text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Prescription Coverage Now Act of 
  2006''.
  
  SEC. 2. EXPEDITING LOW-INCOME SUBSIDIES UNDER THE MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION 
                DRUG PROGRAM.
  
      (a) In General.--Section 1860D-14 of the Social Security Act (42 
  U.S.C. 1395w-114) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
  subsection:
      ``(e) Expedited Application and Eligibility Process.--
              ``(1) Expedited process.--
                      ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall provide for 
                  an expedited process under this subsection for the 
                  qualification for low-income assistance under this 
                  section through a request by the Secretary to the 
                  Secretary of the Treasury as provided in subparagraphs 
                  (B) and (C) for information sufficient to identify 
                  whether the individual involved is likely eligible for 
                  subsidies under this section based on such information 
                  and the amount of premium and cost-sharing subsidies 
                  for which they would qualify based on such information. 
                  Such process shall be conducted in cooperation with the 
                  Commissioner of Social Security.
                      ``(B) Opt in for newly eligible individuals.--Not 
                  later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of 
                  this subsection, the Secretary shall ensure that, as 
                  part of the Medicare enrollment process, enrolling 
                  individuals--
                              ``(i) receive information describing the 
                          low-income subsidy provided under this section; 
                          and
                              ``(ii) are provided the opportunity to opt-
                          in to the expedited process described in this 
                          subsection by giving consent for the Secretary 
                          to screen the beneficiary for eligibility for 
                          such subsidy through a request to the Secretary 
                          of the Treasury under section 6103(l)(7) of the 
                          Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
                      ``(C) Transition for currently eligible 
                  individuals.--In the case of any part D eligible 
                  individual to which subparagraph (B) did not apply at 
                  the time of such individual's enrollment, the Secretary 
                  shall, as soon as practicable after implementation of 
                  subparagraph (B), request in writing that the Secretary 
                  of the Treasury disclose, pursuant to section 
                  6103(l)(21) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 
                  whether such individual has either filed no income tax 
                  return or whether such individual's income tax return 
                  indicates likely eligibility for the low-income subsidy 
                  provided under this section.
              ``(2) Notification of potentially eligible individuals.--
          Under such process, in the case of each individual identified 
          under paragraph (1) who has not otherwise applied for, or been 
          determined eligible for, benefits under this section (or who 
          has applied for and been determined ineligible for such 
          benefits based only on excess resources), the Secretary shall 
          send them a letter (using basic, uncomplicated language) 
          containing the following:
                      ``(A) Eligibility.--A statement that, based on the 
                  information obtained under paragraph (1), the 
                  individual is likely eligible for low-income subsidies 
                  under this section.
                      ``(B) Amount of subsidies.--A description of the 
                  amount of premium and cost-sharing subsidies under this 
                  section for which the individual would likely be 
                  eligible based on such information.
                      ``(C) Enrollment opportunity.--In case the 
                  individual is not enrolled in a prescription drug plan 
                  or MA-PD plan--
                              ``(i) a statement that--
                                      ``(I) the individual has the 
                                  opportunity to enroll in a prescription 
                                  drug plan or MA-PD plan for benefits 
                                  under this part, but is not required to 
                                  be so enrolled; and
                                      ``(II) if the individual has 
                                  creditable prescription drug coverage, 
                                  the individual need not so enroll;
                              ``(ii) a list of the prescription drug 
                          plans and MA-PD plans in which the individual 
                          is eligible to enroll;
                              ``(iii) an enrollment form that may be used 
                          to enroll in such a plan by mail and that 
                          provides that if the individual wishes to 
                          enroll but does not designate a plan, the 
                          Secretary is authorized to enroll the 
                          individual in such a prescription drug plan 
                          selected by the Secretary; and
                              ``(iv) a statement that the individual may 
                          also enroll online or by telephone, but, in 
                          order to qualify for low-income subsidies, the 
                          individual must complete the attestation 
                          described in subparagraph (D) or otherwise 
                          apply for such subsidies.
                      ``(D) Attestation.--A one-page application form 
                  that provides for a signed attestation, under penalty 
                  of law, as to the amount of income and assets of the 
                  individual and constitutes an application for the low-
                  income subsidies described in subparagraph (B). Such 
                  form--
                              ``(i) shall not require the submittal of 
                          additional documentation regarding income or 
                          assets;
                              ``(ii) shall permit the appointment of a 
                          personal representative described in paragraph 
                          (6); and
                              ``(iii) may provide for the specification 
