Early-Onset Alzheimer’s Coverage Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 10726 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                               H. R. 10726

 To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to allow individuals 
      with Alzheimer's disease to buy in to the Medicare program.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 5, 2026

Ms. Davids of Kansas introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, 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 allow individuals 
      with Alzheimer's disease to buy in to the Medicare program.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Early-Onset Alzheimer's Coverage Act 
of 2026''.

SEC. 2. MEDICARE BUY-IN OPTION.

    (a) In General.--Title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395c et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
section:

        ``buy-in option for individuals with alzheimer's disease

    ``Sec. 1899D.  (a) Option.--
            ``(1) In general.--Every individual who meets the 
        requirements described in paragraph (2) shall be eligible to 
        enroll under this section.
            ``(2) Eligibility.--An individual who meets the following 
        requirements is eligible to enroll under this section:
                    ``(A) Alzheimer's disease.--The individual has been 
                diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease (as 
                defined by the Commissioner of Social Security through 
                the Program Operations Manual System (or a successor 
                document)).
                    ``(B) Medicare eligibility (but for age).--The 
                individual is not otherwise entitled to benefits under 
                part A or eligible to enroll under part A or part B but 
                would be eligible to enroll under part A or part B if 
                the individual were 65 years of age.
            ``(3) Part a, b, and d benefits and protections.--An 
        individual enrolled under this section is entitled to the same 
        benefits (and shall receive the same protections) under this 
        title as an individual who is entitled to benefits under part A 
        and enrolled under parts B and D, including the ability to 
        enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan that provides qualified 
        prescription drug coverage (an MA-PD plan) and including access 
        to the Medicare Beneficiary Ombudsman under section 1808(c).
    ``(b) Enrollment and Coverage Periods.--
            ``(1) Enrollment periods.--The Secretary shall provide for 
        a 3-month enrollment period for an individual described in 
        subsection (a) that begins on the first day of the first month 
        following the month in which such individual is first diagnosed 
        with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. The Secretary shall 
        provide for such special enrollment periods similar to those 
        provided under part B.
            ``(2) Coverage period.--Coverage under this section shall 
        begin on the first day of the first month following the month 
        in which such individual enrolls under this section.
    ``(c) Application of Part A, B, and D Premiums.--An individual 
enrolled under this section for a month shall be responsible for such 
month for any premium applicable under sections 1818 and 1839, or under 
a prescription drug plan under part D, as if such individual were 65 
years of age but not otherwise entitled to benefits under part A and 
were enrolled under part A, part B, or a prescription drug plan under 
part D (as applicable).
    ``(d) Clarification.--Nothing in this section shall affect the 
benefits or eligibility under this title of individuals who would 
otherwise be entitled to or eligible for benefits under this title or 
title XIX, or both.
    ``(e) Access to Medigap.--Individuals eligible for enrollment 
pursuant to this section shall be eligible for coverage provided 
through medicare supplemental policies certified under section 1882 if 
the individual applies for enrollment in such policy during the six-
month period following the date of enrollment pursuant to this section. 
The Secretary shall require each issuer of medicare supplemental 
policies in a State to ensure that at least 1 such policy is available 
to such individuals in such State.''.
    (b) Medigap.--Section 1882 of the Social Security Act is amended by 
adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(aa) Development of New Standards for Certain Medicare 
Supplemental Policies Relating to Buy-In Option.--The Secretary shall 
request the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to review 
and revise the standards for benefit packages described in subsection 
(p)(1), to otherwise update standards to include requirements for each 
issuer of a medicare supplemental policy that offers such a policy in a 
State, with respect to each year, to comply with the requirements of 
section 1899D(e). Such revisions shall be made consistent with the 
rules applicable under subsection (p)(1)(E) with the reference to the 
`1991 NAIC Model Regulation' deemed a reference to the NAIC Model 
Regulation as published in the Federal Register on December 4, 1998, 
and as subsequently updated by the National Association of Insurance 
Commissioners to reflect previous changes in law and the reference to 
`date of enactment of this subsection' deemed a reference to the date 
of enactment of this subsection (aa).''.
    (c) Updating Materials.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
shall update applicable information provided by the Department of 
Health and Human Services relating to the Medicare program (such as the 
notices commonly referred to as ``Medicare & You'' and ``Welcome to 
Medicare'') to include information on the eligibility provided under 
the amendments made by this section.
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