HR 1777 SC102d CONGRESS1st Session

H. R. 1777

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage of the general population under the medicare program, and for otherpurposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

APRIL 16, 1991

Mr. GIBBONS introduced the following bill; which was referred jointly to the Committees on Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce

October 25, 1991

Additional sponsors: Mr. STARK, Mr. BUSTAMANTE, Mr. PETERSON of Florida, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Ms. NORTON, and Mr. Scheuer

A BILL

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage of the general population under the medicare program, and for otherpurposes.

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 `Medicare Universal Coverage Expansion Act of 1991'.

SEC. 2. COVERAGE OF GENERAL POPULATION UNDER MEDICARE PROGRAM.

(a) IN GENERAL- Section 226 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 426) is amended to read as follows:

`ENTITLEMENT TO HOSPITAL INSURANCE BENEFITS AND SUPPLEMENTARYMEDICAL INSURANCE BENEFITS

`SEC. 226. Every individual who is a citizen or national of the United States or who is an alien lawfully admitted for permanentresidence or otherwise lawfully residing permanently in the United States under color of law is entitled to hospital insurance benefitsunder part A of title XVIII and to supplementary medical insurance benefits under part B of such title, beginning with January 1,1993.'.(b) PART B- Section 1836 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395o) is amended by striking all that follows `who' and inserting the following: `isentitled to hospital insurance benefits under part A for a month is entitled to benefits under the insurance program established by thispart in the month.'.(c) MEDICARE AS PRIMARY PAYOR- Section 1862 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395y) is amended by striking subsection (b).(d) MISCELLANEOUS CONFORMING AMENDMENTS- Sections 226A, 1818, 1818A, 1837, 1838, and 1843 of such Act are repealed.

SEC. 3. EXPANSION OF PREVENTIVE HEALTH CARE BENEFITS.

Section 1862(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395y(a)) is amended--(1) in paragraph (1)(B), by inserting `pregnancy-related services, pre-natal, post-natal, and well-child care, and otherpreventive health services determined by the Secretary to be reasonable with respect to pregnancy and newborns or for theprevention of illness,' after `1861(s)(10),', and(2) in paragraph (7), by inserting `(except as otherwise allowed under paragraph (1)(B))' after `physical checkups'.

SEC. 4. FINANCING.

(a) ELIMINATION OF PREMIUMS- Section 1839 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395r) is repealed.(b) APPROPRIATIONS- Section 1844(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w(a)) is amended by striking all that follows `Trust Fund' the firstplace it appears and inserting the following: `a Governmental contribution equal to aggregate actuarial value of the benefits payableunder this part for all individuals.'.(c) MODIFICATIONS TO HOSPITAL INSURANCE PAYROLL TAX- 

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(1) EXTENSION OF TAX TO ALL WAGES- Paragraph (2) of section 3121(x) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating toapplicable contribution base) is amended--(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking `any calendar year after 1991' and inserting `calendar year 1992', and(B) by striking `and' at the end of subparagraph (A), by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (B) and inserting `,and', and by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:`(C) for any calendar year after 1992, an unlimited amount.'(2) INCREASE IN RATE OF TAX-(A) IN GENERAL- Subchapter C of chapter 21 of such Code (relating to FICA general provisions) is amended byredesignating section 3128 as section 3129, and by inserting after section 3127 the following new section:

`SEC. 3128. ANNUAL DETERMINATION OF APPLICABLE RATE OF HOSPITAL INSURANCE TAX.

`(a) IN GENERAL- Not later than December 15 of 1992 and each calendar year thereafter, the Secretary shall prescribe the rates of tax which shall apply under sections 3101(b), 3111(b), and 1401(b) with respect to the succeeding calendar year.`(b) AMOUNT OF INCREASE- Subject to subsections (c) and (d), the rates of tax to apply with respect to any calendar year shall beprescribed under subsection (a) at levels determined by the Secretary to be sufficiently above the rates applicable with respect to1992 to increase Federal revenues during the calendar year by an aggregate amount equal to--`(1) the amount of the reduction in Federal revenues which the Secretary estimates will occur during the calendar year as aresult of the amendments made by the Medicare Universal Coverage Expansion Act of 1991 (other than section 4(c)(2) of suchAct), plus`(2) a reserve amount which does not exceed 10 percent of the amount described in paragraph (1).`(c) ADJUSTMENTS- The Secretary shall make adjustments in the rates determined under subsection (b) for any calendar year to theextent that the estimate made under paragraph (1) of such subsection for the preceding calendar year was in excess of or less thanthe amount of the reduction described in such paragraph which occurred during such preceding calendar year.`(d) PROPORTIONALITY OF RATES- With respect to any calendar year for which rates are prescribed under this section--`(1) the rate applicable under section 3101(b) shall be equal to the rate applicable under section 3111(b), and`(2) the rate applicable under section 1401(b) shall be equal to the sum of the rates applicable under sections 3101(b) and3111(b).'(B) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS TO TAX RATE TABLES-(i) TAX ON EMPLOYEES- Subsection (b) of section 3101 of such Code (relating to rate of hospital insurance tax onemployees) is amended by striking paragraphs (1) through (6) and inserting the following:

`In cases of wages

--

The ratereceived during:

--

shall be:

1991 or 1992--1.45 percent1993 or thereafter--the percentage--prescribed under--section 3128.'(ii) TAX ON EMPLOYERS- Subsection (b) of section 3111 of such Code (relating to rate of hospital insurance tax onemployers) is amended by striking paragraphs (1) through (6) and inserting the following:

`In cases of wages

--

The ratepaid during:

--

shall be:

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