[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3795 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3795

     To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to modify the 
definition of outpatient speech-language pathology services in order to 
recognize speech-language pathologists as suppliers under the Medicare 
                                Program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 15, 2005

Mr. Ferguson (for himself, Mr. Pickering, Mr. Chocola, Mr. Inslee, Mr. 
Gerlach, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Mr. Holden, and Mr. Van Hollen) 
 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 modify the 
definition of outpatient speech-language pathology services in order to 
recognize speech-language pathologists as suppliers 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. MODIFICATION OF MEDICARE DEFINITION OF OUTPATIENT SPEECH-
              LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY SERVICES.

    (a) In General.--Section 1861(ll) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1395x(ll)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs 
        (3) and (4), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new 
        paragraph:
            ``(2) The term `outpatient speech-language pathology 
        services' has the meaning given the term `outpatient physical 
        therapy services' in subsection (p), except that in applying 
        such subsection--
                    ``(A) `speech-language pathology' shall be 
                substituted for `physical therapy' each place it 
                appears; and
                    ``(B) `speech-language pathologist' shall be 
                substituted for `physical therapist' each place it 
                appears.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--(1) Section 1861(p) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(p)) is amended by striking the fourth 
sentence.
    (2) Section 1833(a)(8)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395l(a)(8)(A)) is amended by striking ``outpatient physical therapy 
services (which includes outpatient speech-language pathology services) 
and outpatient occupational therapy services'' and inserting 
``outpatient physical therapy services, outpatient speech-language 
pathology services, and outpatient occupational therapy services''.
    (3) Section 1833(a)(8)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395l(a)(8)(B)) is amended by striking ``outpatient physical therapy 
services (which includes outpatient speech-language pathology services) 
and outpatient occupational therapy services'' and inserting 
``outpatient physical therapy services, outpatient speech-language 
pathology services, and outpatient occupational therapy services''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to services provided on or after the date that is 6 months after 
the date of enactment of this Act.
    (d) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to 
affect existing regulations and policies of the Centers for Medicare & 
Medicaid Services that require physician oversight of care as a 
condition of payment for speech-language pathology services under part 
B of the medicare program.
                                 <all>