House approves four Medicare-related bills 

The House of Representatives yesterday approved legislation (H.R. 6690) that would establish a three-year pilot program to test using smart card technology to combat Medicare fraud and protect beneficiary identity. Also approved were bills that would codify the process by which Medicare administrative contractors make local coverage determinations for their regions (H.R. 3635); codify a regulation allowing non-deemed Medicare Cost Plan enrollees to take advantage of the special enrollment period offered to deemed enrollees (H.R. 6662); and direct the Department of Health and Human Services to finalize regulations this year for the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (H.R. 6561). The bills cleared the Ways and Means Committee last week.