Lincoln Chafee: “Last year, the President signed into law bipartisan legislation that provides greater portability of health insurance…”

“Last year, the President signed into law bipartisan legislation that provides greater portability of health insurance for working Americans. Today, I join with my colleagues, Senator Rockefeller, Senator Frist, Senator Jeffords, and Senator Collins, in the introduction of a bipartisan bill that will provide some of the same guarantees for Medicare beneficiaries who buy Medicare supplemental insurance or MediGap policies. Of the 38 million Medicare beneficiaries, about 80 percent, or 31 million, have some form of Medicare supplemental insurance, whether covered through an employer-sponsored health plan, Medicaid or another public program, or a private MediGap policy. Our bill does several important things for Medicare beneficiaries who have had continuous coverage: First, it guarantees that if their plan goes out of business or the beneficiary moves out of a plan service area, he or she can buy another comparable policy. These rules also would apply to a senior who has had coverage under a retiree health plan or Medicare Select if their plan goes out of business.”