Seniors' Health Care Freedom Act of 2009

Medicare/Part B Premium Hold Harmless. H.R. 3631: Provisions extending the current "hold harmless" policy to all Medicare enrollees to ensure 2010 Part B monthly premiums remain at the current rate. Medicare/Private Contracts. H.R. 164: prohibiting denial of Social Security benefits to persons who elect not to participate in Medicare. Medicare/Disability Benefits. S. 700/H.R. 1708, H.R. 2881: phasing-out the 24-month waiting period for disabled individuals to become eligible for Medicare benefits and eliminating the waiting period for individuals with life-threatening conditions. Medicare/Part D Premiums. H.R. 1832: limiting Part D premium increases to no more than the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment and requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower prescription drug prices.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $30,000

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, White House Office

Medicare/Part B Premium Hold Harmless. H.R. 3631: Provisions extending the current "hold harmless" policy to all Medicare enrollees to ensure 2010 Part B monthly premiums remain at the current rate. Medicare/Private Contracts. H.R. 164: prohibiting denial of Social Security benefits to persons who elect not to participate in Medicare. Medicare/Disability Benefits. S. 700/H.R. 1708, H.R. 2881: phasing-out the 24-month waiting period for disabled individuals to become eligible for Medicare benefits and eliminating the waiting period for individuals with life-threatening conditions. Medicare/Part D Premiums. H.R. 1832: limiting Part D premium increases to no more than the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment and requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower prescription drug prices.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $30,000

