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Community Based Independence for Seniors Act

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 182.

Official summary

Version 01 · Reported to Senate with amendment(s) · Jul 30, 2015

Community Based Independence for Seniors Act

(Sec. 3) This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a five-year Community-Based Institutional Special Needs Plan demonstration program to prevent and delay institutionalization under title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSAct) among eligible low-income Medicare beneficiaries age 65 or older.

HHS shall enter into agreements with up to five eligible Medicare Advantage (MA) plans under part C (Medicare+Choice) of SSAct title XVIII (Medicare) to conduct the demonstration program. Each eligible MA plan may enroll up to 1,000 eligible low-income Medicare beneficiaries in such program.

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A participating MA plan shall use the rebate the plan must provide to eligible low-income Medicare enrollees to furnish certain benefits, including homemaker services, home delivered meals, transportation services, respite care, adult day care services, and non-Medicare-covered safety and other equipment.

HHS shall help to educate eligible Medicare beneficiaries about the availability of the demonstration program through State Health Insurance Assistance Programs and other organizations dedicated to assisting seniors with Medicare benefits and enrollment.

The demonstration program shall be implemented by January 1, 2018.

HHS shall arrange for an independent third party evaluation of the demonstration program, on the basis of which its duration and scope may be expanded.

Funding for the demonstration program shall come out of the Medicare trust funds.

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Who introduced it

Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA] · R–IA

Committees

  • Finance Committee
5 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

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  1. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 182.

  2. Committee on Finance. Reported by Senator Hatch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 114-103.

  3. Committee on Finance. Reported by Senator Hatch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 114-103.

  4. Committee on Finance. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

  5. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

  6. Introduced in Senate

Bill text & related measures

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Related bills identified by Congress.gov

Source last updated: Apr 7, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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