§ 1395w-116. Medicare Prescription Drug Account in the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund
(a)
Establishment and operation of Account
(1)
Establishment
There is created within the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund established by section
1395t of this title an account to be known as the “Medicare Prescription Drug Account” (in this section referred to as the “Account”).
(3)
Separate from rest of Trust Fund
Funds provided under this part to the Account shall be kept separate from all other funds within the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund, but shall be invested, and such investments redeemed, in the same manner as all other funds and investments within such Trust Fund.
(b)
Payments from Account
(1)
In general
The Managing Trustee shall pay from time to time from the Account such amounts as the Secretary certifies are necessary to make payments to operate the program under this part, including—
(B)
payments under section
1395w–115 of this title (relating to subsidy payments and payments for fallback plans);
(3)
Payments of premiums withheld
The Managing Trustee shall make payment to the PDP sponsor or MA organization involved of the premiums (and the portion of late enrollment penalties) that are collected in the manner described in section
1395w–24
(d)(2)(A) of this title and that are payable under a prescription drug plan or MA–PD plan offered by such sponsor or organization.
(4)
Treatment in relation to part B premium
Amounts payable from the Account shall not be taken into account in computing actuarial rates or premium amounts under section
1395r of this title.
(c)
Deposits into Account
(3)
Appropriations to cover Government contributions
There are authorized to be appropriated from time to time, out of any moneys in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to the Account, an amount equivalent to the amount of payments made from the Account under subsection (b) of this section plus such amounts as the Managing Trustee certifies is necessary to maintain an appropriate contingency margin, reduced by the amounts deposited under paragraph (1) or subsection (a)(2) of this section.
(4)
Initial funding and reserve
In order to assure prompt payment of benefits provided under this part and the administrative expenses thereunder during the early months of the program established by this part and to provide an initial contingency reserve, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Account, out of any moneys in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, such amount as the Secretary certifies are required, but not to exceed 10 percent of the estimated total expenditures from such Account in 2006.