[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 73 (Monday, May 7, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S2528]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    IMPROVING ACCESS TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ACT

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Finance Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. 1732 
and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The bill clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 1732) to amend title XI of the Social Security 
     Act to promote testing of incentive payments for behavioral 
     health providers for adoption and use of certified electronic 
     health record technology.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I further ask unanimous consent that 
the Whitehouse amendment, which is at the desk, be agreed to, the bill, 
as amended, be considered read a third time and passed, and the motion 
to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no 
intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 2241) was agreed to, as follows:

                     (Purpose: To improve the bill)

       Strike section 2 and insert the following:

     SEC. 2. TESTING OF INCENTIVE PAYMENTS FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH 
                   PROVIDERS FOR ADOPTION AND USE OF CERTIFIED 
                   ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD TECHNOLOGY.

       Section 1115A(b)(2)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 
     U.S.C. 1315a(b)(2)(B)) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new clause:
       ``(xxv) Providing incentive payments to behavioral health 
     providers for the adoption and use of certified electronic 
     health record technology (as defined in section 1848(o)(4)) 
     to improve the quality and coordination of care through the 
     electronic documentation and exchange of health information. 
     Behavioral health providers may include--

       ``(I) psychiatric hospitals (as defined in section 
     1861(f));
       ``(II) community mental health centers (as defined in 
     section 1861(ff)(3)(B));
       ``(III) clinical psychologists (as defined in section 
     1861(ii));
       ``(IV) clinical social workers (as defined in section 
     1861(hh)(1)); and
       ``(V) hospitals, treatment facilities, and mental health or 
     substance use disorder providers that participate in a State 
     plan under title XIX or a waiver of such plan.''.

  The amendment was ordered to be engrossed and the bill to be read a 
third time.
  The bill was read the third time.
  The bill (S. 1732), as amended, was passed, as follows:

                                S. 1732

       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 ``Improving Access to 
     Behavioral Health Information Technology Act''.

     SEC. 2. TESTING OF INCENTIVE PAYMENTS FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH 
                   PROVIDERS FOR ADOPTION AND USE OF CERTIFIED 
                   ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD TECHNOLOGY.

       Section 1115A(b)(2)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 
     U.S.C. 1315a(b)(2)(B)) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new clause:
       ``(xxv) Providing incentive payments to behavioral health 
     providers for the adoption and use of certified electronic 
     health record technology (as defined in section 1848(o)(4)) 
     to improve the quality and coordination of care through the 
     electronic documentation and exchange of health information. 
     Behavioral health providers may include--

       ``(I) psychiatric hospitals (as defined in section 
     1861(f));
       ``(II) community mental health centers (as defined in 
     section 1861(ff)(3)(B));
       ``(III) clinical psychologists (as defined in section 
     1861(ii));
       ``(IV) clinical social workers (as defined in section 
     1861(hh)(1)); and
       ``(V) hospitals, treatment facilities, and mental health or 
     substance use disorder providers that participate in a State 
     plan under title XIX or a waiver of such plan.''.

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