I 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 186 

To establish a grant program to provide screenings for glaucoma to individuals determined to be at high risk for glaucoma, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 6, 2009 

Mr. SERRANO introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on 

Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 

Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 

the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To establish a grant program to provide screenings for glaucoma to individuals determined to be at high risk for 

glaucoma, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Glaucoma Screening 

5 Act of 2009’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) It is estimated that only half of the more 

2 than 3,000,000 individuals in the United States that 

3 have glaucoma are aware that they have glaucoma. 

4 (2) Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness 

5 among African-Americans and Hispanics. 

6 (3) Glaucoma is 6 to 8 times more common in 

7 African-Americans than in Caucasians. 

8 (4) Glaucoma accounts for over 7,000,000 visits 

9 to physicians each year. 

10 (5) In terms of Social Security benefits paid, 

11 lost income tax revenues, and health care expendi12 tures, the cost of glaucoma to the United States gov13 ernment is estimated to be over $1.5 billion annu14 ally. 

15 (6) Poor vision costs Medicare more than $2 

16 billion per year in non-eye-related illnesses and 

17 health care needs. 

18 (7) Medicare currently provides coverage for 

19 glaucoma screenings for beneficiaries in the fol20 lowing high risk groups: 

21 (A) Individuals with diabetes. 

22 (B) Individuals with a family history of 

23 glaucoma. 

24 (C) African-Americans 50 years of age and 

25 older. 


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1 (D) Hispanics 65 years of age and older. 

2 (8) Although Medicare has covered glaucoma 

3 screenings since 1998 for beneficiaries with diabetes, 

4 less than 45 percent of those beneficiaries have had 

5 an eye exam. 

6 SEC. 3. MEDICARE COVERAGE OF GLAUCOMA SCREENINGS 

7 FOR CERTAIN HISPANICS. 

8 (a) EXPANDING MEDICARE COVERAGE OF GLAU9 COMA SCREENINGS TO HISPANICS 50 YEARS OF AGE AND

10 OLDER.—Section 1861(s)(2)(U) of the Social Security 

11 Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(s)(2)(U)) is amended by striking 

12 ‘‘determined to be’’ and all that follows through ‘‘diabe13 tes’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘with a family history 

14 of glaucoma, individuals with diabetes, and individuals de15 termined to be at high risk for glaucoma including, among 

16 other individuals determined to be at high risk for glau17 coma, individuals who are both older than 49 years of age 

18 and Hispanic’’. 

19 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 

20 subsection (a) applies with respect to services furnished 

21 on or after January 1, 2010. 

22 SEC. 4. GRANT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE SCREENINGS FOR 

23 GLAUCOMA TO HIGH RISK INDIVIDUALS. 

24 (a) GRANT PROGRAM.—The Secretary shall establish 

25 a program to award a grant to an eligible entity (as deVerDate Nov 24 2008 23:48 Jan 10, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H186.IH H186

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1 scribed in subsection (b)) to provide screenings for glau2 coma for individuals determined to be at high risk for 

3 glaucoma. 

4 (b) ELIGIBILITY.—In order to be eligible to receive 

5 a grant under this section, an entity shall— 

6 (1) submit an application at such time, in such 

7 form, and with such information and assurances as 

8 the Secretary may require; 

9 (2) be located within the United States, the 

10 Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory or pos11 session of the United States; and 

12 (3) be dedicated solely to screening individuals 

13 for glaucoma and other eye diseases. 

14 (c) USE OF FUNDS.—An entity receiving a grant 

15 under this section shall use the grant in accordance with 

16 the following requirements: 

17 (1) The entity shall utilize mobile screening 

18 units to test for glaucoma and other eye diseases. 

19 (2) The entity shall target screening activities 

20 to populations primarily consisting of individuals de21 termined to be at high risk for glaucoma. 

22 (3) The entity shall form partnerships with 

23 Federally-qualified health centers to increase aware24 ness of the need for screenings for glaucoma and to 

25 provide screenings for glaucoma for individuals deVerDate Nov 24 2008 23:48 Jan 10, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H186.IH H186

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1 termined to be at high risk for glaucoma, individuals 

2 with a family history of glaucoma, and individuals 

3 with diabetes. 

4 (4) The entity shall provide grants to approved 

5 medical residency training programs to permit stu6 dents participating in the programs to conduct 

7 screenings for glaucoma for individuals determined 

8 to be at high risk for glaucoma. 

9 (5) The entity shall conduct all grant-funded 

10 activities within the United States, the Common11 wealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory or possession 

12 of the United States. 

13 (d) DEFINITIONS.—For the purposes of this section, 

14 the following definitions apply: 

15 (1) APPROVED MEDICAL RESIDENCY TRAINING

16 PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘approved medical residency 

17 training program’’ has the meaning given that term 

18 in section 1886(h)(5)(A) of the Social Security Act 

19 (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(h)(5)(A)). 

20 (2) FEDERALLY-QUALIFIED HEALTH CEN21 TER.—The term ‘‘Federally-qualified health center’’ 

22 has the meaning given that term in section 

23 1861(aa)(4) of the Social Security Act (42 

24 U.S.C.1395x(aa)(4)). 


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1 (3) INDIVIDUALS DETERMINED TO BE AT HIGH

2 RISK FOR GLAUCOMA.—The term ‘‘individuals deter3 mined to be at high risk for glaucoma’’ means those 

4 individuals determined by the Secretary to be at 

5 high risk for glaucoma pursuant to the Secretary’s 

6 administration of section 1861(s)(2)(U) of the Social 

7 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(s)(2)(U)), as amend8 ed by section 3(a), but without regard to the age of 

9 the individual. 

10 (4) SCREENING FOR GLAUCOMA.—The term 

11 ‘‘screening for glaucoma’’ has the meaning given 

12 that term in section 1861(uu) of the Social Security 

13 Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(uu)). 

14 (5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

15 the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 

16 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

17 authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for grants 

18 under this section for each of the first 5 fiscal years begin19 ning after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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