[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 61 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 61

  To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide improved 
 reimbursement for clinical social worker services under the medicare 
                                program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 24, 2005

  Mr. Inouye 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 improved 
 reimbursement for clinical social worker services 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 ``Equity for Clinical Social Workers 
Act of 2005''.

SEC. 2. IMPROVED REIMBURSEMENT FOR CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER SERVICES 
              UNDER MEDICARE.

    (a) In General.--Section 1833(a)(1)(F)(ii) of the Social Security 
Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(a)(1)(F)(ii)) is amended to read as follows: 
``(ii) the amount determined by a fee schedule established by the 
Secretary,''.
    (b) Definition of Clinical Social Worker Services Expanded.--
Section 1861(hh)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(hh)(2)) 
is amended by striking ``services performed by a clinical social worker 
(as defined in paragraph (1))'' and inserting ``such services and such 
services and supplies furnished as an incident to such services 
performed by a clinical social worker (as defined in paragraph (1))''.
    (c) Clinical Social Worker Services Not to Be Included in Inpatient 
Hospital Services.--Section 1861(b)(4) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1395x(b)(4)) is amended by striking ``and services'' and 
inserting ``clinical social worker services, and services''.
    (d) Treatment of Services Furnished in Inpatient Setting.--Section 
1832(a)(2)(B)(iii) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395k(a)(2)(B)(iii)) is amended by striking ``and services'' and 
inserting ``clinical social worker services, and services''.
    (e) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to payments made for clinical social worker services furnished on 
or after January 1, 2006.
                                 <all>