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US S1280

US S1280
BENES Act of 2019 Beneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification Act of 2019


summary

Introduced
05/02/2019
In Committee
05/02/2019
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
12/31/2020

Introduced Session

116th Congress

Bill Summary

A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish a system to notify individuals approaching Medicare eligibility, to simplify and modernize the eligibility enrollment process, and for other purposes. This bill makes a series of changes to, and requires additional notifications regarding, the Medicare enrollment process. Specifically, the bill changes the Medicare general enrollment period to October 15-December 31, and requires coverage to begin on the first day of the month following enrollment. (Currently, the general enrollment period is January 1-March 31, and coverage begins July 1.) The bill also generally requires coverage to begin on the first day of the month following enrollment for individuals who enroll in the latter months of their initial enrollment period. (Currently, the longer an individual waits to enroll, the more delayed the effective date of coverage.) The bill also requires Social Security account statements for individuals ages 60 to 64 to include information about Medicare eligibility, late enrollment penalties, coordination of benefits, and special enrollment populations (e.g., veterans).

AI Summary

This bill, the Beneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification (BENES) Act of 2019, makes several changes to the Medicare enrollment process. It shifts the general enrollment period to October 15 through December 31 (from January 1 through March 31) and requires coverage to begin the first day of the month following enrollment. The bill also requires Social Security account statements for individuals aged 60-64 to include information about Medicare eligibility, late enrollment penalties, coordination of benefits, and special enrollment populations like veterans. Additionally, the bill mandates that the Social Security Administration and Department of Health and Human Services provide enrollment notification letters to individuals in the Medicare waiting period, at least twice, 3 months and 1 month prior to their enrollment period.

Committee Categories

Budget and Finance

Sponsors (12)

Last Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (on 05/02/2019)

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