To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for payment under the Medicare Program for four hemodialysis treatments per week for certain patients, to provide for an increased update in the composite payment rate for dialysis treatments, and for other purposes.

June 19, 2001

Mr. CAMP (for himself, Mrs. THURMAN, Mr. HAYWORTH, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. PICKERING, Mr. HALL of Texas, Mr. ENGLISH, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. MCDERMOTT, and Mr. KLECZKA) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for payment under the Medicare Program for four hemodialysis treatments per week for certain patients, to provide for an increased update in the composite payment rate for dialysis treatments, and for other purposes.

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 Dialysis Benefit Improvement Act of 2001'.

SEC. 2. COVERAGE OF FOUR HEMODIALYSIS TREATMENTS PER WEEK.

(a) IN GENERAL- Section 1881(b) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395rr(b)) is amended by inserting after the first sentence the following: `Payment shall be made under this paragraph for a fourth hemodialysis treatment session per week for pediatric patients, patients who weigh more than 80 kilograms, or for patients with a fluid-induced cardiovascular disease (as determined by the Secretary), and the Secretary shall provide for payment for such fourth treatment session at the same per session composite rate that otherwise applies under this paragraph.'.

(b) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply to dialysis services furnished on or after January 1, 2002.

SEC. 3. UPDATE IN RENAL DIALYSIS COMPOSITE RATE FOR 2002.

The last sentence of section 1881(b) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395rr(b)), as amended by section 422(a) of the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and Protection Act of 2000 (114 Stat. 2763A-516), as enacted into law by section 1(a)(6) of Public Law 106-554, is amended--

(1) by striking `and' before `for such services'; and

(2) by inserting before the period the following: `and for such services furnished on or after January 1, 2002, by 2.6 percent above such composite rate payment amounts for such services furnished on December 31, 2001'.

SEC. 4. RESTORATION OF EXCEPTION TO COMPOSITE RATES.

(a) IN GENERAL- Section 422(a) of the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and Protection Act of 2000 (114 Stat. 2763A-516), as enacted into law by section 1(a)(6) of Public Law 106-554, is amended by striking paragraph (2) (relating to prohibition on exceptions).

(b) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect as if included in the enactment of such section 422(a).

END