[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 56 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 56

     To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 
  restriction that a clinical psychologist or clinical social worker 
provide services in a comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facility 
            to a patient only under the care of a physician.


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                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 6, 2009

  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 remove the 
  restriction that a clinical psychologist or clinical social worker 
provide services in a comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facility 
            to a patient only under the care of 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 ``Autonomy for Psychologists and 
Social Workers Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. REMOVAL OF RESTRICTION THAT A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST OR CLINICAL 
              SOCIAL WORKER PROVIDE SERVICES IN A COMPREHENSIVE 
              OUTPATIENT REHABILITATION FACILITY TO A PATIENT ONLY 
              UNDER THE CARE OF A PHYSICIAN.

    (a) In General.--Section 1861(cc)(2)(E) of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1395x(cc)(2)(E)) is amended by striking ``physician'' and 
inserting ``physician, except that a patient receiving qualified 
psychologist services (as defined in subsection (ii)) may be under the 
care of a clinical psychologist with respect to such services to the 
extent permitted under State law and except that a patient receiving 
clinical social worker services (as defined in subsection (hh)(2)) may 
be under the care of a clinical social worker with respect to such 
services to the extent permitted under State law''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
apply to services provided on or after January 1, 2010.
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