                          of a language (other than English) that is 
                          preferred for subsequent communications with 
                          respect to the individual under this part.
                      ``(E) Information on ship.--Information on how the 
                  individual may contact the State Health Insurance 
                  Assistance Program (SHIP) for the State in which the 
                  individual is located in order to obtain assistance 
                  regarding enrollment and benefits under this part.
          If a State is doing its own outreach to low-income seniors 
          regarding enrollment and low-income subsidies under this part, 
          such process shall be coordinated with the State's outreach 
          effort.
              ``(3) Follow-up communications.--If the individual does not 
          respond to the letter described in paragraph (2) either by 
          making an enrollment described in paragraph (2)(C), completing 
          an attestation described in paragraph (2)(D), or declining 
          either or both, the Secretary shall make additional attempts to 
          contact the individual to obtain such an affirmative response.
              ``(4) Hold-harmless.--Under such process, if an individual 
          in good faith and the absence of fraud executes an attestation 
          described in paragraph (2)(D) and is provided low-income 
          subsidies under this section on the basis of such attestation, 
          if the individual is subsequently found not eligible for such 
          subsidies, there shall be no recovery made against the 
          individual because of such subsidies improperly paid.
              ``(5) Use of authorized representative.--Under such 
          process, with proper authorization (which may be part of the 
          attestation form described in paragraph (2)(D)), an individual 
          may authorize another individual to act as the individual's 
          personal representative with respect to communications under 
          this part and the enrollment of the individual under a 
          prescription drug plan (or MA-PD plan) and for low-income 
          subsidies under this section.
              ``(6) Use of preferred language in subsequent 
          communications.--In the case an attestation described in 
          paragraph (2)(D) is completed and in which a language other 
          than English is specified under clause (iii) of such paragraph, 
          the Secretary shall provide that subsequent communications to 
          the individual under this part shall be in such language.
              ``(7) Construction.--Nothing in this subsection shall be 
          construed as precluding the Secretary from taking additional 
          outreach efforts to enroll eligible individuals under this part 
          and to provide low-income subsidies to eligible individuals.''.
      (b) Transitional Disclosure of Return Information for Purposes of 
  Providing Low-Income Subsidies Under Medicare.--
              (1) In general.--Subsection (l) of section 6103 of the 
          Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end 
          the following new paragraph:
              ``(21) Transitional disclosure of return information for 
          purposes of providing low-income subsidies under medicare.--
                      ``(A) In general.--The Secretary, upon written 
                  request from the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
                  under section 1860D-14(e)(1) of the Social Security Act 
                  for an individual described in subparagraph (C) of such 
                  section, shall disclose to officers and employees of 
                  the Department of Health and Human Services and the 
                  Social Security Administration with respect to a 
                  taxpayer for the applicable year--
                              ``(i)(I) whether the adjusted gross income, 
                          as modified in accordance with specifications 
                          of the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
                          for purposes of carrying out such section, of 
                          such taxpayer and, if applicable, such 
                          taxpayer's spouse, for the applicable year, 
                          exceeds the amounts specified by the Secretary 
                          of Health and Human Services as indicating 
                          likely eligibility for the low-income subsidy 
                          provided under section 1860D-14 of such Act,
                              ``(II) whether the return was a joint 
                          return, and
                              ``(III) the applicable year, or
                              ``(ii) if applicable, the fact that there 
                          is no return filed for such taxpayer for the 
                          applicable year.
                      ``(B) Definition of applicable year.--For the 
                  purposes of this paragraph, the term `applicable year' 
                  means the most recent taxable year for which 
                  information is available in the Internal Revenue 
                  Service's taxpayer data information systems, or, if 
                  there is no return filed for such taxpayer for such 
                  year, the prior taxable year.
                      ``(C) Restriction on use of disclosed 
                  information.--Return information disclosed under this 
                  paragraph may be used only for the purposes of 
                  identifying eligible individuals for, and 
                  administering--
                              ``(i) low-income subsidies under section 
                          1860D-14 of the Social Security Act, and
                              ``(ii) the Medicare Savings Program 
                          implemented under clauses (i), (iii), and (iv) 
                          of section 1902(a)(10)(E) of such Act.
                      ``(D) Termination.--Return information may not be 
                  disclosed under this paragraph after the date that is 
                  one year after the date of the enactment of this 
                  paragraph.''.
              (2) Confidentiality.--Paragraph (3) of section 6103(a) of 
          such Code is amended by striking ``or (20)'' and inserting 
          ``(20), or (21)''.
              (3) Procedures and recordkeeping related to disclosures.--
          Paragraph (4) of section 6103(p) of such Code is amended by 
          striking ``or (20)'' each place it appears and inserting 
          ``(20), or (21)''.
              (4) Unauthorized disclosure or inspection.--Paragraph (2) 
          of section 7213(a) of such Code is amended by striking ``or 
          (20)'' and inserting ``(20), or (21)''.
  
