II

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. 3112

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure access to digital

mammography through adequate payment under the Medicare system.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

SEPTEMBER 26 (legislative day, SEPTEMBER 22), 2000

Mr. ABRAHAM (for himself, Mr. MURKOWSKI, and Mr. MACK) introduced the

following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

A BILL

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure

access to digital mammography through adequate payment under the Medicare system.

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 ‘‘Medicare Access to

5 Digital Mammography Act of 2000’’.

6 SEC. 2. MEDICARE ACCESS TO DIGITAL MAMMOGRAPHY

7 THROUGH ADEQUATE PAYMENT.

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1834(c)(3) of the Social

9 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(c)(3)) is amended—

10 (1) in subparagraph (A)—
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1 (A) in the heading, by striking ‘‘$55, IN2 DEXED’’ and inserting ‘‘IN GENERAL’’;

3 (B) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘(i) for

4 screening mammography’’ and inserting ‘‘(i)(I)

5 for nondigital screening mammography’’; and

6 (C) by adding at the end of clause (i) the

7 following new subclause:

8 ‘‘(II) for digital screening mam9 mography performed in 2001, in $155

10 (comprised of $130 for the technical

11 component and $25 for the profes12 sional component), and’’; and

13 (2) by amending subparagraph (B) to read as

14 follows:

15 ‘‘(B) ADJUSTMENT OF LIMIT.—At least

16 annually, the Secretary shall review and solicit

17 public comment on the appropriateness of the

18 amount of the applicable limit established under

19 this paragraph (including the technical and pro20 fessional components of such limit) and shall

21 adjust accordingly the amount of such limit

22 (and its components) as it applies nationally or

23 in any area to the amount that the Secretary

24 estimates is required—
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1 ‘‘(i) to assure that screening mam2 mography of an appropriate quality is

3 readily and conveniently available;

4 ‘‘(ii) to assure access to advancing or

5 enhanced mammography technologies; and

6 ‘‘(iii) to reflect changes in produc7 tivity, training requirements for physicians

8 and other personnel, equipment require9 ments, and other factors resulting from

10 such advancements or enhancements.’’.

11 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 1834(c)

12 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(c)) is amended—

13 (1) in paragraph (1) in the matter preceding

14 subparagraph (B), by inserting ‘‘, including digital

15 screening mammography’’ after ‘‘1861(jj))’’;

16 (2) in paragraphs (1)(C)(iii) and (3)(A)(ii), by

17 inserting ‘‘applicable’’ before ‘‘limit’’; and

18 (3) in paragraph (3)(C), by inserting ‘‘for non19 digital screening mammography’’ before ‘‘estab20 lished’’.

21 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by

22 this section apply to digital screening mammography per23 formed on or after January 1, 2001, without regard to
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1 whether regulations to carry out such amendments are

2 promulgated by such date.

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