PoliticalRepoPoliticalRepo

United States · Law · HR

H.R. 6331 (110th)

Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008

enactedUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

20 June 2008

Last action

15 July 2008 · President

Status

Became Public Law No: 110-275.

Sponsors

Rep. Rangel, Charles B. [D-NY-19], Rep. Dingell, John D. [D-MI-16]

Subjects

Healthcare, Defence, Taxation, Education

Source updated

21 January 2026

Healthcare · Defence · Taxation · Education

Official sourceDownload fileView documentsShare

Summary

Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to provide for coverage of additional preventive services. Provides for gradual elimination of copayment rates for Medicare psychiatric services. Places prohibitions and limitations on certain sales and marketing activities under Medicare Advantage (MA) plans and prescription drug plans. Requires offering of a range of Medicare supplemental policies. Extends the qualifying individual program. Provides for application of a full low-income subsidy assets test under the Medicare Savings Program. Eliminates Medicare part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) late enrollment penalties paid by subsidy-eligible individuals. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to states for state health insurance assistance programs, area agencies on aging, and aging and disability resource centers. Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to states for increasing the delivery of mental health services or other health care services to meet the needs of veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom living in rural areas. Permits rebasing for sole community hospitals. Directs the Secretary to establish a demonstration project for development and testing of new community health integration models in certain rural counties. Amends the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006, as amended by the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007, to extend through FY2009 the reclassification of certain hospitals. Increases physicians' payments. Revises requirements for and extends the quality reporting system, including incentive payments. Directs the Secretary to establish a Physician Feedback Program. Provides for: (1) incentives for electronic prescribing of medicine; (2) expanded access to primary care services; (3) extension of the floor on Medicare work geographic adjustment under the Medicare physician fee schedule; and (4) an accreditation requirement for advanced diagnostic imaging services. Revises requirements for Medicare anesthesia teaching programs. Makes permanent the exception to the 60-day limit on Medicare reciprocal billing arrangements between two physicians over a longer continuous period during all of which one of them is ordered to active duty as a member of a reserve component of the armed forces. Provides for coverage of pulmonary and cardiac rehabilitation. Extends increased Medicare payments for ground ambulance services. Amends the Public Health Services Act to direct the Secretary to establish pilot projects with respect to chronic kidney disease. Revises requirements for renal dialysis. Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to delay generally until after 2011 full implementation of the Medicare competitive acquisition program for the purchase of durable medical equipment (DME), prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS). Revises such program, dividing its implementation into two rounds, and specifying covered item updates for 2009-2014. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide for a competitive acquisition ombudsman within the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to respond to complaints and inquiries by suppliers and individuals. Provides for phase-out of indirect costs of medical education from capitation rates. Revises requirements for MA private fee-for-service plans as well as MA plans for special needs individuals. Modifies requirements for quality improvement programs. Requires prompt payment of clean claims by prescription drug plans and MA-Prescription Drug plans under Medicare part D. Revises the definition of medically accepted indication for drugs. Directs the Secretary to: (1) contract with a consensus-based entity for certain activities relating to health care performance measurement; and (2) evaluate and report to Congress on approaches for the collection of data regarding health care disparities. Creates the Medicare Improvement Fund. Extends the transitional medical assistance (TMA), the abstinence education program, and allotments for disproportionate share hospitals (DSHs) under SSA title XIX (Medicaid). Amends the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 to extend supplemental grants under SSA title IV part D (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF). Amends the Public Health Service Act to extend special diabetes grant programs.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 20 June 2008

    Introduced

    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.

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 20 June 2008

    Introduced

    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.

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 20 June 2008

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  4. 20 June 2008

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  5. 24 June 2008

    Calendars

    Received in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.

    Source: Calendars

  6. 24 June 2008

    Passed

    Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

    Source: Floor

  7. 24 June 2008

    Vote

    On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 355 - 59 (Roll no. 443). (text: CR H5876-5904)

    Source: Floor

  8. 24 June 2008

    Vote

    Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 355 - 59 (Roll no. 443).(text: CR H5876-5904)

    Source: Floor

  9. 24 June 2008

    Floor

    DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6331.

    Source: Floor

  10. 24 June 2008

    Floor

    Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5876-5904, H5905-5916)

    Source: Floor

  11. 24 June 2008

    Floor

    Mr. Pallone moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

    Source: Floor

  12. 25 June 2008

    Calendars

    Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 836.

    Source: Calendars

  13. 26 June 2008

    Floor

    Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate. (consideration: CR S6223-6224, S6225-6231)

    Source: Floor

  14. 9 July 2008

    Action

    Cleared for White House.

  15. 9 July 2008

    Passed

    Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

    Source: Floor

  16. 9 July 2008

    Passed

    Motion to proceed to the motion by Senator Reid to reconsider the vote by which cloture on the motion to proceed to the measure was not invoked (Record Vote Number 160) agreed to in Senate. (consideration: CR S6451)

    Source: Floor

  17. 10 July 2008

    Floor

    Presented to President.

    Source: Floor

  18. 10 July 2008

    President

    Presented to President.

    Source: President

  19. 15 July 2008

    Became law

    Became Public Law No: 110-275.

    Source: President

  20. 15 July 2008

    Became law

    Became Public Law No: 110-275.

    Source: BecameLaw

  21. 15 July 2008

    Floor

    Message on Senate action sent to the House.

    Source: Floor

  22. 15 July 2008

    Veto

    Veto message received in Senate. Ordered held at the desk.

    Source: Veto

  23. 15 July 2008

    Vote

    Passed Senate over veto: Passed Senate over veto by Yea-Nay Vote. 70 - 26. Record Vote Number: 177.(consideration: CR S6710)

    Source: Veto

  24. 15 July 2008

    Vote

    Two-thirds of the Members present having voted in the affirmative the bill is passed, the Passed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 383 - 41 (Roll no. 491).

    Source: Veto

  25. 15 July 2008

    Vote

    Passed House over veto: Two-thirds of the Members present having voted in the affirmative the bill is passed, the Passed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 383 - 41 (Roll no. 491).

    Source: Veto

  26. 15 July 2008

    President

    The Chair announced the unfinished business to be the consideration of the veto. (consideration: CR H6533)

    Source: President

  27. 15 July 2008

    Floor

    DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on the question of passage, the objections of the President to the contrary, notwithstanding. (consideration: CR H6521-6531)

    Source: Floor

  28. 15 July 2008

    Veto

    The Chair laid before the House the veto message from the President.

    Source: Veto

  29. 15 July 2008

    President

    Vetoed by President. (text of veto message: CR H6520-6521)

    Source: President

  30. 15 July 2008

    President

    Vetoed by President.(text of veto message: CR H6520-6521)

    Source: President

Votes

15 July 2008 · Veto Overridden · On Overriding the Veto H.R. 6331 · Veto Overridden · Official source

Yes 70 · No 26 · Abstain — · Absent/not voting 4

Showing the first 8 recorded positions. Vote totals above are complete.

Versions

Documents

14 official files

Sponsors

Related records

Sources

PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.