[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 599 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 599

  To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide coverage 
under the medicare program for diabetes laboratory diagnostic tests and 
                 other services to screen for diabetes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 11, 2003

 Mrs. Lincoln (for herself, Ms. Collins, and Mr. Bingaman) 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 coverage 
under the medicare program for diabetes laboratory diagnostic tests and 
                 other services to screen for diabetes.

    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 ``Access to Diabetes Screening 
Services Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. MEDICARE COVERAGE OF DIABETES LABORATORY DIAGNOSTIC 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 adding ``and'' at the end; 
        and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
            ``(W) diabetes screening tests and services (as defined in 
        subsection (ww));''.
    (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:

                ``Diabetes Screening Tests and Services

    ``(ww)(1) The term `diabetes screening tests' means diagnostic 
testing furnished to an individual at risk for diabetes (as defined in 
paragraph (2)) for the purpose of early detection of diabetes, 
including--
            ``(A) a fasting plasma glucose test; and
            ``(B) such other tests, and modifications to tests, as the 
        Secretary determines appropriate, in consultation with 
        appropriate organizations.
    ``(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), the term `individual at risk 
for diabetes' means an individual who has any, a combination of, or all 
of the following risk factors for diabetes:
            ``(A) A family history of diabetes.
            ``(B) Overweight defined as a body mass index greater than 
        or equal to 25 kg/m\2\.
            ``(C) Habitual physical inactivity.
            ``(D) Belonging to a high-risk ethnic or racial group.
            ``(E) Previous identification of an elevated impaired 
        fasting glucose.
            ``(F) Identification of impaired glucose tolerance.
            ``(G) Hypertension.
            ``(H) Dyslipidemia.
            ``(I) History of gestational diabetes mellitus or delivery 
        of a baby weighing greater than 9 pounds.
            ``(J) Polycystic ovary syndrome.
    ``(3) The Secretary shall establish standards, in consultation with 
appropriate organizations, regarding the frequency of diabetes 
screening tests, except that such frequency may not be more often than 
twice within the 12-month period following the date of the most recent 
diabetes screening test of that individual.''.
    (c) Frequency.--Section 1862(a)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1395y(a)(1)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (H), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in subparagraph (I), by striking the semicolon at the 
        end and inserting ``, and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
            ``(J) in the case of a diabetes screening test or service 
        (as defined in section 1861(ww)(1)), which is performed more 
        frequently than is covered under section 1861(ww)(3).''.
    (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to tests furnished on or after the date that is 90 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act.
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