Medicare Prescription Drug Savings for Our Seniors (Medicare Prescription Drug SOS) Act of 2007

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide comprehensive improvements to the Medicare Prescription Drug Program, and for other purposes.

7/12/2007--Introduced.
Medicare Prescription Drug Savings for Our Seniors (Medicare Prescription Drug SOS) Act of 2007 - Amends part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to:
(1) offer one or more Medicare operated prescription drug plans (PDPs) with a service area consisting of the entire United States; and
(2) negotiate with pharmaceutical manufacturers to reduce the purchase cost of covered part D drugs. Requires the monthly beneficiary premium for qualified prescription drug coverage and access to negotiated prices to be uniform nationally. Provides for auto-enrollment of subsidy eligible individuals in Medicare operated PDPs.
Amends SSA title XIX (Medicaid) to provide for the use of 2005 as base in computing the state clawback provision. Amends SSA title XVIII (Medicare) to eliminate part D cost-sharing for certain non-institutionalized full-benefit dual eligible individuals. Provides for:
(1) expedited low-income subsidies under the Medicare PDP;
(2) indexing of deductible and cost-sharing for certain individuals; and
(3) Commissioner of Social Security screening for Medicare savings program eligibility. Sets forth anti-fraud and abuse provisions. Provides for protection against a decrease in Social Security benefits owing to part D Medicare premium increases. Prohibits late enrollment penalties for months before January 2008. Allows a one-time change in plan during first year of enrollment. Prohibits a PDP sponsor from removing a covered part D drug from the plan formulary, downgrading its cost-sharing status, or otherwise introducing a barrier to access to covered part D drugs, without advance notice. Requires Medicare part D formularies to cover all drugs in six specified therapeutic categories. Makes benzodiazepines covered part D drugs, subject to review by the Secretary. Eliminates the MA Regional Stabilization Fund and certain Medicare Advantage overpayments.
Requires prompt payment of clean claims by Medicare and Medicare Advantage PDPs. Prohibits co-branding. Extends part D coverage to medication therapy management services.


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Sponsor

• Rep. Lloyd Doggett [D, TX-25]
• and 50 Co-Sponsors
  • Rep. Gary Ackerman [D, NY-5]
  • Rep. Thomas Allen [D, ME-1]
  • Rep. Xavier Becerra [D, CA-31]
  • Rep. Howard Berman [D, CA-28]
  • Rep. Earl Blumenauer [D, OR-3]
  • Rep. Lois Capps [D, CA-23]
  • Rep. Kathy Castor [D, FL-11]
  • Rep. Steve Cohen [D, TN-9]
  • Rep. Susan Davis [D, CA-53]
  • Rep. Danny Davis [D, IL-7]
  • Rep. Artur Davis [D, AL-7]
  • Rep. Rosa DeLauro [D, CT-3]
  • Rep. Keith Ellison [D, MN-5]
  • Rep. Rahm Emanuel [D, IL-5]
  • Rep. Eliot Engel [D, NY-17]
  • Rep. Barney Frank [D, MA-4]
  • Rep. Al Green [D, TX-9]
  • Rep. Raul Grijalva [D, AZ-7]
  • Rep. Luis Gutierrez [D, IL-4]
  • Rep. Maurice Hinchey [D, NY-22]
  • Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee [D, TX-18]
  • Rep. Eddie Johnson [D, TX-30]
  • Rep. Marcy Kaptur [D, OH-9]
  • Rep. Patrick Kennedy [D, RI-1]
  • Rep. John Larson [D, CT-1]
  • Rep. John Lewis [D, GA-5]
  • Rep. Nita Lowey [D, NY-18]
  • Rep. Carolyn Maloney [D, NY-14]
  • Rep. Doris Matsui [D, CA-5]
  • Rep. Betty McCollum [D, MN-4]
  • Rep. James McDermott [D, WA-7]
  • Rep. James McGovern [D, MA-3]
  • Rep. Michael McNulty [D, NY-21]
  • Rep. Michael Michaud [D, ME-2]
  • Rep. Gwen Moore [D, WI-4]
  • Rep. James Moran [D, VA-8]
  • Rep. Jerrold Nadler [D, NY-8]
  • Rep. Richard Neal [D, MA-2]
  • Rep. Eleanor Norton [D, DC-0]
  • Rep. Solomon Ortiz [D, TX-27]
  • Rep. Ciro Rodriguez [D, TX-23]
  • Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger [D, MD-2]
  • Rep. Linda Sanchez [D, CA-39]
  • Rep. Janice Schakowsky [D, IL-9]
  • Rep. Robert Scott [D, VA-3]
  • Rep. José Serrano [D, NY-16]
  • Rep. Fortney Stark [D, CA-13]
  • Rep. Anthony Weiner [D, NY-9]
  • Rep. Lynn Woolsey [D, CA-6]
  • Rep. Albert Wynn [D, MD-4]
  close

Committees

• House Energy and Commerce
• 2 more
  • House Energy and Commerce
  • House Ways and Means
  close

Amendments

This bill has no amendments.

Amendments to H.R.3025

Number	Status	Purpose

Bill Status

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Introduced		Voted on by House		Voted on by Senate		Considered By President		Bill Becomes Law
July 12, 2007

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All Bill Actions

• Jul 12, 2007: Referred to House Ways and Means
• Jul 12, 2007: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
• Jul 12, 2007: Referred to House Energy and Commerce
• Jul 12, 2007: Referred to the Committee on Energy and 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.
• Introduced on Jul 12, 2007.

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Related Issue Areas:

• Welfare
• Trademarks
• Subsidies
• Social security
• 34 more
• Prescription pricing
• Pharmacies
• Old age, survivors and disability insurance
• Medicine
• Medicare
• Medical economics
• Medical care
• Medicaid
• Law
• Intellectual property
• Insurance premiums
• Health maintenance organizations
• Health insurance
• Health care fraud
• Governmental investigations
• Government trust funds
• Government paperwork
• Government information
• Drugs
• Drug therapy
• Drug industry
• Deceptive advertising
• Consumers
• Consumer education
• Consumer discounts
• Consumer complaints
• Congressional reporting requirements
• Communications
• Coinsurance
• Business
• Budgets
• Aged
• Access to health care
• Health policy

Data from the Congressional Research Service

In the News

July 24, 2007 NCAL's No. 1 Legislative Priority Included In House Democrats ...

Doggett recently introduced the"Medicare Prescription Drug Savings for Our Seniors Act (Medicare Prescription Drug SOS Act) of 2007" (HR 3025). Sec. ...

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Blog Coverage

July 11, 2007 HR 3025, To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ...

HR 3025 would amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide comprehensive improvements to the Medicare Prescription Drug Program....

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