To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide extended and additional protection to Medicare beneficiaries who enroll for the Medicare prescription drug benefit during 2006.

SA 2601. Mr. NELSON of Florida (for himself, Mr. Dorgan, Mr. Leahy,
Mr. Schumer, Mr. Dayton, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Kohl, Mrs. Murray, Mr.
Obama, Mrs. Clinton, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Harkin, and Mr. Durbin)
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S.
2020, to provide for reconciliation pursuant to section 202(b) of the
concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2006; as follows:

At the end of title IV, insert the following:

SEC. __. PROTECTION FOR MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES WHO ENROLL IN
THE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT DURING 2006.

(a) Extended Period of Open Enrollment During All of 2006
Without Late Enrollment Penalty.--Section 1851(e)(3)(B) of
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-21(e)(3)(B)) is
amended--
(1) in clause (iii), by striking ``May 15, 2006'' and
inserting ``December 31, 2006''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new sentence:
``An individual making an election during the period
beginning on November 15, 2006, and ending on December 15,
2006, shall specify whether the election is to be effective
with respect to 2006 or with respect to 2007 (or both).''.
(b) One-Time Change of Plan Enrollment for Medicare
Prescription Drug Benefit During All of 2006.--
(1) In general.--Section 1851(e) of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 1395w-21(e)) is amended--
(A) in paragraph (2)(B)--
(i) in the heading, by striking ``for first 6 months'';
(ii) in clause (i)--

(I) by striking ``the first 6 months of 2006'' and
inserting ``2006''; and
(II) by striking ``the first 6 months during 2006'' and
inserting ``2006''; and

(iii) in clause (ii), by inserting ``(other than during
2006)'' after ``paragraph (3)''; and
(B) in paragraph (4), by striking ``2006'' and inserting
``2007'' each place it appears.
(2) Conforming amendment.--Section 1860D-1(b)(1)(B)(iii) of
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-101(b)(1)(B)(iii))
is amended by striking ``subparagraphs (B) and (C) of
paragraph (2)'' and inserting ``paragraph (2)(C)''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section
shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the
Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization
Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-173).
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