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Medicare/Part B Premium Hold Harmless. H.R. 3631: Provisions extending the current "hold harmless" policy to all Medicare enrollees to ensure 2010 Part B monthly premiums remain at the current rate. Comprehensive Health Care Reform. H.R. 3200, S. 1679, Senate Finance Committee Mark of Americas Healthy Futures Act: provisions related to reducing Medicare Advantage plan payments, reducing the coverage gap in Part D, requiring wealthier Medicare beneficiaries to pay a greater share of the cost of their premiums under Medicare Part D, reducing the Part A deductible, establishing an out-of-pocket maximum under Medicare, establishing a voluntary comprehensive benefit option under Medicare, authorizing a Medicare-operated Part D drug plan, permitting the Department of Health and Human Services to negotiate drug prices for the Part D program, simplifying plan benefit designs under Parts D and C, expanding benefits for low-income beneficiaries under the Medicare Savings Programs and the Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS), improving the process for reassigning LIS beneficiaries to new plans, expanding coverage of prevention services, integrating mental health services in primary care and community settings, eliminating the 45 percent funding trigger provision, establishing a Medicare Commission, providing Medicaid coverage for home and community-based services, establishing a new national insurance program for long-term supports and services, authorizing funding to provide language services to limited English proficiency beneficiaries, authorizing the collection of data regarding disparities in the provision of care, providing safeguards and subsidies to assure affordability of health coverage for seniors, preserving state benefit laws and requirements, reducing permitted age rating ratio and clarifying the Medicare Secondary Payer statute. Medicare/Commission. S. 1110 and S. 1380: authorizing an enhanced MedPAC as an executive branch commission with authority to implement Medicare payment and policy designed to reduce Medicare spending growth. Medicare/Prescription Drug Plan. S. 330/H.R. 684: authorizing the establishment of a Medicare-operated prescription drug plan; S. 266: authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower prescription drug prices and to use the savings to reduce the coverage gap. Medicare/Part D Generics. S. 75: requiring the use of generics where available unless the brand name drug is determined to be medically necessary. Medicare/Part D cost-sharing. S. 1630: establishing limits on required beneficiary cost-sharing under Part D drug plans. Medicare/Part D dual eligibles. S. 1634: removing enrollment barriers for low-income beneficiaries and establishing a Medicare-operated prescription drug plan. Medicare/Combating Waste, Fraud, Abuse. H.R. 27: relating to additional provisions to combat waste, fraud, and abuse within Medicare; H.R. 203: increasing civil and criminal penalties for acts involving fraud and abuse and increasing the surety bond amount for suppliers of durable medical equipment. Medicare/Therapy Caps. H.R. 43/S. 46: repealing outpatient rehabilitation therapy caps. Medicare/Private Contracts. H.R. 164: prohibiting denial of Social Security benefits to persons who elect not to participate in Medicare. Medicare/Hearing Coverage. H.R. 504: authorizing coverage of hearing aids and auditory rehabilitation services under Medicare Part B. Medicare/Dental Coverage. H.R. 870: authoring coverage under Part B for medically necessary dental procedures. Medicare/Rural Improvements. H.R. 902/S. 382: provision authorizing improvements to services provided to beneficiaries residing in rural areas. Medicare/Shingles Vaccine. H.R. 1038: extending Part B coverage to the shingles vaccine. Medicare/Home Health. H.R. 1094: authorizing home health care agencies to assign the most appropriate skilled service to make the initial assessment visit under a Medicare home health plan of care for rehabilitation services. Medicare/Health Care Vouchers. H.R. 1118: authorizing