[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5501 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5501

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to preserve and provide 
   for uniform coverage of drugs and biologicals under part B of the 
                           Medicare Program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 19, 2000

   Mr. DeMint (for himself, Mr. Spence, Mr. Spratt, Mr. Clyburn, Mr. 
   Sanford, and Mr. Graham) 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 preserve and provide 
   for uniform coverage of drugs and biologicals 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; FINDINGS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Medicare Drug 
Uniform Coverage Act of 2000''.
    (b) Findings.--The Congress finds as follows:
            (1) The medicare program provides for coverage of certain 
        outpatient drugs and biologicals administered through 
        subcutaneous injections.
            (2) Carriers in the majority of States and territories have 
        made local coverage determinations that interferon, enoxaparin, 
        deltaparin, and pre-operative use of epoetin alpha (four of 
        such outpatient drugs or biologicals) are reasonable and 
        necessary and covered under part B of the medicare program.
            (3) The carrier in South Carolina has made a local coverage 
        determination that does not provide coverage for interferon, 
        enoxaparin, deltaparin, and pre-operative use of epoetin alpha 
        under such part.
            (4) Medicare beneficiaries should have equal access to 
        care, treatment, and coverage under the medicare program in all 
        50 States and territories.

SEC. 2. PRESERVATION OF COVERAGE OF DRUGS AND BIOLOGICALS UNDER PART B 
              OF THE MEDICARE PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Section 1861(s)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1395x(s)(2)) is amended, in each of subparagraphs (A) and (B), 
by striking ``(including drugs and biologicals which cannot, as 
determined in accordance with regulations, be self-administered)'' and 
inserting ``(including drugs and biologicals which are not usually 
self-administered by intravenous infusion or subcutaneous injection by 
the patient)''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) applies 
to drugs and biologicals administered on or after October 1, 2000.
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