Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 104 Part 2.djvu/546

 104 STAT. 1388-138 PUBLIC LAW 101-508—NOV. 5, 1990 (C) referral to appropriate State and local agencies involved in the medicaid program. (3) With respect to medicare supplemental policies— (A) the program under section 1882 of the Social Security Act and standards required under such program, (B) how to make informed decisions on whether to purchase such policies and on what criteria to use in evaluating different policies, (C) appropriate Federal, State, and private agencies that provide information and assistance in obtaining benefits under such policies, and (D) other issues deemed appropriate by the Secretary. The beneficiary assistance program also shall provide such other services as the Secretary deems appropriate to increase beneficiary understanding of, and confidence in, the medicare program and to improve the relationship between beneficiaries and the program. (d) EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL. —The Secretary, through the Administrator of the Health Care Financing Administration, shall develop appropriate educational materials and other appropriate techniques to assist employees in carrying out this section. (e) NOTICE TO BENEFICIARIES.—The Secretary shall take such steps as are necessary to assure that medicare-eligible beneficiaries and the general public are made aware of the beneficiary assistance program. (f) REPORT.— The Secretary shall include, in an annual report transmitted to the Congress, a report on the beneficiary assistance program and on other health insurance informational and counseling services made available to medicare-eligible individuals. The Secretary shall include in the report recommendations for such changes as may be desirable to improve the relationship between the medicare program and medicare-eligible individuals. 42 USC 1395b-4. SEC. 4360. HEALTH INSURANCE INFORMATION, COUNSELING, AND ASSISTANCE GRANTS. (a) GRANTS.— The Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as the "Secretary") shall make grants to States, with approved State regulatory programs under section 1882 of the Social Security Act, that submit applications to the Secretary that meet the requirements of this section for the purpose of providing information, counseling, and assistance relating to the procurement of adequate and appropriate health insurance coverage to individuals who are eligible to receive benefits under title XVIII of the Social Security Act (in this section referred to as "eligible individuals"). The Secretary shall prescribe regulations to establish a minimum level of funding for a grant issued under this section. (b) GRANT APPLICATIONS. — (1) In submitting an application under this section, a State may consolidate and coordinate an application that consists of parts prepared by more than one agency or department of such State. (2) As part of an application for a grant under this section, a State shall submit a plan for a State-wide health insurance information, counseling, and assistance program. Such program shall— (A) establish or improve upon a health insurance information, counseling, and assistance program that pro-

