[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7274 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7274

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for outreach 
     and education to Medicare beneficiaries to simplify access to 
information for family caregivers through 1-800-MEDICARE, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 7, 2024

  Mr. Carey (for himself and Ms. Chu) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition 
      to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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 outreach 
     and education to Medicare beneficiaries to simplify access to 
information for family caregivers through 1-800-MEDICARE, 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 ``Connecting Caregivers to Medicare 
Act of 2024''.

SEC. 2. OUTREACH AND EDUCATION TO MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES TO SIMPLIFY 
              ACCESS TO INFORMATION FOR FAMILY CAREGIVERS THROUGH 1-
              800-MEDICARE.

    Section 1804 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395b-2) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(e)(1) The Secretary shall provide for such outreach and 
education activities as are necessary, including as described in 
paragraph (2), to inform individuals entitled to benefits under part A 
or enrolled under part B and individuals applying for benefits under 
part A or enrolling under part B about the option to authorize a family 
caregiver (as defined in paragraph (8)(A)) of such an individual to 
access the personal health information of such individual through the 
toll-free 1-800-MEDICARE telephone number maintained by the Secretary 
under subsection (b) if such individual completes and submits a 
specified family caregiver information access authorization form (as 
defined in paragraph (8)(B)) authorizing such access by such family 
caregiver to such information.
    ``(2) The outreach and education activities under paragraph (1) 
shall include the following:
            ``(A) Outreach and education efforts to provide information 
        about the option described in paragraph (1) to individuals 
        described in such paragraph, to providers of services and 
        suppliers furnishing services to such individuals, to family 
        caregivers, and to other appropriate entities specified by the 
        Secretary.
            ``(B) Outreach and education efforts to inform such 
        individuals, providers of services and suppliers, family 
        caregivers, and other appropriate entities of best practices 
        identified pursuant to paragraph (4) to protect such 
        individuals from fraudulent practices described in such 
        paragraph.
            ``(C) Outreach and education efforts to individuals 
        described in paragraph (1) to inform such individuals of all 
        existing reporting mechanisms for suspected Medicare fraud.
            ``(D) The inclusion of information about the option 
        described in paragraph (1), and best practices identified 
        pursuant to paragraph (4), in a manner that is prominent, 
        easily accessible, and readily understandable--
                    ``(i) in the notice under subsection (a);
                    ``(ii) through the Medicare.gov website or a 
                successor website;
                    ``(iii) through other efforts specifically 
                conducted for individuals enrolled in a Medicare 
                Advantage plan under part C; and
                    ``(iv) through other platforms or methods specified 
                by the Secretary, such as social media.
            ``(E) The inclusion, in a manner that is prominent, easily 
        accessible, and readily understandable, of the specified family 
        caregiver information access authorization form in the notice 
        under subsection (a), through--
                    ``(i) the website described in subparagraph 
                (D)(ii); and
                    ``(ii) other efforts described in subparagraph 
                (D)(iii).
            ``(F) Education efforts to train operators of 1-800-
        MEDICARE on providing appropriate resources and information to 
        family caregivers.
    ``(3) Information about the option described in paragraph (1) 
provided through efforts described in paragraph (2) shall include a 
notification clarifying that such option is available to all 
individuals described in paragraph (1) regardless of whether such 
individuals are enrolled for the original Medicare fee-for-service 
option under part A or B or enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan.
    ``(4) Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this 
subsection, the Secretary, acting through the Office of the Inspector 
General of the Department of Health and Human Services, shall submit to 
Congress and make publicly available best practices to protect 
individuals described in paragraph (1) against fraud relating to 
inappropriately accessing or using the personal health information of 
such individuals, including best practices for educating beneficiaries 
on fraud reporting mechanisms, and recommendations to improve timely 
agency investigation of beneficiary fraud reports. The Secretary shall 
provide for, as the Secretary determines appropriate, separate best 
practices for individuals described in paragraph (1), family 
caregivers, providers of services and suppliers, and other entities 
specified by the Secretary.
    ``(5) The Secretary shall provide for opportunities (such as 
through surveys) for family caregivers to provide feedback to the 
Secretary on experiences accessing information through 1-800-MEDICARE 
and on the outreach and education activities conducted under this 
subsection.
    ``(6) The outreach and education activities conducted under this 
subsection, and the specified family caregiver information access 
authorization form, shall be made available in non-English languages, 
as specified by the Secretary.
    ``(7) In conducting the outreach and education activities under 
this subsection, the Secretary shall, to the greatest extent 
practicable, coordinate such activities with activities carried out 
through State health insurance assistance programs or the 
Administration for Community Living.
    ``(8) For purposes of this subsection:
            ``(A) The term `family caregiver' has the meaning given 
        such term in section 2 of the Recognize, Assist, Include, 
        Support, and Engage Family Caregivers Act of 2017, and includes 
        such other individuals as specified by the Secretary.
            ``(B) The term `specified family caregiver information 
        access authorization form' means the CMS-10106 form or any 
        successor form.''.
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