To establish a reserve fund to allow for deficit-neutral legislation that would provide seniors with a prescription drug benefit option that is affordable, user-friendly, and administered directly by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

SA 3164. Ms. STABENOW proposed an amendment to the concurrent
resolution S. Con. Res. 83, setting forth the congressional budget for
the United States Government for fiscal year 2007 and including the
appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2006 and 2008 through
2011; as follows:

At the end of title III, insert the following:

SEC. ___. RESERVE FUND TO ALLOW FOR DEFICIT-NEUTRAL
LEGISLATION THAT WOULD PROVIDE SENIORS WITH A
PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT OPTION THAT IS
AFFORDABLE, USER-FRIENDLY, AND ADMINISTERED
DIRECTLY BY THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN
SERVICES.

The Chairman of the Committee on the Budget of the Senate
may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate
levels and limits in this resolution for a bill or joint
resolution, or an amendment thereto or conference report
thereon, that would--
(1) provide all Medicare beneficiaries with a Medicare-
administered prescription drug plan option, while preserving
the private prescription drug plan options;
(2) ensure that Medicare beneficiaries pay the lowest
possible prescription drug prices by directing the Secretary
of Health and Human Services to negotiate with pharmaceutical
manufacturers with respect to the purchase price of covered
part D drugs on behalf of beneficiaries enrolled in the
Medicare-administered prescription drug plan;
(3) improve the part D standard prescription drug benefit;
and
(4) guarantee that Medicare beneficiaries receive the FDA-
approved drugs they need by preventing prescription drug
plans and MA-PD plans from ending coverage of drugs, or
imposing restrictions or limitations on coverage of drugs,
that were covered when the beneficiary enrolled in the plan
until the beneficiary has the opportunity to switch plans,
with an exception to such guarantee for brand name drugs for
which there is a generic drug approved under section 505(j)
of the Food and Drug Cosmetic Act that is placed on the
market during the period in which the guarantee applies;
by the amount provided in such measure for those purposes,
provided that such legislation would not increase the deficit
for the period of fiscal years 2007 through 2011.
______