Bill > S1453

This bill, the Puerto Rico Medicare Part B Equity Act of 2015, aims to extend Medicare Part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance Benefits) coverage and enrollment provisions to residents of Puerto Rico, who were previously excluded from certain automatic enrollment processes. Specifically, it repeals the exclusion of Puerto Rico residents from "deemed enrollment," meaning they will be treated as automatically enrolled in Part B under certain circumstances, similar to other Medicare beneficiaries. The bill also establishes a special seven-month enrollment period for these residents, allowing them to sign up for Part B if they are eligible but not currently enrolled. Furthermore, for residents of Puerto Rico who are already enrolled in Part B or who enroll during a specified transition period, the bill reduces the late enrollment penalty, which is an additional charge for enrolling after the initial enrollment period, to 15% of the usual penalty. This legislation seeks to provide greater equity in Medicare Part B access and enrollment for individuals residing in Puerto Rico.