[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2674 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2674

  To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to include coverage 
  under the medicare program for rehabilitation services provided by 
 State vocational rehabilitation agencies to older individuals who are 
                                 blind.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 30, 2001

Mr. Frost (for himself, Mr. Towns, Mrs. Mink of Hawaii, Mr. Thompson of 
  Mississippi, Mr. Visclosky, Mr. McNulty, Ms. Carson of Indiana, Mr. 
Davis of Illinois, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Payne, Mr. Lantos, Mr. Rush, Mr. 
  LaFalce, Ms. Rivers, and Mr. Kildee) introduced the following bill; 
  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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to include coverage 
  under the medicare program for rehabilitation services provided by 
 State vocational rehabilitation agencies to older individuals who are 
                                 blind.

    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 Equity Act for the Blind of 
2001''.

SEC. 2. MEDICARE COVERAGE OF REHABILITATION SERVICES FOR OLDER 
              INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND.

    (a) In General.--Section 1861(s)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1395x(s)(2)), as amended by sections 102(a) and 105(a) of the 
Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and Protection Act 
of 2000 (as enacted into law by section 1(a)(6) of Public Law 106-554), 
is amended--
            (1) in subsection (s)(2)--
                    (A) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph 
                (U);
                    (B) by adding ``and'' at the end of subparagraph 
                (V); and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraph:
            ``(W) rehabilitation services for older individuals who are 
        blind;''; and
            (1) by adding at the end the following new subsection:

         ``Rehabilitation Services for Older Blind Individuals

    ``(ww) The term `rehabilitation services for older individuals who 
are blind' means independent living services (described in section 
752(e) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973) that--
            ``(1) are approved by the Secretary in regulations; and
            ``(2) are provided to an older individual who is blind (as 
        defined in section 751 of such Act); and
            ``(3) are provided--
                    ``(A) by a State agency designated under section 
                101(a)(2) of such Act; or
                    ``(B) by another entity that is acting under the 
                supervision of that State agency and that--
                            ``(i) is on a list of entities approved by 
                        that State agency; or
                            ``(ii) is selected by the older individual 
                        and is approved (through an application process 
                        or otherwise) by that State agency.''.
    (b) Payment.--Section 1833(a)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395l(a)(1)), as amended by sections 105(c) and 223(c) of the Medicare, 
Medicaid, and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and Protection Act of 2000 (as 
enacted into law by section 1(a)(6) of Public Law 106-554), is 
amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' before ``(U)''; and
            (2) by inserting before the semicolon at the end the 
        following: ``, and (V) with respect to rehabilitation services 
        for older individuals who are blind (as defined in section 
        1861(ww)), the amount paid shall be 80 percent of the lesser of 
        the actual charge for the services or the amount determined 
        under the fee schedule established for purposes of this 
        clause''.
    (c) Application of Limits on Billing.--Section 1842(b)(18)(C) of 
such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395u(b)(18)(C)), as amended by section 105(d) of 
the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and Protection 
Act of 2000 (as enacted into law by section 1(a)(6) of Public Law 106-
554), is amended by adding at the end the following new clause:
            ``(vii) An individual or entity providing rehabilitation 
        services for older individuals.''.
    (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section apply to 
services furnished on or after January 1, 2002.
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