[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2620 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2620

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage 
  of glaucoma detection services under part B of the Medicare Program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 27, 1999

    Mr. Foley (for himself, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, and Mr. Cooksey) 
 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 glaucoma detection services 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 Glaucoma Detection Act of 
1999''.

SEC. 2. MEDICARE COVERAGE OF GLAUCOMA DETECTION TESTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 1861 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395x) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (s)(2)--
                    (A) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph 
                (S),
                    (B) by striking the period at the end of 
                subparagraph (T) and inserting ``; and'', and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraph:
            ``(U) glaucoma detection tests (as defined in subsection 
        (uu));''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:

                       ``Glaucoma Detection Tests

    ``(uu) The term `glaucoma detection test' means all of the 
following conducted for the purpose of early detection of glaucoma:
            ``(1) A dilated eye examination with an intraocular 
        pressure measurement.
            ``(2) Direct ophthalmoscopy or slit-lamp biomicroscopic 
        examination.''.
    (b) Limitation on Eligibility and Frequency.--Section 1834 of such 
Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subsection:
    ``(m) Limitation on Coverage of Glaucoma Detection Tests.--
            ``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
        this part, with respect to expenses incurred for glaucoma 
        detection tests (as defined in section 1861(uu)), payment may 
        be made only for glaucoma detection tests conducted--
                    ``(A) for individuals described in paragraph (2), 
                and
                    ``(B) consistent with the frequency permitted under 
                paragraph (3).
            ``(2) Individuals eligible for benefit.--Individuals 
        described in this paragraph are as follows:
                    ``(A) Individuals who are 65 years of age or older.
                    ``(B) Individuals who are 60 years of age or older 
                and who have a family history of glaucoma.
                    ``(C) Other individuals who are at high risk (as 
                determined by the Secretary) of developing glaucoma.
            ``(3) Frequency limit.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), 
                payment may not be made under this part for glaucoma 
                detection tests performed for an individual within 23 
                months following the month in which glaucoma detection 
                tests were performed under this part for the 
                individual.
                    ``(B) Exception.--The Secretary may permit glaucoma 
                detection tests to be covered on a more frequent basis 
                than that provided under subparagraph (A) under such 
                circumstances as the Secretary determines to be 
                appropriate.
    (c) No Application of Deductible.--Section 1833(b)(5) of such Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1395l(b)(5)) is amended by inserting ``or with respect to 
glaucoma detection tests (as defined in section 1861(uu))'' after 
``1861(jj))''.
    (d) Conforming Amendments.--Section 1862(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395y(a)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (H), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end,
                    (B) in subparagraph (I), by striking the semicolon 
                at the end and inserting ``, and'', and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraph:
            ``(J) in the case of glaucoma detection tests (as defined 
        in section 1861(uu)), which are performed more frequently than 
        is covered under section 1834(m)(3);''; and
            (2) in paragraph (7), by striking ``or (H)'' and inserting 
        ``(H), or (I)''.
    (e) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section apply to 
tests provided on or after January 1, 2000.
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