans than the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W); and (2) if the elderly are being financially disadvantged by the use of the CPI-W in the determination of current benefit levels. Requires the BLS to prepare such a CPI-E if elderly Americans are disadvantaged by the CPI-W. Amends the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA) to offset the expenses of this Act through a reduction in Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) Funds.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Social welfare
Date: 2010-01-25 00:00:00

Emergency Aid to American Survivors of the Haiti Earthquake Act - Amends title XI of the Social Security Act (SSA) to increase the funding cap under the U.S. Repatriation Program to $25 million for FY2010 for temporary assistance to U.S. citizens (and their dependents) returning from foreign countries in the event of destitution, illness, war, threat of war, invasion, or similar crisis. Amends SSA title XIX (Medicaid) to provide $65 million in additional funding for the Qualified Individual (QI) Program which pays the Medicare part B premium costs for low-income seniors. Reduces a corresponding amount otherwise available to the Medicaid Improvement Fund for FY2014.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2010-02-04 00:00:00

Medicaid DSH Integrity Act - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to indicate, in appropriate guidance, that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) do not intend to enforce any changes in policy related to calculating the limits on the adjustment in payment under title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act for inpatient hospital services furnished by disproportionate share hospitals (DSH) that were contained in the Medicaid DSH auditing and reporting regulations the CMS issued pursuant to the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003. Requires the Secretary to publish an interim final rule to revise such regulations as necessary to: (1) correct such policy changes; (2) provide appropriate guidance for otherwise implementing those auditing and reporting regulations; and (3) provide for specified regulatory changes to be included in the new interim rule. Requires the CMS, in defining the costs of furnishing services to individuals with no health insurance (or other source of third-party coverage), to permit inclusion of all costs related to services provided to patients with no insurance for the service rendered, even if the patient has insurance that covers other services. Declares that the receipt by a hospital of nominal payments related to a service shall not constitute health insurance or a source of third-party coverage.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2010-02-04 00:00:00

Amends the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to extend until January 1, 2011, the temporary increase in the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP), under title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act, for any state with a certain unemployment increase percentage during the recession adjustment period. Extends the entire recession adjustment period from December 31, 2010, through December 31, 2011. Declares that voluntary contributions by a political subdivision to the non-federal share of expenditures under a state Medicaid plan, or to the non-federal share of payments for inpatient hospital services furnished by disproportionate share (DSH) hospitals shall not be considered to be required contributions. (Thus allows a state that otherwise requires such contributions during the recession adjustment period, but instead receives voluntary contributions from political subdivisions, to be eligible for an increase in its FMAP.)
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2010-03-04 00:00:00

Health Insurance Rate Authority Act of 2010 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a uniform process for the review of potentially unreasonable increases in rates for health insurance coverage, which shall include premiums. Directs the Secretary to establish a Health Insurance Rate Authority to advise and make recommendations to the Secretary. Sets forth corrective actions for unreasonable increases in rates. Requires a report on state authority to review rates and take corrective action, rating requests received by the state and actions taken, justifications by insurance issuers for rate requests, and a recommended definition of unreasonable rate increase. Requires the Secretary to determine: (1) for which states the state insurance commissioner will review rate increases and take corrective action; and (2) for which states the Secretary will undertake such actions based on the Secretary's determination that such states lack the authority and capability. Directs the Secretary to develop a uniform data collection system for new and increased rate information. Requires the Authority to produce annually a single, aggregate report on insurance market behavior. Directs states, as a condition of receiving a grant under this Act, to provide the Secretary with information about trends in rate increases in health insurance coverage in premium rating areas in the state. Requires the Secretary to carry out a program to award grants to states to carry out this Act. Authorizes the Secretary to enforce this Act if the state does not substantially enforce the provisions. Establishes civil penalties for violations.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Health
Date: 2010-03-09 00:00:00

Declares that no individual who elects to opt out of benefits under part A (Hospital Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) shall be required to: (1) opt out of benefits under SSA title II (Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) as a condition for making such election; or (2) repay any amount paid under Medicare part A for items and services furnished prior to making such election.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2010-03-22 00:00:00

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide that health care coverage provided by the TRICARE program and the Nonappropriated Fund Health Benefits Program of the Department of Defense (DOD) shall constitute minimal essential health care coverage as required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Topic: Health — Insurance
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2010-03-24 00:00:00

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to include children of Vietnam War and certain Korean War veterans receiving care and services through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for spina bifida-related medical conditions and children of women Vietnam veterans born with certain birth defects as meeting the definition of minimum essential coverage under requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).