text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Medicare Assurance of Rx 
  Transitional Assistance Act of 2004''.
  
  SEC. 2. AUTOMATIC ENROLLMENT OF MEDICAID BENEFICIARIES ELIGIBLE FOR 
                MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFITS.
  
      (a) Automatic Enrollment of Beneficiaries Receiving Medical 
  Assistance for Medicare Cost-Sharing Under Medicaid.--Section 1860D-
  14(a)(3)(B)(v) (42 U.S.C. 1395w-114(a)(3)(B)(v)) is amended to read as 
  follows:
                              ``(v) Treatment of medicaid 
                          beneficiaries.--Subject to subparagraph (F), 
                          the Secretary shall provide that part D 
                          eligible individuals who are--
                                      ``(I) full-benefit dual eligible 
                                  individuals (as defined in section 
                                  1935(c)(6)) or who are recipients of 
                                  supplemental security income benefits 
                                  under title XVI shall be treated as 
                                  subsidy eligible individuals described 
                                  in paragraph (1); and
                                      ``(II) not described in subclause 
                                  (I), but who are determined for 
                                  purposes of the State plan under title 
                                  XIX to be eligible for medical 
                                  assistance under clause (i), (iii), or 
                                  (iv) of section 1902(a)(10)(E), shall 
                                  be treated as being determined to be 
                                  subsidy eligible individuals described 
                                  in paragraph (1).''.
      (b) Assurance of Transitional Assistance Under Drug Discount Card 
  Program.--
              (1) In general.--Section 1860D-31(b)(2)(A) of the Social 
          Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-141(b)(2)(A)) is amended by 
          adding at the end the following new sentence: ``Subject to 
          subparagraph (B), each discount card eligible individual who is 
          described in section 1860D-14(a)(3)(B)(v) shall be considered 
          to be a transitional assistance eligible individual.''.
              (2) Automatic enrollment of medicaid beneficiaries.--
          Section 1860D-31(c)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
          1395w-141(c)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the following 
          new subparagraph:
                      ``(F) Automatic enrollment of certain 
                  beneficiaries.--
                              ``(i) In general.--Subject to clause (ii), 
                          the Secretary shall--
                                      ``(I) enroll each discount card 
                                  eligible individual who is described in 
                                  section 1860D-14(a)(3)(B)(v), but who 
                                  has not enrolled in an endorsed 
                                  discount card program as of August 15, 
                                  2004, in an endorsed discount card 
                                  program selected by the Secretary that 
                                  serves residents of the State in which 
                                  the individual resides; and
                                      ``(II) notwithstanding paragraphs 
                                  (2) and (3) of subsection (f), 
                                  automatically determine that such 
                                  individual is a transitional assistance 
                                  eligible individual (including whether 
                                  such individual is a special 
                                  transitional assistance eligible 
                                  individual) without requiring any self-
                                  certification or subjecting such 
                                  individual to any verification under 
                                  such paragraphs.
                              ``(ii) Opt-out.--The Secretary shall not 
                          enroll an individual under clause (i) if the 
                          individual notifies the Secretary that such 
                          individual does not wish to be enrolled and be 
                          determined to be a transitional assistance 
                          eligible individual under such clause before 
                          the individual is so enrolled.''.
              (3) Notice of eligibility for transitional assistance.--
          Section 1860D-31(d) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
          1395w-141(d)) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
          paragraph:
              ``(4) Notice of eligibility to medicaid beneficiaries.--Not 
          later than July 15, 2004, each State or the Secretary (at the 
          option of each State) shall mail to each discount card eligible 
          individual who is described in section 1860D-14(a)(3)(B)(v), 
          but who has not enrolled in an endorsed discount card program 
          as of July 1, 2004, a notice stating that--
                      ``(A) such individual is eligible to enroll in an 
                  endorsed discount card program and to receive 
                  transitional assistance under subsection (g);
                      ``(B) if such individual does not enroll before 
                  August 15, 2004, such individual will automatically be 
                  enrolled in an endorsed discount card program selected 
                  by the Secretary unless the individual notifies the 
                  Secretary that such individual does not wish to be so 
                  enrolled;
                      ``(C) if the individual is enrolled in an endorsed 
                  discount card program during 2004, the individual will 
                  be permitted to change enrollment under subsection 
                  (c)(1)(C)(ii) for 2005; and
                      ``(D) there is no obligation to use the endorsed 
                  discount card program or transitional assistance when 
                  purchasing prescription drugs.''.
      (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take 
  effect as if included in the enactment of section 101 of the Medicare 
  Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (Public 
  Law 108-173; 117 Stat. 2071).
target: Medicare Assurance of Rx Transitional Assistance Act of 2004 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to provide for the automatic enrollment of Medicare Savings Program (MSP) beneficiaries under SSA title XIX (Medicaid) in the interim prescription drug discount program and the transitional assistance program, making them eligible for the $600 per year in low-income discount card assistance without requiring a separate enrollment process.
feat_title: A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the automatic enrollment of medicaid beneficiaries for prescription drug benefits under part D of such title, and for other purposes.