[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4628 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4628

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage 
  under the Medicare Program of oral drugs to treat low blood calcium 
  levels or elevated parathyroid hormone levels for patients with end 
                          stage renal disease.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 9, 2000

    Mr. Holt (for himself and Mr. Ryan of Wisconsin) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, 
   and in addition to the Committee on Commerce, 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 
  under the Medicare Program of oral drugs to treat low blood calcium 
  levels or elevated parathyroid hormone levels for patients with end 
                          stage renal disease.

    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 Coverage of Replacement 
Calcitriol Act of 2000''.

SEC. 2. MEDICARE COVERAGE OF ORAL DRUGS USED TO TREAT LOW BLOOD CALCIUM 
              LEVELS OR ELEVATED PARATHYROID HORMONE LEVELS FOR END 
              STAGE RENAL DISEASE PATIENTS.

    (a) Coverage.--Section 1861(s)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1395x(s)(2)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (S);
            (2) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (T) 
        and inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by inserting after subparagraph (T) the following new 
        subparagraph:
            ``(U) an oral drug (which is approved by the Food and Drug 
        Administration) that--
                    ``(i) is prescribed for use in the treatment of low 
                blood calcium levels or elevated parathyroid hormone 
                levels in patients medically determined to have end 
                stage renal disease;
                    ``(ii) is a full replacement for such treatment 
                which would otherwise be administered intravenously; 
                and
                    ``(iii) the Secretary determines results in overall 
                cost savings for such treatment which would otherwise 
                be administered intravenously;''.
    (b) Interim Payment Pending Publication of Final Rule.--For the 
period beginning 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act 
and ending on the date the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
publishes a final regulation to carry out section 1861(s)(2)(U) of the 
Social Security Act, as added by subsection (a)--
            (1) oral drugs furnished under such section are deemed to 
        result in the overall cost savings described in clause (iii) of 
        such section, and
            (2) the Secretary shall provide for payment for oral drugs 
        furnished under such section during such period, and assign 
        such temporary HCPCS code as is necessary to provide for such 
        payment.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) apply to 
oral drugs furnished on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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