[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4078 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4078

To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require the Center for 
 Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to test a model to improve access to 
      specialty health services for certain Medicare and Medicaid 
                             beneficiaries.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 9, 2024

  Mr. Mullin (for himself, Ms. Sinema, and Mr. Tillis) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                                Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require the Center for 
 Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to test a model to improve access to 
      specialty health services for certain Medicare and Medicaid 
                             beneficiaries.

    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 ``Equal Access to Specialty care 
Everywhere Act of 2024'' or the ``EASE Act of 2024''.

SEC. 2. REQUIRING THE CENTER FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID INNOVATION TO 
              TEST A MODEL TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO SPECIALTY HEALTH 
              SERVICES FOR CERTAIN MEDICARE AND MEDICAID BENEFICIARIES.

    (a) In General.--Section 1115A of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1315a) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)(2)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), in the third sentence, by 
                inserting ``, and shall include the model described in 
                subparagraph (B)(xxviii)'' before the period at the 
                end; and
                    (B) in subparagraph (B), by adding at the end the 
                following new clause:
                            ``(xxviii) The Specialty Health Care 
                        Services Access Model described in subsection 
                        (h).''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(h) Specialty Health Care Services Access Model.--
            ``(1) In general.--For purposes of subsection 
        (b)(2)(B)(xxviii), the Specialty Health Care Services Access 
        Model described in this subsection is a model under which the 
        Secretary enters into an agreement with one or more provider 
        networks selected in accordance with paragraph (2) for purposes 
        of furnishing specialty health care services (as specified by 
        the Secretary) to eligible individuals through the use of 
        digital modalities (such as telehealth and other remote 
        technologies) in coordination with such individuals' primary 
        care providers.
            ``(2) Selection of provider networks.--The Secretary shall 
        select one or more networks of providers for purposes of 
        furnishing services under the model described in paragraph (1). 
        Any such network so selected shall--
                    ``(A) be comprised of at least 50 Federally 
                qualified health centers, rural health clinics, 
                critical access hospitals, or rural emergency 
                hospitals, at least half of which are located in rural 
                areas (as defined by the Administrator of the Health 
                Resources and Services Administration);
                    ``(B) be a nonprofit entity under section 501(c)(3) 
                of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;
                    ``(C) have an established record of supporting the 
                delivery of health care in rural and underserved 
                communities in multiple regions throughout the country; 
                and
                    ``(D) have the ability to collect, exchange, and 
                evaluate data for purposes of the model described in 
                paragraph (1).
            ``(3) Eligible individual defined.--For purposes of this 
        subsection, the term `eligible individual' means an 
        individual--
                    ``(A) who--
                            ``(i) is entitled to benefits under part A 
                        of title XVIII or enrolled under part B of such 
                        title; or
                            ``(ii) is enrolled under the Medicaid 
                        program under title XIX or the Children's 
                        Health Insurance Program under title XXI and 
                        meets all components for eligibility for 
                        medical assistance, child health assistance, or 
                        pregnancy-related assistance (as applicable), 
                        including those described in sections 
                        1902(a)(46)(B) and 1137(d); and
                    ``(B) who is located in a rural or underserved area 
                (as specified by the Secretary).''.
    (b) Limitation.--Any amounts appropriated or allocated to carry out 
the amendments made by this section shall be subject to the 
requirements contained in Public Law 117-328 for funds for programs 
authorized under sections 330 through 340 of the Public Health Service 
Act (42 U.S.C. 254b through 256).
                                 <all>