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HR 2072 109th Congress House Health Congress Congressional reporting requirements Economics and Public Finance Finance and Financial Sector Government trust funds Health insurance Income tax Insurance premiums Medical economics Medically uninsured Medicare Retiree health benefits Social Welfare Tax credits Tax refunds Taxation

Medicare Early Access Act of 2005

Introduced: May 4, 2005 See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 109th Congress ended
It never became law before the 109th Congress (2005–2006) 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 6 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
May 23, 2005
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Chairman.
May 20, 2005
Referred to the Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations.
May 16, 2005
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
May 4, 2005
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Education and the Workforce, 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 4, 2005
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E862)
May 4, 2005
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Medicare Early Access Act of 2005 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to add a new part E (Purchase of Medicare Benefits by Certain Individuals 55 to 65 Years of Age).

Provides access to Medicare benefits for individuals 55 to 64 years of age who do not have coverage under a Federal health insurance program or under a group plan.

Requires enrollees to pay a premium to receive Medicare coverage. Requires the Secretary to base the premium on the Secretary's estimate of the average, national annual per capita amount of the cost of providing services to the population.

Allows early retirees with access to retiree coverage to enroll under this part while keeping their Federal or State COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985) continuation coverage. Allows an employer that offers employment-based retiree health coverage to an individual who enrolls under this part to modify such coverage to provide for: (1) employer payment of items and services for which payment may not be made under Medicare; and (2) employer payment of 25 percent of the monthly premium applicable to the individual after enrollment.

Creates in the Treasury the Medicare Early Access Trust Fund to hold the premiums collected under this Act and to support the new program.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow program enrollees to receive a 75 percent advance, refundable credit to offset Medicare early access premium costs (thus requiring program enrollees in the Medicare early access program to be responsible for 25 percent of the monthly premiums).

What's happening now May 23, 2005

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Chairman.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • S 3747 Related bill Medicare Early Access Act of 2006
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 6
 Cosponsors 23
All 23 Democratic 22 Independent 1
D
Davis, Danny K.
Illinois · May 9, 2006
 D
Baldwin, Tammy
Wisconsin · May 4, 2005
 D
Cleaver, Emanuel
Missouri · May 4, 2005
 D
Cuellar, Henry
Texas · May 4, 2005
 D
DeLauro, Rosa L.
Connecticut · May 4, 2005
 D
Doggett, Lloyd
Texas · May 4, 2005
 D
Green, Al
Texas · May 4, 2005
 D
Hoyer, Steny H.
Maryland · May 4, 2005
 D
Larson, John B.
Connecticut · May 4, 2005
 D
Lynch, Stephen F.
Massachusetts · May 4, 2005
 D
Matsui, Doris O.
California · May 4, 2005
 D
McCollum, Betty
Minnesota · May 4, 2005
 D
McGovern, James P.
Massachusetts · May 4, 2005
 D
Nadler, Jerrold
New York · May 4, 2005
 D
Norton, Eleanor Holmes
District of Columbia · May 4, 2005
 D
Pallone, Frank
New Jersey · May 4, 2005
 D
Pelosi, Nancy
California · May 4, 2005
 D
Sánchez, Linda T.
California · May 4, 2005
 I
Sanders, Bernard
Vermont · May 4, 2005
 D
Schakowsky, Janice D.
Illinois · May 4, 2005
 D
Scott, Robert C. "Bobby"
Virginia · May 4, 2005
 D
Van Hollen, Chris
Maryland · May 4, 2005
 D
Wasserman Schultz, Debbie
Florida · May 4, 2005
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 2072: Medicare Early Access Act of 2005. 109th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-2072/
MLA
"H.R. 2072: Medicare Early Access Act of 2005." 109th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-2072/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 2072, 109th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-2072/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 2072: Medicare Early Access Act of 2005](https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-2072/)
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