109th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1593
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to enhance the access
of Medicare beneficiaries who live in medically underserved areas to critical
primary and preventive health care benefits at Federally qualified health
centers.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 29, 2005
Ms. SNOWE (for herself and Mr. BINGAMAN) 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 enhance the access
of Medicare beneficiaries who live in medically underserved areas to critical
primary and preventive health care benefits at Federally qualified health
centers.
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 `Medicare Payment Adjustment To Community Health
Centers (PATCH) Act of 2005'.
SEC. 2. DELIVERY OF MEDICARE-COVERED PRIMARY AND PREVENTIVE SERVICES AT
FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS.
(a) Coverage of Medicare-Covered Ambulatory Services by FQHCs- Section 1861(aa)(3)
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa)(3)) is amended to read as
follows:
`(3) The term `Federally qualified health center services' means--
`(A) services of the type described in subparagraphs (A) through (C) of
paragraph (1), and such other services furnished by a Federally qualified
health center for which payment may otherwise be made under this title if
such services were furnished by a health care provider or health care professional
other than a Federally qualified health center; and
`(B) preventive primary health services that a center is required to provide
under section 330 of the Public Health Service Act,
when furnished to an individual as a patient of a Federally qualified health
center and such services when provided by a health care provider or health
care professional employed by or under contract with a Federally qualified
health center shall be treated as billable visits for purposes of payment
to the Federally qualified health center.'.
(b) Ensuring FQHC Reimbursement for Patients of Hospitals and Critical Access
Hospitals Under the Hospital Prospective Payment System- Section 1862(a)(14)
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395y(a)) is amended by inserting `Federally
qualified health center services,' after `qualified psychologist services,'.
(c) Technical Corrections- Clauses (i) and (ii)(II) of section 1861(aa)(4)(A)
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa)(4)(A)) are each amended by
striking `(other than subsection (h))'.
(d) Effective Dates- The amendments made--
(1) by subsections (a) and (b) shall apply to services furnished on or after
January 1, 2006; and
(2) by subsection (c) shall take effect as if included in the enactment
of the Health Centers Consolidation Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-299).
END
