,i  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #afeg  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,march #h1 #bjai,mr4 
,smucker introduced the following bill2 
which was referred to the ,committee on 
,energy and ,commerce1 and in addition  
to the ,committee on ,ways and ,means1  
for a period to be subsequently         
determined by the ,speaker1 in each case
 for consideration of such provisions as
 fall within the jurisdiction of the    
committee concerned  ,a ,,bill  ,to     
amend title ,,xviii of the ,social      
,security ,act to facilitate the        
transition to ,medicare for individuals 
enrolled in group health plans1 and for 
other purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this 
,act may be cited as the ,seniors'      
,health ,care ,choice ,act of #bjai4    
#b4 ,facilitating transition to         
,medicare for individuals enrolled in   
group health plans  7a7 ,special        
enrollment period for individuals       
enrolled in ,,cobra continuation        
coverage ,section #ahcg7;i7 of the      

,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4   
#aciep7i77 is amended by adding at the  
end the following new paragraph3  7#e7  
7,a7 ,in the case of an individual who--
 7i7 at the time the individual first   
satisfies paragraph 7#a7 or 7#b7 of     
section #ahcf1 is enrolled in ,,cobra   
continuation coverage 7as defined in    
subparagraph 7,d772 and  7ii7 has       
elected not to enroll 7or to be deemed  
enrolled7 under this section during the 
individual's initial enrollment period1 
there shall be a special enrollment     
period described in subparagraph 7,b74  
7,b7 ,the special enrollment period     
referred to in subparagraph 7,a7 is the 
period that includes each month during  
any part of which the individual is     
enrolled in ,,cobra continuation        
coverage4  7,c7 ,an individual may only 
enroll during the special enrollment    
period provided under subparagraph 7,b7 
one time during the individual's        
lifetime4  7,d7 ,for purposes of this   
paragraph1 the term ,,cobra continuation

 coverage means continuation coverage-- 
7i7 under a ,,cobra continuation        
provision 7as defined in section        
#bgia7;d77#d7 of the ,public ,health    
,service ,act72  7ii7 pursuant to       
section #hije;a of title #e1 ,united    
,states ,code2 or  7iii7 under a similar
 ,state program4  4  7b7 ,coverage      
period for individuals transitioning    
from ,,cobra continuation coverage      
,section #ahch7;e7 of the ,social       
,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acieq7e77
 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking pursuant 
to section #ahcg7;i77#c7 or             
#ahcg7;i77#d77;,b7 and inserting the    
following3  pursuant to-- 7#a7 section  
#ahcg7;i77#c7 or #ahcg7;i77#d77;,b7--  2
  7#b7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#a7 
and 7#b7 as subparagraphs 7,a7 and 7,b71
 respectively1 and moving the           
indentation of each such subparagraph #b
 ems to the right2  7#c7 by striking the
 period at the end of the subparagraph  
7,b71 as so redesignated1 and inserting 
2 or2 and  7#d7 by adding at the end the

 following new paragraph3  7#b7 section 
#ahcg7;i77#e71 the coverage period shall
 begin on the first day of the month    
following the month in which the        
individual so enrolls4  4