Military Retiree Health Fairness Act of 1998

Military Retiree Health Fairness Act of 1998 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, as amended by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, to provide for a special enrollment period for certain military retirees and their dependents to enroll under Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance), without penalty for late enrollment, in order to participate in the Medicare (TRICARE Senior Prime) demonstration project for military retirees.

[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4160 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4160

   To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for a 
   special enrollment period for certain military retirees and their 
 dependents to enroll under part B of such title, without penalty for 
 late enrollment, in order to participate in the TRICARE Senior Prime 
    demonstration sites pursuant to the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 25, 1998

Mr. Bonilla (for himself and Mr. Dicks) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on 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

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                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for a 
   special enrollment period for certain military retirees and their 
 dependents to enroll under part B of such title, without penalty for 
 late enrollment, in order to participate in the TRICARE Senior Prime 
    demonstration sites pursuant to the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Military Retiree Health Fairness Act 
of 1998''.

SEC. 2. MEDICARE PART B SPECIAL ENROLLMENT PERIOD AND WAIVER OF PART B 
              LATE ENROLLMENT PENALTY FOR CERTAIN MILITARY RETIREES AND 
              DEPENDENTS.

    Section 1896 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ggg), as 
added by section 4015 of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, is amended by 
adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(l) Medicare Part B Special Enrollment Period; Waiver of Part B 
Penalty for Late Enrollment.--
            ``(1) Special enrollment period.--In the case of an 
        individual who would be a medicare-eligible military retiree or 
        dependent under this section but for the requirement under 
        subparagraph (C) of subsection (a)(4), the Secretary shall 
        provide for a special enrollment period during which the 
        individual may enroll under part B.
            ``(2) Coverage period.--In the case of an individual who 
        enrolls during the special enrollment period under paragraph 
        (1), the coverage period under part B shall begin on the first 
        day of the month following the month in which the individual 
        enrolls.
            ``(3) Waiver of part b late enrollment penalty.--In the 
        case of an individual who enrolls during the special enrollment 
        period under paragraph (1), there shall be no increase pursuant 
        to section 1839(b) in the monthly premium under part B.''.
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