[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 59 (Wednesday, April 22, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S2319]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       STEVE GLEASON ACT OF 2015

  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. 984, that the bill be read 
a third time, and that the Senate vote on passage of the bill with no 
intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.

       A bill (S. 984) to amend title XVIII of the Social Security 
     Act to provide Medicare beneficiary access to eye tracking 
     accessories for speech generating devices and to remove the 
     rental cap for durable medical equipment under the Medicare 
     Program with respect to speech generating devices.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  The bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading and was read 
the third time.
  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask for a voice vote.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Hearing no further debate, the bill having 
been read the third time, the question is, Shall it pass?
  The bill (S. 984) was passed, as follows:

                                 S. 984

       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 ``Steve Gleason Act of 2015''.

     SEC. 2. PROVIDING MEDICARE BENEFICIARY ACCESS TO EYE TRACKING 
                   ACCESSORIES FOR SPEECH GENERATING DEVICES.

       (a) In General.--Section 1861(n) of the Social Security Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 1395x(n)) is amended by inserting ``and eye 
     tracking and gaze interaction accessories for speech 
     generating devices furnished to individuals with a 
     demonstrated medical need for such accessories'' after 
     ``appropriate organizations)''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) 
     shall apply with respect to devices furnished on or after 
     January 1, 2016.

     SEC. 3. REMOVING THE RENTAL CAP FOR DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT 
                   UNDER MEDICARE WITH RESPECT TO SPEECH 
                   GENERATING DEVICES.

       Section 1834(a)(2)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1395m(a)(2)(A)) is amended--
       (1) in clause (ii), by striking ``or'' at the end;
       (2) in clause (iii), by adding ``or'' at the end; and
       (3) by inserting after clause (iii) the following new 
     clause:
       ``(iv) in the case of devices furnished on or after October 
     1, 2015, and before October 1, 2018, which serves as a speech 
     generating device or which is an accessory that is needed for 
     the individual to effectively utilize such a device,''.

  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the motion to 
reconsider be made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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