  SEC. 3. INCREASE IN PERMITTED RESOURCES TO OBTAIN LOW-INCOME SUBSIDIES.
  
      (a) Increase in Resource Limits.--Subparagraph (E) of section 
  1860D-14(a)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww-114(a)(3)) 
  is amended--
              (1) in subclause (I), by striking ``for 2006'' and 
          inserting ``for months in 2006 before the first day of the 
          first month beginning after the date of the enactment of the 
          Prescription Drug Now Act of 2006'' and by striking ``and'' at 
          the end;
              (2) by redesignating subclause (II) as subclause (III);
              (3) by inserting after subclause (I) the following new 
          subclause:
                                      ``(II) for months in 2006 beginning 
                                  with the first month that begins after 
                                  the date of the enactment of the 
                                  Prescription Drug Now Act of 2006, 
                                  $50,000 (or $100,000 in the case of the 
                                  combined value of the individual's 
                                  assets or resources and the assets or 
                                  resources of the individual's spouse); 
                                  and''; and
              (4) in the last sentence, by striking ``subclause (II)'' 
          and inserting ``subclause (III)''.
      (b) Not Counting Value of Life Insurance as Resource.--Such section 
  is further amended--
              (1) in subparagraphs (D) and (E), by inserting ``, except 
          as provided in subparagraph (G)'' after ``supplemental security 
          income program''; and
              (2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                      ``(G) Exclusion of life insurance in resources.--
                  For purposes of subparagraphs (D) and (E), the value of 
                  a life insurance policy shall not be counted as a 
                  resource for months beginning after the date of the 
                  enactment of this subparagraph.''.
  
  SEC. 4. WAIVER OF LATE ENROLLMENT PENALTY FOR SUBSIDY ELIGIBLE 
                INDIVIDUALS FOR FIRST 24 MONTHS OF NON-ENROLLMENT.
  
      Section 1860D-13(b)(3)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
  1395w-113(b)(3)(B)) is amended by inserting before the period at the 
  end the following: ``, except that in the case of a subsidy eligible 
  individual (as defined in section 1860D-14(a)(3)(A)) the first 24 
  uncovered months shall not be counted''.
target: Prescription Coverage Now Act of 2006 - Amends part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Service to provide for an expedited process for the qualification for low-income assistance through a request to the Secretary of the Treasury for tax return and other information sufficient to identify: (1) whether the individual involved is likely eligible for subsidies; and (2) the amount of premium and cost-sharing subsidies for which they would qualify based on such information.
  
  Increases the maximum permissible resource level for subsidy eligibility.
  
  Waives the late enrollment penalty for subsidy-eligible individuals for the first 24 months of non-enrollment.
feat_title: To amend part D of title XVIII of the Social Security Act to assist low-income individuals in obtaining subsidized prescription drug coverage under the Medicare prescription drug program by expediting the application and qualification process, by increasing the maximum permissible resource level for eligibility for such subsidies, and by waiving any late enrollment penalty for the first 24 uncovered months.