Medicare-eligible seniors to elect to receive vouchers for a health savings account, premiums for a high deductible health insurance plan, or both, in lieu of regular Medicare benefits and suspending Medicare late enrollment penalties between ages 65 and 70. Medicare/Skilled Nursing Facilities. H.R. 1125, S. 647: provisions related to requiring the reporting of expenditures for nursing services at skilled nursing facilities and requiring disclosure of corporate ownership. Medicare/Prevention. H.R. 1213: provisions authorizing ultrasound screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms to at-risk Medicare beneficiaries between the ages of 65 and 75 without the requirement of a prior initial preventive physical examination; H.R. 1894/S. 769: expanding access to bone mass measurement benefits under Part B. Medicare/Part B Drug Payments. H.R. 1392: relating to appropriate Part B payment amounts for drugs and biologicals. Medicare/Low Income Prescription Drug Benefits. H.R. 1407/S. 534: authorizing a reduction in cost-sharing under Part D for non-institutionalized, full-benefit dual eligible individuals. Medicare/Disability Benefits. S. 700/H.R. 1708, H.R. 2881: phasing-out the 24-month waiting period for disabled individuals to become eligible for Medicare benefits and eliminating the waiting period for individuals with life-threatening conditions. Medicare/Prescription Drugs for kidney transplants. H.R. 1458/S. 565: provision related to continued coverage for immunosuppressive drugs furnished beneficiaries that have received kidney transplants and whose entitlement to coverage would otherwise expire. Medicare/Intravenous Drugs. H.R. 1765/S.701: relating to the payment for intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) for the treatment of primary immune deficiency diseases in a patient's home and for certain disposable pumps as durable medical equipment in place of non-disposable pumps. Medicare/Home Infusion Therapy. H.R. 574/S.254: extending Medicare coverage to home infusion therapy. Medicare/Physical Therapy Services. H.R. 1829: authorizing physical therapists to evaluate and treat Medicare beneficiaries without physician referral. Medicare/Part D Premiums. H.R. 1832: limiting Part D premium increases to no more than the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment and requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. Medicare/Cancer Hospice and Palliative Care. H.R. 1844: provisions authorizing coverage of comprehensive cancer care planning, establishing a Medicare hospice care demonstration, and authorizing grant programs for cancer palliative care and symptom management, provider education, and related research. Medicare/Hospice and Advanced Care Planning. S. 1150, H.R. 2911: provisions related to changing hospice payments and providing advance care planning resources. Medicare/Physician-Manufacturer Transparency. S. 301: increasing the transparency of the relationship between physicians and the manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologicals, and medical supplies. Medicare/Care Coordination Services. S. 1131, H.R. 2560: provisions establishing pilot care coordination program. Medicaid/Home and Community-based Long Term Care. S. 434, S.1257, H.R. 28552: provisions to remove barriers to providing home and community-based services including providing a state option to provide home and community-based services to individuals for whom such services are likely to prevent, delay, or decrease the likelihood of an individual's need for institutionalized care and authorizing the implementation of assistance grants for states electing to provide home and community-based services under Medicaid; provisions to provide a single point of entry to long term services; provisions to support nursing home diversion programs. Medicaid/Community-based Attendant Services and Supports. S. 683, H.R. 1670: authorizing coverage of community-based attendant services and supports under Medicaid, increasing funding and establishing a demonstration program for beneficiaries dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid.

