[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2697 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2697

   To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to require Medicaid 
 coverage of professional services of optometrists that are otherwise 
                 covered when furnished by a physician.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 4, 2009

   Ms. Schakowsky (for herself and Mr. Hall of Texas) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                                Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to require Medicaid 
 coverage of professional services of optometrists that are otherwise 
                 covered when furnished by a physician.

    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 ``Optometric Equity in Medicaid Act of 
2009''.

SEC. 2. REQUIRING MEDICAID COVERAGE OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES OF 
              OPTOMETRISTS THAT ARE OTHERWISE COVERED WHEN FURNISHED BY 
              A PHYSICIAN.

    (a) In General.--Section 1905(a)(5) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1396d(a)(5)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' before ``(B)''; and
            (2) by inserting before the semicolon at the end the 
        following: ``, and (C) medical and other health services as 
        defined in section 1861(s) and as authorized by State law, 
        furnished by an optometrist (described in section 1861(r)(4)) 
        to the extent such services may be performed under State law 
        either by a doctor of medicine or by a doctor of optometry and 
        would be described in clause (A) if furnished by a physician 
        (as defined in section 1861(r)(1))''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.
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