PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jun 21, 2019
Beneficiary Education Tools, Telehealth, and Extenders Reauthorization Act of 2019 or the BETTER Act of 2019
This bill extends funding for, and makes a series of changes to, Medicare enrollment, payment, and prescription drug programs.
Among other things, the bill
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
extends funding through FY2022 for state health insurance programs, area agencies on aging, aging and disability resource centers, technical assistance related to outreach and enrollment, and certain quality-measurement activities;
provides statutory authority for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services transition program under the Medicare prescription drug benefit for limited-income, newly eligible individuals (i.e., individuals who are eligible for subsidies and have not yet enrolled in, or whose coverage has not yet taken effect under, a Medicare or Medicare Advantage prescription drug plan);
revises payment rules for graduate medical education costs with respect to a hospital that establishes a new medical residency training program; and
authorizes additional quality measures for the skilled nursing facility (SNF) value-based purchasing program, which provides incentive payments to SNFs based on their quality of care.
People & committees
Rep. Neal, Richard E. [D-MA-1] · D–MA
Legislative record
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Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 574.
Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged.
Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Rept. 116-691, Part I.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Rept. 116-691, Part I.
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 41 - 0.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and 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.
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and 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.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Apr 7, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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