[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2644 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2644

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage 
 of marriage and family therapist services under Medicare part B, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 11, 2007

Mr. Jefferson 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 provide for coverage 
 of marriage and family therapist services under Medicare part B, and 
                          for other purposes.

    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 Marriage and Family 
Therapist Services Improvement Act''.

SEC. 2. COVERAGE OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST SERVICES UNDER 
              MEDICARE PART B.

    (a) Coverage of Services.--Section 1861(s)(2) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(s)(2)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (Z), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in subparagraph (AA), by adding at the end ``and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(BB) marriage and family therapist services (as 
                defined in subsection (ccc)(1));''.
    (b) Definition.--Section 1861 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(ccc) Marriage and Family Therapist Services.--(1) The term 
`marriage and family therapist services' means services performed by a 
marriage and family therapist (as defined in paragraph (2)) for the 
diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses, which the marriage and 
family therapist is legally authorized to perform under State law (or 
the State regulatory mechanism provided by State law) of the State in 
which such services are performed, as would otherwise be covered if 
furnished by a physician or as an incident to a physician's 
professional service, but only if no facility or other provider charges 
or is paid any amounts with respect to the furnishing of such services.
    ``(2) The term `marriage and family therapist' means an individual 
who--
            ``(A) possesses a master's or doctoral degree which 
        qualifies for licensure or certification as a marriage and 
        family therapist pursuant to State law;
            ``(B) after obtaining such degree has performed at least 
        two years of clinical supervised experience in marriage and 
        family therapy; and
            ``(C) in the case of an individual performing services in a 
        State that provides for licensure or certification of marriage 
        or family therapists, is licensed or certified as a marriage 
        and family therapist in such State.''.
    (c) Provision for Payment Under Part B.--Section 1832(a)(2)(B) of 
such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395k(a)(2)(B)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new clause:
                    ``(v) marriage and family therapist services;''.
    (d) Amount of Payment.--Section 1833(a)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
13951(a)(1)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and (V)'' and inserting ``(V)''; and
            (2) by inserting before the semicolon at the end the 
        following: ``, and (W) with respect to marriage and family 
        therapist services under section 1861(s)(2)(BB), the amounts 
        paid shall be 90 percent of the lesser of the actual charge for 
        the services or 85 percent of the amount determined for payment 
        of a psychologist under clause (L)''.
    (e) Exclusion of Marriage and Family Therapist Services From 
Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System.--Section 
1888(e)(2)(A)(ii) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395yy(e)(2)(A)(ii)) is 
amended by inserting ``marriage and family therapist services,'' after 
``qualified psychologist services,''.
    (f) Inclusion of Marriage and Family Therapists as Practitioners 
for Assignment of Claims.--Section 1842(b)(18)(C) of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 1395u(b)(18)(C)) is amended by adding at the end the following 
new clause:
                            ``(vii) A marriage and family therapist (as 
                        defined in section 1861(ccc)(2)).''.

SEC. 3. COVERAGE OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST SERVICES PROVIDED IN 
              CERTAIN SETTINGS.

    (a) Rural Health Clinics.--Section 1861(aa)(1)(B) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa)(1)(B)) is amended by inserting ``, by 
a marriage and family therapist (as defined in subsection (ccc)(2)),'' 
after ``by a clinical psychologist (as defined by the Secretary)''.
    (b) Hospice Programs.--Section 1861(dd)(2)(B)(i)(III) of such Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1395x(dd)(2)(B)(i)(III)) is amended by inserting ``or 
marriage and family therapist (as defined in subsection (ccc)(2))'' 
after ``social worker''.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPISTS TO DEVELOP 
              DISCHARGE PLANS FOR POST-HOSPITAL SERVICES.

    Section 1861(ee)(2)(G) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395x(ee)(2)(G)) is amended by inserting ``marriage and family 
therapist (as defined in subsection (ccc)(2)),'' after ``social 
worker,''.

SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by this Act apply with respect to services 
furnished on or after November 1, 2007.
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