Signed by President Bill Clinton

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report on a bill that makes changes to Medicare, Medicaid, and adjusts other programs and taxes.

Highlights:

• Alters student-loan programs and reduces rent subsidies for landlords of federally subsidized housing.

• Increases the excise tax on all tobacco products.

• Raises the cigarette tax from 24 cents to 34 cents in 2000 and 39 cents in 2002.

• Increases the public debt limit to $5.95 trillion.

• Establishes a Medicare+Choice program under which a person entitled to both Hospital Insurance and Supplementary Insurance can choose to receive benefits through the original fee-for-service program or through a Medicare+Choice plan.

• Restores Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid benefits to legal immigrants who had received them in August 1996 when PL 104-193 was passed.

• Provides SSI and Medicaid benefits to immigrants who were in the U.S. and not receiving benefits when PL 104-193 was passed, but have since become disabled.

• Allows 500,000 Medicare participants to take part in a pilot program for Medicare Medical Savings Accounts (Medicare-MSA).

• Extends the Health Care Financing Administration's (HCFA) Influenza and Pneumococcal Vaccination Campaign through fiscal year 2002.

• Replaces the "Essential Access Community Hospital Program" with an optional "Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program" under which participating States shall develop at least one rural health network in the State and at least one critical access hospital.

• Increases the excise tax on all tobacco products.

• Gives States the option to require certain qualified Medicaid-eligible individuals to enroll in managed care arrangements of the individual's choice as a condition of receiving Medicaid.

• Repeals certain qualification requirements for physicians who serve pregnant women and children under 21.

• Amends SSA to establish the State Children's health insurance program for states to provide child health assistance to uninsured, low-income children.

• Makes aliens eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) if they already receive such benefits, or if they are blind or disabled and legally reside in the U.S. when the bill is enacted.

• Revises the Welfare program and removes mandatory work requirements for families with a disabled parent and allows the minimum work requirement to be shared by both parents if the total is at least 55 hours a week.

• Expresses the sense of the Congress that permanent resident Hmong and other Highland Lao veterans who fought along with the U.S. during the Vietnam conflict should be considered veterans for purposes of continuing certain assistance benefits.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report on a bill that makes changes to Medicare, Medicaid, and adjusts other programs and taxes.

Highlights:

• Alters student-loan programs and reduces rent subsidies for landlords of federally subsidized housing.

• Increases the excise tax on all tobacco products.

• Raises the cigarette tax from 24 cents to 34 cents in 2000 and 39 cents in 2002.

• Increases the public debt limit to $5.95 trillion.

• Establishes a Medicare+Choice program under which a person entitled to both Hospital Insurance and Supplementary Insurance can choose to receive benefits through the original fee-for-service program or through a Medicare+Choice plan.

• Restores Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid benefits to legal immigrants who had received them in August 1996 when PL 104-193 was passed.

• Provides SSI and Medicaid benefits to immigrants who were in the U.S. and not receiving benefits when PL 104-193 was passed, but have since become disabled.

• Allows 500,000 Medicare participants to take part in a pilot program for Medicare Medical Savings Accounts (Medicare-MSA).

• Extends the Health Care Financing Administration's (HCFA) Influenza and Pneumococcal Vaccination Campaign through fiscal year 2002.

• Replaces the "Essential Access Community Hospital Program" with an optional "Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program" under which participating States shall develop at least one rural health network in the State and at least one critical access hospital.

• Increases the excise tax on all tobacco products.

• Gives States the option to require certain qualified Medicaid-eligible individuals to enroll in managed care arrangements of the individual's choice as a condition of receiving Medicaid.

• Repeals certain qualification requirements for physicians who serve pregnant women and children under 21.

• Amends SSA to establish the State Children's health insurance program for states to provide child health assistance to uninsured, low-income children.

• Makes aliens eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) if they already receive such benefits, or if they are blind or disabled and legally reside in the U.S. when the bill is enacted.

• Revises the Welfare program and removes mandatory work requirements for families with a disabled parent and allows the minimum work requirement to be shared by both parents if the total is at least 55 hours a week.

• Expresses the sense of the Congress that permanent resident Hmong and other Highland Lao veterans who fought along with the U.S. during the Vietnam conflict should be considered veterans for purposes of continuing certain assistance benefits.

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote on a bill to approve changes to the budget for fiscal year 1998.

Highlights:

• Provides for an increase in the public debt limit to $5.95 trillion.

• Establishes a Medicare+Choice program under which a person entitled to both Hospital Insurance and Supplementary Insurance can choose to receive benefits through the original fee-for-service program or through a Medicare+Choice plan.

• Makes immigrants eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) if they already receive such benefits, or if they are blind or disabled and legally reside in the U.S. when the bill is enacted and also makes certain immigrants eligible for Medicare and Railroad Retirement Act benefits.

• Allows 500,000 Medicare participants to take part in a pilot program for Medicare Medical Savings Accounts (Medicare-MSA).

• Extends the Health Care Financing Administration's (HCFA) Influenza and Pneumococcal Vaccination Campaign through fiscal year 2002.

• Replaces the Essential Access Community Hospital Program with an optional "Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program" under which participating States shall develop at least 1 rural health network in the State and at least one critical access hospital.

• Gives States the option to require certain qualified Medicaid-eligible individuals to enroll in managed care arrangements of the individual's choice as a condition of receiving Medicaid.

• Establishes the State Children's health insurance program for states to provide child health assistance to uninsured, low-income children.

• Revises the Welfare program and removes mandatory work requirements for families with a disabled parent and allows the minimum work requirement to be shared by both parents if the total is at least 55 hours a week.

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text