SUMMARY AS OF:
9/20/2000--Introduced.
Medicare Access to Technology Act of 2000 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of
the Social Security Act (SSA) to provide for: (1) annual reports to Congress by
the Secretary of Health and Human Services with regard to national coverage
determinations; (2) inclusion on the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
(MEDPAC) of individuals with expertise in new medical devices; and (3) annual
adjustments to Medicare payment systems for changes in technology and medical
practice.
(Sec. 3) Amends SSA title XI to revise the Medicare advisory committee
process to require assurance of full participation of nonvoting members in
committee deliberations.
(Sec. 6) Amends SSA title XVIII to direct the Secretary to submit annual
reports to Congress on elimination of barriers to the use of new medical devices
in hospital outpatient departments (HODs).
Requires MEDPAC to: (1) monitor Medicare beneficiary access to medical
devices in HODs, assess the impact in making new devices available in HODs, and
the impact of including or excluding a device under the prospective payment
system (PPS) on beneficiary access to such device; and (2) make any
recommendations MEDPAC determines would increase the availability of such
devices to individuals entitled to Medicare benefits.
(Sec. 7) Amends SSA title XVIII to prohibit the exclusion of a drug or
biological from Medicare coverage because it is not reasonable and necessary for
the diagnosis or treatment of illness or injury or to improve the functioning of
a malformed body member, if such drug or biological has been approved by the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is prescribed for an FDA-approved use or
a use supported in medical compendia.
(Sec. 8) Directs the Secretary to: (1) assign a temporary code to an
FDA-reviewed drug or device after receiving a written request of a product
sponsor; (2) accept recommendations from the public throughout the year for
Health Care Financing Administration Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS)
level II code modifications; (3) cause determinations on recommendations to be
made within 30 days after receipt of the recommendation; and (4) incorporate
modifications to HCPCS level II codes that are approved during the three months
preceding the last month of a calendar quarter into the payment systems
established under Medicare not later than the first day of the following
calendar quarter.
Prohibits the Secretary from requiring a minimum period of marketing
experience with respect to a drug or device as a condition of consideration or
approval of a recommendation for an HCPCS level II code modification.
Requires the Secretary to report to Congress on the feasibility and
desirability of opening meetings of the HHS Alpha-Numeric Editorial Panel to the
public.
(Sec. 9) Directs the Secretary to maintain and continue the use of HCPCS
level III codes (as in effect on June 1, 1999), and to make them available to
the public.
(Sec. 10) Outlines provisions for establishing: (1) a process for the stated
purpose of making and implementing ICD-9-CM coding modifications with respect to
payment to hospitals for inpatient hospital services into the payment systems
established under Medicare; (2) procedures for Medicare coding and payment
determinations for new clinical diagnostic laboratory tests for which payment is
made on a fee schedule basis; and (3) payment rates for new clinical diagnostic
laboratory tests.
Prohibits the Secretary from requiring a minimum period of marketing
experience with respect to an item, service, or device for which payment is made
under the system for payment to hospitals for inpatient hospital services as a
condition of consideration or approval of a recommendation for an ICD-9-CM
modification.
Prohibits the Secretary from assigning a code for a new clinical diagnostic
laboratory test that differs from that recommended by the American Medical
Association Common Procedure Terminology Editorial Panel and results in lower
payment than would be made under certain conditions.