I

103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 289

To provide for a demonstration project relating to treatment for drug abuse

and alcohol abuse under the health benefits program for Federal employees.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JANUARY 5, 1993

Mrs. MORELLA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Post Office and Civil Service

A BILL

To provide for a demonstration project relating to treatment

for drug abuse and alcohol abuse under the health benefits program for Federal employees.

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

3 SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS.

4 For the purpose of this Act—

5 (1) ‘‘enrollee’’ means an individual enrolled in a

6 health benefits plan; and

7 (2) ‘‘health benefits plan’’, ‘‘employee’’, ‘‘annu8 itant’’, ‘‘carrier’’, and ‘‘family member’’ each has the

9 meaning given that term under chapter 89 of title

10 5, United States Code.
2

•HR 289 IH

1 SEC. 2. PURPOSE OF THE DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.

2 The Office of Personnel Management shall, during

3 calendar years 1994 and 1995, conduct a demonstration

4 project to provide a basis for determining the feasibility

5 and desirability of including certain benefits relating to

6 the treatment of drug abuse and alcohol abuse among the

7 types of benefits generally provided for under chapter 89

8 of title 5, United States Code (relating to health insurance

9 for Federal employees).

10 SEC. 3. SCOPE OF THE PROJECT.

11 (a) PLANS AND ENROLLEES.—The demonstration

12 project—

13 (1) shall involve—

14 (A) the service benefit plan under section

15 8903(1) of title 5, United States Code;

16 (B) the indemnity benefit plan under sec17 tion 8903(2) of title 5, United States Code (if

18 any);

19 (C) the 2 employee organization plans

20 under section 8903(3) of title 5, United States

21 Code, with the largest number of enrollments,

22 as determined by the Office of Personnel Man23 agement; and

24 (D) 1 or more of the comprehensive medi25 cal plans operated by the carrier operating the

26 2 comprehensive medical plans under section
3

•HR 289 IH

1 8903(4) of title 5, United States Code, with the

2 largest number of enrollments, as determined

3 by the Office; and

4 (2) shall cover a sufficient number of enrollees

5 and family members to provide an adequate basis on

6 which to make any determination referred to in sec7 tion 2.

8 (b) AREAS TO BE COVERED.—The demonstration

9 project shall—

10 (1) to the extent that it involves the plans

11 under subparagraphs (A) through (C) of subsection

12 (a)(1), be conducted within at least 1, and not more

13 than 4, standard metropolitan statistical areas, as

14 determined by the Office; and

15 (2) to the extent that it involves the carrier re16 ferred to in subparagraph (D) of subsection (a)(1),

17 be conducted within the standard metropolitan sta18 tistical area that includes Portland, Oregon.

19 A standard metropolitan statistical area may not be se20 lected for inclusion under paragraph (1) unless such area

21 is one within which not less than 10,000, and not more

22 than 25,000, employees and annuitants reside.

23 SEC. 4. BENEFITS.

24 Under the demonstration project, any contract under

25 chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code, between the Of-
4

•HR 289 IH

1 fice of Personnel Management and the carrier offering a

2 plan described in section 3(a)(1)—

3 (1) shall, to the extent that such contract re4 lates to individuals covered by the demonstration

5 project, include benefits relating to—

6 (A) inpatient detoxification;

7 (B) patient assessment;

8 (C) outpatient therapy, including, wherever

9 appropriate, worksite-based evening and week10 end treatment programs, individual therapy,

11 and group therapy;

12 (D) inpatient therapy;

13 (E) follow-up patient counselling; and

14 (F) counselling for family members of the

15 individual having the abuse problem; and

16 (2) may, to the extent that such contract re17 lates to individuals covered by the demonstration

18 project, include benefits for related support services,

19 including child care or other dependent care.

20 SEC. 5. CONSULTATION.

21 The Office of Personnel Management shall consult

22 with appropriate representatives of carriers, labor organi23 zations representing Government employees, and agency

24 heads with regard to—
5

•HR 289 IH

1 (1) the determinations required under section

2 3(b)(1);

3 (2) any maximums, limitations, exclusions, or

4 other terms or conditions relating to the benefits de5 scribed in section 4; and

6 (3) any other matter relating to the design,

7 conduct, or evaluation of the demonstration project

8 which the Office considers appropriate.

9 SEC. 6. COORDINATION WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT PRO10 GRAMS.

11 The Office of Personnel Management shall coordinate

12 the demonstration project with any activities carried out

13 under—

14 (1) section 7904 of title 5, United States Code,

15 relating to employee assistance programs offered by

16 Executive agencies with respect to drug abuse and

17 alcohol abuse;

18 (2) subchapter VI of chapter 73 of title 5, Unit19 ed States Code, relating to programs and services

20 for drug abuse and alcohol abuse;

21 (3) section 6003 of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of

22 1986 (5 U.S.C. 7361 note), relating to an edu23 cational program for Federal employees with respect

24 to drug abuse and alcohol abuse; and

25 (4) other related programs.
6

•HR 289 IH

1 SEC. 7. EVALUATION AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

2 (a) PERIODIC EVALUATIONS.—The Office of Person3 nel Management shall by contract provide for the periodic

4 evaluation of the demonstration project with respect to—

5 (1) cost and efficacy;

6 (2) effects on employee productivity; and

7 (3) the feasibility and desirability of offering

8 the benefits provided under the demonstration

9 project on a general basis under chapter 89 of title

10 5, United States Code.

11 The authority to enter into a contract under this sub12 section may be exercised only to such extent or in such

13 amounts as are provided in appropriation Acts.

14 (b) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.—(1) The Office

15 shall—

16 (A) not later than March 15, 1996, submit an

17 interim report to the Committee on Post Office and

18 Civil Service of the House of Representatives and

19 the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Sen20 ate on the demonstration project; and

21 (B) not later than April 1, 1997, submit to

22 each of the committees referred to in subparagraph

23 (A) a final report on the project.

24 (2) Each report submitted under paragraph (1) shall

25 include a copy of the most recent evaluation received by

26 the Office under subsection (a).
7

•HR 289 IH

1 SEC. 8. FUNDING.

2 (a) INDIVIDUAL AND GOVERNMENT CONTRIBU3 TIONS.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, indi4 vidual contributions and Government contributions under

5 section 8906 of title 5, United States Code, shall be deter6 mined as if the preceding provisions of this Act had not

7 been enacted.

8 (b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is

9 authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be nec10 essary to carry out this Act (including any additional ad11 ministrative costs).

Æ