text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Medicare Commission Act of 1995''.
  
  SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.
  
      (a) Establishment.--There is established a commission to be known 
  as the National Commission on the Long-Term Solvency of the Medicare 
  Program (hereafter in this Act referred to as the ``Commission'').
      (b) Membership.--The Commission shall be composed of 15 members 
  appointed as follows:
              (1) Five members shall be appointed by the President from 
          among officers or employees of the executive branch, private 
          citizens of the United States, or both. Not more than 3 members 
          selected by the President shall be members of the same 
          political party.
              (2) Five members shall be appointed by the Majority Leader 
          of the Senate from among members of the Senate, private 
          citizens of the United States, or both. Not more than 3 of the 
          members selected by the Majority Leader shall be members of the 
          same political party.
              (3) Five members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the 
          House of Representatives from among members of the House of 
          Representatives, private citizens of the United States, or 
          both. Not more than 3 of the members selected by the Speaker 
          shall be members of the same political party.
              (4) Date.--The appointments of the members of the 
          Commission shall be made no later than November 30, 1995.
      (c) Period of Appointment; Vacancies.--Members shall be appointed 
  for the life of the Commission. Any vacancy in the Commission shall not 
  affect its powers, but shall be filled in the same manner as the 
  original appointment.
      (d) Initial Meeting.--No later than 30 days after the date on which 
  all members of the Commission have been appointed, the Commission shall 
  hold its first meeting.
      (e) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of the 
  Chairman.
      (f) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission shall 
  constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may hold hearings.
      (g) Chairman.--The Commission shall select a Chairman from among 
  its members.
  
  SEC. 3. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.
  
      (a) Analyses and Recommendations.--
              (1) In general.--The Commission shall--
                      (A) review relevant analyses of the current and 
                  long-term financial condition of the medicare trust 
                  funds;
                      (B) identify problems that may threaten the long-
                  term solvency of such trust funds;
                      (C) analyze potential solutions to such problems 
                  that will both assure the financial integrity of the 
                  medicare program under title XVIII of the Social 
  Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) and the provision of appropriate 
  health benefits; and
                      (D) provide appropriate recommendations to the 
                  Secretary of Health and Human Services, the President, 
                  and the Congress.
              (2) Definition of medicare trust funds.--For purposes of 
          this subsection, the term ``medicare trust funds'' means the 
          Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund established under section 
          1817 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i) and the 
          Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund established 
          under section 1841 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395t).
      (b) Report.--The Commission shall submit its report to the 
  President and the Congress not later than December 31, 1996.
  
  SEC. 4. POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.
  
      (a) Hearings.--The Commission may hold such hearings, sit and act 
  at such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such 
  evidence as the Commission considers advisable to carry out the 
  purposes of this Act.
      (b) Information From Federal Agencies.--The Commission may secure 
  directly from any Federal department or agency such information as the 
  Commission considers necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. 
  Upon request of the Chairman of the Commission, the head of such 
  department or agency shall furnish such information to the Commission.
      (c) Postal Services.--The Commission may use the United States 
  mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other 
  departments and agencies of the Federal Government.
  
  SEC. 5. COMMISSION PERSONNEL MATTERS.
  
      (a) Compensation of Members.--
              (1) Officers and employees of the federal government.--All 
          members of the Commission who are officers or employees of the 
          Federal Government shall serve without compensation in addition 
          to that received for their services as officers or employees of 
          the United States.
              (2) Private citizens of the united states.--
                      (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), all 
                  members of the Commission who are not officers or 
                  employees of the Federal Government shall serve without 
                  compensation for their work on the Commission.
                      (B) Travel expenses.--The members of the Commission 
                  who are not officers or employees of the Federal 
                  Government shall be allowed travel expenses, including 
                  per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized 
                  for employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 
                  57 of title 5, United States Code, while away from 
                  their homes or regular places of business in the 
                  performance of services for the Commission, to the 
                  extent funds are available therefore.
      (b) Staff.--
              (1) In general.--The Chairman of the Commission may, 
          without regard to the civil service laws and regulations, 
          appoint and terminate an executive director and such other 
          additional personnel as may be necessary to enable the 
          Commission to perform its duties. At the request of the 
          Chairman, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
          provide the Commission with any necessary administrative and 
          support services. The employment of an executive director shall 
          be subject to confirmation by the Commission.
              (2) Compensation.--The Chairman of the Commission may fix 
          the compensation of the executive director and other personnel 
          without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter 
          III of chapter 53 of title 5, United States Code, relating to 
          classification of positions and General Schedule pay rates, 
          except that the rate of pay for the executive director and 
          other personnel may not exceed the rate payable for level V of 
          the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such title.
      (c) Detail of Government Employees.--Any Federal Government 
  employee may be detailed to the Commission without reimbursement, and 
  such detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil service 
  status or privilege.
      (d) Procurement of Temporary and Intermittent Services.--The 
  Chairman of the Commission may procure temporary and intermittent 
  services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates 
  for individuals which do not exceed the daily equivalent of the annual 
  rate of basic pay prescribed for level V of the Executive Schedule 
  under section 5316 of such title.
  
  SEC. 6. TERMINATION OF THE COMMISSION.
  
      The Commission shall terminate 30 days after the date on which the 
  Commission submits its report under section 2(b).
  
  SEC. 7. FUNDING FOR THE COMMISSION.
  
      Any expenses of the Commission shall be paid from such funds as may 
  be otherwise available to the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
target: Medicare Commission Act of 1995 - Establishes the National Commission on the Long-Term Solvency of the Medicare Program to provide analyses of and recommendations with respect to the current and long-term financial condition of the Medicare trust funds for a report to the President, the Congress, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
feat_title: Medicare Commission Act of 1995