A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish a Medicare payment option for patients and eligible professionals to freely contract, without penalty, for Medicare fee-for-service items and services, while allowing Medicare benificiaries to use their Medicare benefits.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. 4583 Introduced in Senate (IS)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4583 To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish a Medicare payment option for patients and eligible professionals to freely contract, without penalty, for Medicare fee-for-service items and services, while allowing Medicare beneficiaries to use their Medicare benefits. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 20, 2026 Mr. Paul (for himself and Ms. Murkowski) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish a Medicare payment option for patients and eligible professionals to freely contract, without penalty, for Medicare fee-for-service items and services, while allowing Medicare beneficiaries to use their Medicare benefits. 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 ``Legalizing Premium Health Care Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. GUARANTEEING FREEDOM OF CHOICE AND CONTRACTING FOR PATIENTS UNDER MEDICARE. (a) In General.--Section 1802 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395a) is amended to read as follows: ``freedom of choice and contracting by patient guaranteed ``Sec. 1802. (a) Basic Freedom of Choice.--Any individual entitled to insurance benefits under this title may obtain health services from any institution, agency, or person qualified to participate under this title if such institution, agency, or person undertakes to provide that individual such services. ``(b) Freedom To Contract by Medicare Beneficiaries.-- ``(1) In general.--Subject to the provisions of this subsection, nothing in this title shall prohibit a Medicare benefic