Comprehensive Health Care Reform. House Tri-Committee Discussion Draft, Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee draft bill, Senate Finance Committee Description of Policy Options (No bill numbers as of this date): provisions related to reducing Medicare Advantage plan payments, reducing the coverage gap in Part D, reducing the Part A deductible, establishing an out-of-pocket maximum under Medicare, establishing a voluntary comprehensive benefit option under Medicare, authorizing a Medicare-operated Part D drug plan, expanding benefits for low-income beneficiaries under the Medicare Savings Programs and the Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS), improvement of the process for reassigning LIS beneficiaries to new plans, expanding coverage of prevention services, elimination of the 45 percent funding trigger provision, providing Medicaid coverage for home and community-based services, establishing a new national insurance program for long-term supports and services, authorizing funding to provide language services to limited English proficiency beneficiaries, authorizing the collection of data regarding disparities in the provision of care, providing safeguards and subsidies to assure affordability of health coverage for seniors, preserving state benefit laws and requirements, reducing permitted age rating ratio and clarifying the Medicare Secondary Payer statute. Medicare/Prescription Drug Plan. S.330/H.R. 684: authorizing the establishment of a Medicare-operated prescription drug plan; S. 266: authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower prescription drug prices and to use the savings to reduce the coverage gap. Medicare/Part D Means Testing. S. Amdt. 805 (to S. Con. Res. 13), S. 677: requiring wealthier Medicare beneficiaries to pay a greater share of the cost of their premiums under Medicare Part D. Medicare/Part D Generics. S. 75: requiring the use of generics where available unless the brand name drug is determined to be medically necessary. Medicare/Combating Waste, Fraud, Abuse. H.R. 27: relating to additional provisions to combat waste, fraud, and abuse within Medicare; H.R. 203: increasing civil and criminal penalties for acts involving fraud and abuse and increasing the surety bond amount for suppliers of durable medical equipment. Medicare/Therapy Caps. H.R. 43/S. 46: repealing outpatient rehabilitation therapy caps. Medicare/Private Contracts. H.R. 164: prohibiting denial of Social Security benefits to persons who elect not to participate in Medicare. Medicare/Hearing Coverage. H.R. 504: authorizing coverage of hearing aids and auditory rehabilitation services under Medicare Part B. Medicare/Dental Coverage. H.R. 870: authoring coverage under Part B for medically necessary dental procedures. Medicare/Rural Improvements. H.R. 902/S. 382: provision authorizing improvements to services provided to beneficiaries residing in rural areas. Medicare/Shingles Vaccine. H.R. 1038: extending Part B coverage to the shingles vaccine. Medicare/Home Health. H.R. 1094: authorizing home health care agencies to assign the most appropriate skilled service to make the initial assessment visit under a Medicare home health plan of care for rehabilitation services. Medicare/Health Care Vouchers. H.R. 1118: authorizing Medicare-eligible seniors to elect to receive vouchers for a health savings account, premiums for a high deductible health insurance plan, or both, in lieu of regular Medicare benefits and suspending Medicare late enrollment penalties between ages 65 and 70. Medicare/Skilled Nursing Facilities. H.R. 1125, S. 647: provisions related to requiring the reporting of expenditures for nursing services at skilled nursing facilities and requiring disclosure of corporate ownership. Medicare/Prevention. H.R. 1213: provisions authorizing ultrasound screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms to at-risk Medicare beneficiaries between the ages of 65 and 75 without the requirement of a prior initial preventive physical examination; H.R. 1894/S. 769: expanding access to bone mass measurement benefits under Part B. Medicare/Part B Drug Payments. H.R. 1392: relating to appropriate Part B payment amounts for drugs and biologicals. Medicare/Low Income Prescription Drug Benefits. H.R. 1407/S. 534: authorizing a reduction in cost-sharing under Part D for non-institutionalized, full-benefit dual eligible individuals. Medicare/Disability Benefits. S. 700/H.R. 1708, H.R. 2881: phasing-out the 24-month waiting period for disabled individuals to become eligible for Medicare benefits and eliminating the waiting period for individuals with life-threatening conditions. Medicare/Prescription Drugs for kidney transplants. H.R. 1458/S. 565: provision related to continued coverage for immunosuppressive drugs furnished beneficiaries that have received kidney transplants and whose entitlement to coverage would otherwise expire. Medicare/Intravenous Drugs. H.R. 1765/S. 701: relating to the payment for intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) for the treatment of primary immune deficiency diseases in a patient's home and for certain disposable pumps as durable medical equipment in place of non-disposable pumps. Medicare/Home Infusion Therapy. H.R. 574/S. 254: extending Medicare coverage to home infusion therapy. Medicare/Physical Therapy Services. H.R. 1829: authorizing physical therapists to evaluate and treat Medicare beneficiaries without physician referral. Medicare/Part D Premiums. H.R. 1832: limiting Part D premium increases to no more than the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment and requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. Medicare/Cancer Hospice and Palliative Care. H.R. 1844: provisions authorizing coverage of comprehensive cancer care planning, establishing a Medicare hospice care demonstration, and authorizing grant programs for cancer palliative care and symptom management, provider education, and related research. Medicare/Hospice and Advanced Care Planning. S. 1150, H.R. 2911: provisions related to changing hospice payments and providing advance care planning resources. Medicare/Physician-Manufacturer Transparency. S. 301: increasing the transparency of the relationship between physicians and the manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologicals, and medical supplies. Medicare/Comparative Effectiveness. S. Amdt. 793 (to S. Con. Res. 13): prohibiting research information comparing the effectiveness of different treatments to deny coverage of products or services under federal health care programs including Medicare. Medicare/Care Coordination Services. S. 1131, H.R. 2560: provisions establishing pilot care coordination program. Medicare/Medicaid Reimbursement. S. Amdt. 799 (to S. Con. Res. 13): addressing the systemic inequities of Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement in rural areas. Medicaid/Home and Community-based Long Term Care. S. 434, S.1257, H.R. 28552: provisions to remove barriers to providing home and community-based services including providing a state option to provide home and community-based services to individuals for whom such services are likely to prevent, delay, or decrease the likelihood of an individual's need for institutionalized care and authorizing the implementation of assistance grants for states electing to provide home and community-based services under Medicaid; provisions to provide a single point of entry to long term services; provisions to support nursing home diversion programs. Medicaid/Community-based Attendant Services and Supports. S. 683, H.R. 1670: authorizing coverage of community-based attendant services and supports under Medicaid, increasing funding and establishing a demonstration program for beneficiaries dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid.

