[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 779 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 779

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage 
    of prostate cancer screening tests under part B of the medicare 
                                program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 1, 1995

 Mrs. Vucanovich introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
 the Committee on Commerce and, in addition, 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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage 
    of prostate cancer screening tests under part B of the medicare 
                                program.

    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 Prostate Cancer Screening 
Act of 1995''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer 
        death among men.
            (2) An estimated 244,000 new cases of prostate cancer in 
        the United States are expected during 1995.
            (3) An estimated 40,400 men are expected to die of prostate 
        cancer during 1995.
            (4) The incidence of prostate cancer increases with age and 
        over 80 percent of all prostate cancers are diagnosed in men 
        over age 65.
            (5) Early detection of prostate cancer is the best way to 
        control its growth and treat the tumors.
            (6) Survival rates for prostate cancer have steadily 
        improved from 50 percent to 80 percent in the past 30 years 
        largely due to increases in the early detection of the disease.
            (7) The American Cancer Society and other health 
        organizations recommend an annual digital rectal examination 
        for men starting at age 40 and an annual prostate-specific 
        antigen blood test starting at age 50.

SEC. 3. MEDICARE COVERAGE OF PROSTATE CANCER SCREENING TESTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 1861(s)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1395x(s)(2)), as amended by section 147(f)(6)(B)(iii) of the 
Social Security Act Amendments of 1994, is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (N); and
            (2) by inserting after subparagraph (O) the following new 
        subparagraph:
            ``(P) prostate cancer screening tests (as defined in 
        subsection (oo));''.
    (b) Tests Described.--Section 1861 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

                   ``Prostate Cancer Screening Tests

    ``(oo) The term `prostate cancer screening test' means a test that 
consists of a digital rectal examination or a prostate-specific antigen 
blood test (or both) provided for the purpose of early detection of 
prostate cancer to a man over 40 years of age who has not had such a 
test during the preceding year.''.
    (c) Payment for Prostate-Specific Antigen Blood Test Under Clinical 
Diagnostic Laboratory Test Fee Schedules.--Section 1833(h)(1)(A) of 
such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(h)(1)(A)) is amended by inserting after 
``laboratory tests'' the following: ``(including prostate cancer 
screening tests under section 1861(oo) consisting of prostate-specific 
antigen blood tests)''.
    (d) Conforming Amendment.--Section 1862(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395y(a)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end,
                    (B) in subparagraph (F), by striking the semicolon 
                at the end and inserting ``, and'', and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraph:
            ``(G) in the case of prostate cancer screening test (as 
        defined in section 1861(oo)) provided for the purpose of early 
        detection of prostate cancer, which are performed more 
        frequently than is covered under such section;''; and
            (2) in paragraph (7), by striking ``paragraph (1)(B) or 
        under paragraph (1)(F)'' and inserting ``subparagraphs (B), 
        (F), or (G) of paragraph (1)''.

SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by section 3 shall apply to tests furnished on 
or after January 1, 1996.
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