[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1345 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1345

   To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate cost-
     sharing under the medicare program for bone mass measurements.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 30, 2005

  Mrs. Lincoln (for herself and Mr. DeWine) 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 eliminate cost-
     sharing under the medicare program for bone mass measurements.

    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 ``Improved Access to Osteoporosis 
Testing Act of 2005''.

SEC. 2. ELIMINATION OF COST-SHARING FOR BONE MASS MEASUREMENTS.

    (a) Elimination of Coinsurance.--
            (1) In general.--Section 1833(a)(1)(N) of the Social 
        Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(a)(1)(N)) is amended--
                    (A) by inserting ``other than bone mass measurement 
                described in section 1861(s)(15)'' after ``(as defined 
                in section 1848(j)(3))''; and
                    (B) by adding after the comma at the end the 
                following: ``and in the case of such services 
                consisting of such a bone mass measurement, the amounts 
                paid shall be 100 percent of such payment basis,''.
            (2) Elimination of coinsurance in outpatient hospital 
        settings.--The third sentence of section 1866(a)(2)(A) of the 
        Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395cc(a)(2)(A)) is amended by 
        inserting after ``1861(s)(10)(A)'' the following: ``, with 
        respect to bone mass measurement (as defined in section 
        1861(rr)),''.
    (b) Waiver of Deductible.--The first sentence of section 1833(b) of 
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(b)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' before ``(6)''; and
            (2) by inserting before the period at the end the 
        following: ``, and (7) such deductible shall not apply with 
        respect to bone mass measurement (as defined in section 
        1861(rr))''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to items and services furnished on or after January 1, 2006.
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