[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 209 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 209

 Expressing the sense of the Congress that the Secretary of Health and 
 Human Services should administratively provide for coverage under the 
Medicare Program of backup systems for durable medical equipment in the 
                        case of a power failure.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             August 2, 2001

 Mr. Calvert submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
 referred to the Committee on Energy and 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

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the Congress that the Secretary of Health and 
 Human Services should administratively provide for coverage under the 
Medicare Program of backup systems for durable medical equipment in the 
                        case of a power failure.

    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Secretary of Health and Human Services should administratively 
provide for coverage under the medicare program under title XVIII of 
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) of appropriate backup 
systems for those items of durable medical equipment (for which payment 
is made under section 1834 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m)) furnished to 
medicare beneficiaries that the Secretary determines require such 
backup systems in the case of a power failure, including the following:
            (1) Back-up power supplies in case of lengthy rolling 
        blackouts.
            (2) Back-up ventilators in case of mechanical failure of a 
        ventilator.
            (3) Back-up respiratory assist devices for patients with 
        amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) who have progressed to 
        using such devices on a 24-hour basis and have elected not to 
        have a tracheostomy (in order to connect the patients to 
        standard home ventilators).
                                 <all>