Medicare/Private Contracts. H.R. 164: prohibiting denial of Social Security benefits to persons who elect not to participate in Medicare. Medicare/Disability Benefits. S. 700, H.R. 1708, H.R. 2881: phasing-out the 24-month waiting period for disabled individuals to become eligible for Medicare benefits and eliminating the waiting period for individuals with life-threatening conditions.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $30,000

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Medicare/Prescription Drug Plan. S.330/H.R. 684: authorizing the establishment of a Medicare-operated prescription drug plan; S. 266: authorizing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower prescription drug prices and to use the savings to reduce the coverage gap. Medicare/Part D Means Testing. S. Amdt. 805 (to S. Con. Res. 13), S. 677: requiring wealthier Medicare beneficiaries to pay a greater share of the cost of their premiums under Medicare Part D. Medicare/Part D Generics. S. 75: requiring the use of generics where available unless the brand name drug is determined to be medically necessary. Medicare/Combating Waste, Fraud, Abuse. H.R. 27: relating to additional provisions to combat waste, fraud, and abuse within Medicare; H.R. 203: increasing civil and criminal penalties for acts involving fraud and abuse and increasing the surety bond amount for suppliers of durable medical equipment. Medicare/Therapy Caps. H.R. 43, S. 46: repealing outpatient rehabilitation therapy caps. Medicare/Private Contracts. H.R. 164: prohibiting denial of Social Security benefits to persons who elect not to participate in Medicare. Medicare/Hearing Coverage. H.R. 504: authorizing coverage of hearing aids and auditory rehabilitation services under Medicare Part B. Medicare/Dental Coverage. H.R. 870: authorizing coverage under Part B for medically necessary dental procedures. Medicare/Rural Improvements. H.R. 902, S. 382: provision authorizing improvements to services provided to beneficiaries residing in rural areas. Medicare/Shingles Vaccine. H.R. 1038: extending Part B coverage to the shingles vaccine. Medicare/Home Health. H.R. 1094: authorizing home health care agencies to assign the most appropriate skilled service to make the initial assessment visit under a Medicare home health plan of care for rehabilitation services. Medicare/Health Care Vouchers. H.R. 1118: authorizing Medicare-eligible seniors to elect to receive vouchers for a health savings account, premiums for a high deductible health insurance plan, or both, in lieu of regular Medicare benefits and suspending Medicare late enrollment penalties between ages 65 and 70. Medicare/Skilled Nursing Facilities. H.R. 1125: requiring the reporting of expenditures for nursing services at skilled nursing facilities. Medicare/Prevention. H.R. 1213: provisions authorizing ultrasound screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms to at-risk Medicare beneficiaries between the ages of 65 and 75 without the requirement of a prior initial preventive physical examination; H.R. 1894/S. 769: expanding access to bone mass measurement benefits under Part B. Medicare/Part B Drug Payments. H.R. 1392: relating to appropriate Part B payment amounts for drugs and biologicals. Medicare/Low Income Prescription Drug Benefits. H.R. 1407, S. 534: authorizing a reduction in cost-sharing under Part D for non-institutionalized, full-benefit dual eligible individuals. Medicare/Disability Benefits. S. 700, H.R. 1708: phasing-out the 24-month waiting period for disabled individuals to become eligible for Medicare benefits and eliminating the waiting period for individuals with life-threatening conditions. Medicare/Prescription Drugs for Kidney Transplants. H.R. 1458, S. 565: provision related to continued coverage for immunosuppressive drugs furnished beneficiaries that have received kidney transplants and whose entitlement to coverage would otherwise expire. Medicare/Intravenous Drugs. H.R. 1765, S.701: relating to the payment for intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) for the treatment of primary immune deficiency diseases in a patient's home and for certain disposable pumps as durable medical equip- ment in place of non-disposable pumps. Medicare/Home Infusion Therapy. H.R. 574, S. 254: extending Medicare coverage to home infusion therapy. Medicare/Physical Therapy Services. H.R. 1829: authorizing physical therapists to evaluate and treat Medicare beneficiaries without physician referral. Medicare/Part D Premiums. H.R. 1832: limiting Part D premium increases to no more than the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment and requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. Medicare/Cancer Hospice and Palliative Care. H.R. 1844: provisions authorizing coverage of comprehensive cancer care planning, establishing a Medicare hospice care demonstration, and authorizing grant programs for cancer palliative care and symptom management, provider education, and related research. Medicare/Physician-Manufacturer Transparency. S. 301: increasing the transparency of the relationship between physicians and the manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologicals, and medical supplies. Medicare/Comparative Effectiveness. S. Amdt. 793 (to S. Con. Res. 13): prohibiting research information comparing the effectiveness of different treatments to deny coverage of products or services under federal health care programs including Medicare. Medicare/Medicaid Reimbursement. S. Amdt. 799 (to S. Con. Res. 13): addressing the systemic inequities of Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement in rural areas. Medicaid/Home and Community-based Long Term Care. S. 434: provision to remove barriers to providing home and community-based services including providing a state option to provide home and community-based services to individuals for whom such services are likely to prevent, delay, or decrease the likelihood of an individual's need for institutionalized care and authorizing the implementation of assistance grants for states electing to provide home and community-based services under Medicaid. Medicaid/Community-based Attendant Services and Supports. S. 683, H.R. 1670: authorizing coverage of community-based attendant services and supports under Medicaid, increasing funding and establishing a demonstration program for beneficiaries dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid.

Medicare/Private Contracts. H.R. 164: prohibiting denial of Social Security benefits to persons who elect not to participate in Medicare. Medicare/Disability Benefits. S. 700, H.R. 1708: phasing-out the 24-month waiting period for disabled individuals to become eligible for Medicare benefits and eliminating the waiting period for individuals with life-threatening conditions.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $30,000

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE