110th CONGRESS
1st Session

S. 1109

To increase funding for the National Institutes of Health to carry out breast cancer research and to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend for 6 months the eligibility period for the `Welcome to Medicare' physical examination and to eliminate coinsurance for screening mammography and colorectal cancer screening tests in order to promote the early detection of cancer.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

April 16, 2007

Mr. BAYH introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

A BILL

To increase funding for the National Institutes of Health to carry out breast cancer research and to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend for 6 months the eligibility period for the `Welcome to Medicare' physical examination and to eliminate coinsurance for screening mammography and colorectal cancer screening tests in order to promote the early detection of cancer.

    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 `Breast Cancer Research and Screening Act of 2007'.

SEC. 2. NIH BREAST CANCER FUNDING.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the National Institutes of Health, $2,148,000,000 for fiscal year 2008 for carrying out breast cancer research under title IV of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 481 et seq.).

SEC. 3. EXTENDING THE ELIGIBILITY PERIOD FOR A `WELCOME TO MEDICARE' PHYSICAL EXAMINATION FROM SIX MONTHS TO ONE YEAR.

    (a) In General- Section 1862(a)(1)(K) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395y(a)(1)(K)) is amended by striking `6 months' and inserting `1 year'.

    (b) Effective Date- The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply to initial preventive physician examinations performed on or after January 1, 2008.

SEC. 4. ELIMINATION OF THE 20 PERCENT COINSURANCE FOR SCREENING MAMMOGRAPHY AND COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING TESTS.

    (a) Screening Mammography-

      (1) IN GENERAL- Section 1833(a)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(a)(1)(B)) is amended--

        (A) by inserting `and with respect to screening mammography (as defined in section 1861(jj))' after `section 1861(s)(10)(A)'; and

        (B) by striking `100 percent of the reasonable charge for such items and services' and inserting `100 percent of the fee schedule or other basis of payment under this title for the vaccine and its administration or for the screening mammography'.

      (2) APPLICATION TO OUTPATIENT HOSPITAL SETTINGS- The third sentence of section 1866(a)(2)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395cc(a)(2)(A)) is amended by inserting after `1861(s)(10)(A)' the following: `, with respect to screening mammography,'.

    (b) Colorectal Cancer Screening Tests-

      (1) IN GENERAL- Section 1834(d) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(d)) is amended--

        (A) in paragraph (2)(C)--

          (i) by striking `FACILITY PAYMENT LIMIT' and all that follows through `Notwithstanding subsections' and inserting `FACILITY PAYMENT LIMIT- Notwithstanding subsections';

          (ii) by striking `(I) in accordance' and inserting `(i) in accordance';

          (iii) by striking `(II) are performed' and all that follows through `payment under' and inserting `(ii) are performed in an ambulatory surgical center or hospital outpatient department, payment under'; and

          (iv) by striking clause (ii); and

        (B) in paragraph (3)(C)--

          (i) by striking `FACILITY PAYMENT LIMIT' and all that follows through `Notwithstanding subsections' and inserting `FACILITY PAYMENT LIMIT- Notwithstanding subsections'; and

          (ii) by striking clause (ii).

      (2) APPLICATION TO OUTPATIENT HOSPITAL SETTINGS- (A) Section 1833(t)(1)(B)(iv) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(t)(1)(B)(iv)) is amended by inserting `and does not include colorectal cancer screening tests' after `diagnostic mammography'.

      (B) The third sentence of section 1866(a)(2)(A) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395cc(a)(2)(A)), as amended by subsection (a)(2), is amended by inserting `and colorectal cancer screening tests' after `screening mammography'.

    (c) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall apply to screening mammography and colorectal cancer screening tests performed on or after January 1, 2008.

END