Bill Summary & Status for the 106th Congress

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H.R.1998
Sponsor: Rep Ramstad, Jim (introduced 5/27/1999)
Latest Major Action: 6/23/1999 Referred to House subcommittee
Title: To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to promote the coverage of frail elderly Medicare beneficiaries permanently residing in nursing facilities in specialized health insurance programs for the frail elderly.
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TITLE(S):  (italics indicate a title for a portion of a bill)
STATUS: (color indicates Senate actions) (Floor Actions/Congressional Record Page References)
5/27/1999:
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Commerce, 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.
5/27/1999:
Referred to House Ways and Means
6/3/1999:
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
5/27/1999:
Referred to House Commerce
6/23/1999:
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.

COMMITTEE(S):
RELATED BILL DETAILS:

***NONE***


AMENDMENT(S):

***NONE***


COSPONSORS(41), ALPHABETICAL [followed by Cosponsors withdrawn]:     (Sort: by date)

Rep Canady, Charles T. - 6/30/1999 Rep Capps, Lois - 9/8/1999
Rep Capuano, Michael E. - 6/18/1999 Rep Cardin, Benjamin L. - 5/27/1999
Rep Delahunt, William D. - 7/27/1999 Rep Eshoo, Anna G. - 8/5/1999
Rep Foley, Mark - 7/21/1999 Rep Frank, Barney - 6/10/1999
Rep Hayworth, J. D. - 6/18/1999 Rep Hefley, Joel - 7/13/1999
Rep Hoyer, Steny H. - 9/8/1999 Rep Isakson, Johnny - 7/16/1999
Rep Johnson, Nancy L. - 7/27/1999 Rep Lee, Barbara - 7/13/1999
Rep Lewis, Jerry - 8/3/1999 Rep Lewis, John - 9/27/1999
Rep Linder, John - 10/18/1999 Rep Luther, Bill - 7/1/1999
Rep Markey, Edward J. - 7/16/1999 Rep Matsui, Robert T. - 7/16/1999
Rep McGovern, James P. - 6/18/1999 Rep McInnis, Scott - 10/7/1999
Rep Meehan, Martin T. - 6/8/1999 Rep Minge, David - 6/25/1999
Rep Moakley, John Joseph - 6/9/1999 Rep Morella, Constance A. - 7/29/1999
Rep Neal, Richard E. - 7/13/1999 Rep Oberstar, James L. - 6/8/1999
Rep Olver, John W. - 6/25/1999 Rep Pastor, Ed - 6/25/1999
Rep Peterson, Collin C. - 6/25/1999 Rep Sabo, Martin Olav - 6/30/1999
Rep Salmon, Matt - 6/18/1999 Rep Shadegg, John B. - 6/25/1999
Rep Shaw, E. Clay, Jr. - 6/18/1999 Rep Stark, Fortney Pete - 6/25/1999
Rep Stump, Bob - 6/25/1999 Rep Tancredo, Thomas G. - 9/21/1999
Rep Tierney, John F. - 7/13/1999 Rep Vento, Bruce F. - 6/18/1999
Rep Watkins, Wes - 10/7/1999


SUMMARY AS OF:
5/27/1999--Introduced.

Medicare's Elderly Receiving Innovative Treatments (MERIT) Act of 1999 - Amends part C (Medicare+Choice) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act with regard to the frail elderly, modifying: (1) payment rules (including requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop and implement a new payment system); (2) eligibility, election, and enrollment provisions (adding special rules for frail elderly Medicare+Choice beneficiaries enrolling in specialized programs for the frail elderly that establish a continuous open enrollment period for such individuals); and (3) benefits and beneficiary protections provisions (requiring the Secretary to develop and implement a program to measure the quality of care provided in specialized programs for the frail elderly). Exempts Medicare+Choice beneficiaries in a specialized program for the frail elderly from any risk adjustment system until the Secretary certifies to Congress that a comprehensive risk adjustment methodology taking certain factors into account is being fully implemented.