[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 382 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 382

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage 
     of cardiovascular screening tests under the medicare program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 12, 2003

 Mr. Dorgan (for himself, Mr. Campbell, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Inouye, Ms. 
Landrieu, Mr. Johnson, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Warner, Mrs. Lincoln, and Mr. 
    Talent) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
                  referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage 
     of cardiovascular screening tests under 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 Cholesterol Screening 
Coverage Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. COVERAGE OF CARDIOVASCULAR SCREENING TESTS.

    (a) Coverage.--Section 1861(s)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1395x(s)(2)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (U), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in subparagraph (V)(iii), by inserting ``and'' at the 
        end; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(W) cardiovascular screening tests (as defined in 
                subsection (ww)(1));''.
    (b) Services Described.--Section 1861 of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1395x) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subsection:

                    ``Cardiovascular Screening Tests

    ``(ww)(1) The term `cardiovascular screening tests' means the 
following diagnostic tests for the early detection of cardiovascular 
disease:
            ``(A) Tests for the determination of cholesterol levels.
            ``(B) Tests for the determination of lipid levels of the 
        blood.
            ``(C) Such other tests for cardiovascular disease as the 
        Secretary may approve.
    ``(2)(A) Subject to subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall establish 
standards, in consultation with appropriate organizations, regarding 
the frequency and type of cardiovascular screening tests.
    ``(B) With respect to the frequency of cardiovascular screening 
tests approved by the Secretary under subparagraph (A), in no case may 
the frequency of such tests be more often than once every 2 years.''.
    (c) Frequency.--Section 1862(a)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1395y(a)(1)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (H);
            (2) by striking the semicolon at the end of subparagraph 
        (I) and inserting ``, and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
            ``(J) in the case of a cardiovascular screening test (as 
        defined in section 1861(ww)(1)), which is performed more 
        frequently than is covered under section 1861(ww)(2).''.
    (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to tests furnished on or after January 1, 2004.
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