---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 1395b–9"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "1395b–9"
heading: "Provisions relating to administration"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/1395b-9"
units:
  - "Chapter 7 — Social Security"
  - "Subchapter XVIII — Health Insurance for Aged and Disabled"
---

# §1395b–9. Provisions relating to administration

- (a) **Coordinated administration of medicare prescription drug and Medicare Advantage programs—**
  - (1) **In general—** There is within the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services a center to carry out the duties described in [paragraph (3)](#a-3).
  - (2) **Director—** Such center shall be headed by a [director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) who shall report directly to the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
  - (3) **Duties—** The duties described in this paragraph are the following:
    - (A) The [administration](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-10) of parts C and D.
    - (B) The provision of notice and information under [section 1395b–2 of this title](/usc/42/1395b–2.md).
    - (C) Such other duties as the [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) may specify.
  - (4) **Deadline—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) shall ensure that the center is carrying out the duties described in [paragraph (3)](#a-3) by not later than January 1, 2008.
- (b) **Employment of management staff—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) may employ, within the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, such individuals as management staff as the [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) determines to be appropriate. With respect to the [administration](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-10) of parts C and D, such individuals shall include individuals with private sector expertise in negotiations with health benefits plans.
  - (2) **Eligibility—** To be eligible for employment under [paragraph (1)](#b-1) an individual shall be required to have demonstrated, by their education and experience (either in the public or private sector), superior expertise in at least one of the following areas:
    - (A) The review, negotiation, and [administration](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-10) of health care contracts.
    - (B) The design of health care benefit plans.
    - (C) Actuarial sciences.
    - (D) Compliance with [health plan](/usc/42/1320d.md?p=5) contracts.
    - (E) Consumer education and decision making.
    - (F) Any other area specified by the [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) that requires specialized management or other expertise.
  - (3) **Rates of payment—**
    - (A) **Performance-related pay—** Subject to [subparagraph (B)](#b-3-B), the [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) shall establish the rate of pay for an individual employed under [paragraph (1)](#b-1). Such rate shall take into account expertise, experience, and performance.
    - (B) **Limitation—** In no case may the rate of compensation determined under [subparagraph (A)](#b-3-A) exceed the highest rate of basic pay for the Senior Executive Service under [section 5382(b) of title 5](/usc/5/5382.md?p=b).
- (c) **Medicare Beneficiary Ombudsman—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) shall appoint within the Department of Health and Human Services a Medicare Beneficiary Ombudsman who shall have expertise and experience in the fields of health care and education of (and assistance to) individuals entitled to benefits under this subchapter.
  - (2) **Duties—** The Medicare Beneficiary Ombudsman shall—
    - (A) receive complaints, grievances, and requests for information submitted by individuals entitled to benefits under part A or enrolled under part B, or both, with respect to any aspect of the medicare program;
    - (B) provide assistance with respect to complaints, grievances, and requests referred to in [subparagraph (A)](#c-2-A), [including](/usc/42/1301.md?p=b)—
      - (i) assistance in collecting relevant information for such individuals, to seek an appeal of a decision or determination made by a fiscal intermediary, carrier, MA organization, or the [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6);
      - (ii) assistance to such individuals with any problems arising from disenrollment from an [MA plan](/usc/42/1395w–151.md?p=a-8) under part C; and
      - (iii) assistance to such individuals in presenting information under [section 1395r(i)(4)(C) of this title](/usc/42/1395r.md?p=i-4-C) (relating to income-related premium adjustment;[^1] and
    - (C) submit annual reports to Congress and the [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) that describe the activities of the Office and that include such recommendations for improvement in the [administration](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-10) of this subchapter as the Ombudsman determines appropriate.

    The Ombudsman shall not serve as an advocate for any increases in payments or new coverage of services, but may identify issues and problems in payment or coverage policies.

  - (3) **Working with health insurance counseling programs—** To the extent possible, the Ombudsman shall work with health insurance counseling programs (receiving funding under [section 1395b–4 of this title](/usc/42/1395b–4.md)) to facilitate the provision of information to individuals entitled to benefits under part A or enrolled under part B, or both regarding [MA plans](/usc/42/1395w–151.md?p=a-8) and changes to those plans. Nothing in this paragraph shall preclude further collaboration between the Ombudsman and such programs.
- (d) **Pharmaceutical and technology ombudsman—**
  - (1) **In general—** Not later than 12 months after December 13, 2016, the [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) shall provide for a pharmaceutical and technology ombudsman within the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services who shall receive and respond to complaints, grievances, and requests that—
    - (A) are from entities that manufacture pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, or diagnostic products that are covered or for which coverage is being sought under this subchapter; and
    - (B) are with respect to coverage, coding, or payment under this subchapter for such products.
  - (2) **Application—** The second sentence of [subsection (c)(2)](#c-2) shall apply to the ombudsman under [subparagraph (A)](#c-2-A) in the same manner as such sentence applies to the Medicare Beneficiary Ombudsman under [subsection (c)](#c).
- (e) **Funding for implementation of beneficiary enrollment simplification—** For purposes of carrying out the provisions of and the amendments made by section 120 of division CC of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, the [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) shall provide for the transfer, from the Federal [Hospital](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=1) Insurance Trust Fund under [section 1395i of this title](/usc/42/1395i.md) and the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund under [section 1395t of this title](/usc/42/1395t.md) (in such proportion as the [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) determines appropriate), to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Program Management Account, of $2,000,000 for each of [fiscal years](/usc/42/619.md?p=3) 2021 through 2030, to remain available until expended.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. A closing parenthesis probably should precede the semicolon.

## Source credit

(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title XVIII, § 1808, as added and amended Pub. L. 108–173, title IX, §§ 900(a), (b), 923(a), Dec. 8, 2003, 117 Stat. 2369, 2393; Pub. L. 114–255, div. A, title IV, § 4010, Dec. 13, 2016, 130 Stat. 1185; Pub. L. 116–260, div. CC, title I, § 120(b), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2955.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Section 120 of division CC of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, referred to in subsec. (e), is section 120 of div. CC of Pub. L. 116–260, which amended this section and sections 1395i–2a, 1395p, 1395q, and 1395r of this title.

### Amendments

2020—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 116–260 added subsec. (e).

2016—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 114–255 added subsec. (d).

2003—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 108–173, § 900(b), added subsec. (b).

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 108–173, § 923(a), added subsec. (c).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Deadline for Appointment

Pub. L. 108–173, title IX, § 923(b), Dec. 8, 2003, 117 Stat. 2394, provided that: “By not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 8, 2003], the Secretary [of Health and Human Services] shall appoint the Medicare Beneficiary Ombudsman under section 1808(c) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1395b–9(c)], as added by subsection (a).”