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HR 1998 106th Congress House

Medicare's Elderly Receiving Innovative Treatments (MERIT) Act of 1999

Official title: To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to promote the coverage of frail elderly Medicare beneficiaries permanently residing in nursing facilities in s… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to promote the coverage of frail elderly Medicare beneficiaries permanently residing in nursing facilities in specialized health insurance programs for the frail elderly.

Introduced: June 18, 1999 See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 106th Congress ended
It never became law before the 106th Congress (1999–2000) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 5 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jun 23, 1999
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.
Jun 3, 1999
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
May 27, 1999
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Commerce, 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.
May 27, 1999
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1125-1126)
May 27, 1999
Introduced in House
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 Latest action June 23, 1999

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Medicare's Elderly Receiving Innovative Treatments (MERIT) Act of 1999 - Amends part C (Medicare+Choice) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act with regard to the frail elderly, modifying: (1) payment rules (including requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop and implement a new payment system); (2) eligibility, election, and enrollment provisions (adding special rules for frail elderly Medicare+Choice beneficiaries enrolling in specialized programs for the frail elderly that establish a continuous open enrollment period for such individuals); and (3) benefits and beneficiary protections provisions (requiring the Secretary to develop and implement a program to measure the quality of care provided in specialized programs for the frail elderly). Exempts Medicare+Choice beneficiaries in a specialized program for the frail elderly from any risk adjustment system until the Secretary certifies to Congress that a comprehensive risk adjustment methodology taking certain factors into account is being fully implemented.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 4
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1998: Medicare's Elderly Receiving Innovative Treatments (MERIT) Act of 1999. 106th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/106-HR-1998/
MLA
"H.R. 1998: Medicare's Elderly Receiving Innovative Treatments (MERIT) Act of 1999." 106th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/106-HR-1998/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1998, 106th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/106-HR-1998/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1998: Medicare's Elderly Receiving Innovative Treatments (MERIT) Act of 1999](https://openamerica.io/bill/106-HR-1998/)
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