S 847 IS

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to exclude clinical social worker services from coverage under the Medicare skilled nursing facility prospective payment system.

April 21, 1999

Ms. MIKULSKI (for herself, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. INOUYE, Mr. WYDEN, Mr. JOHNSON, Mr. HOLLINGS, Mr. REID, and Mr. BINGAMAN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to exclude clinical social worker services from coverage under the Medicare skilled nursing facility prospective payment system.

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 `Medicare Social Work Equity Act of 1999'.

SEC. 2. EXCLUDING CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER SERVICES FROM COVERAGE UNDER THE MEDICARE SKILLED NURSING FACILITY PROSPECTIVE PAYMENT SYSTEM AND CONSOLIDATED PAYMENT.

(a) IN GENERAL- Section 1888(e)(2)(A)(ii) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395yy(e)(2)(A)(ii)) is amended by inserting `clinical social worker services,' after `qualified psychologist services,'.

(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT- Section 1861(hh)(2) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(hh)(2)) is amended by striking `and other than services furnished to an inpatient of a skilled nursing facility which the facility is required to provide as a requirement for participation'.

(c) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendments made by this section apply as if included in the enactment of section 4432(a) of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.

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