I 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5779 

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the Secretary 

to establish a technical expert panel for purposes of evaluating the 

use of opioid-related quality measures under the Medicare program. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 11, 2018 

Mr. PAULSEN (for himself and Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois) introduced 

the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and 

Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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 amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require 

the Secretary to establish a technical expert panel for 

purposes of evaluating the use of opioid-related quality 

measures under the Medicare program. 

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 ‘‘Promoting Quality of 

5 Care in Pain Management Act of 2018’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. REQUIRING THE REVIEW OF QUALITY MEASURES 

2 RELATING TO OPIOIDS AND OPIOID USE DIS3 ORDER TREATMENTS FURNISHED UNDER 

4 THE MEDICARE PROGRAM AND OTHER FED5 ERAL HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1890A of the Social Secu7 rity Act (42 U.S.C. 1395aaa–1) is amended by adding at 

8 the end the following new subsection: 

9 ‘‘(g) TECHNICAL EXPERT PANEL REVIEW OF OPIOID

10 AND OPIOID USE DISORDER QUALITY MEASURES.— 

11 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 

12 after the date of the enactment of this subsection, 

13 the Secretary shall establish a technical expert panel 

14 for purposes of reviewing quality measures relating 

15 to opioids and opioid use disorders, including care, 

16 prevention, diagnosis, health outcomes, and treat17 ment furnished to individuals with opioid use dis18 orders. The Secretary may elect to establish such 

19 panel through a contract with the consensus-based 

20 entity with a contract in effect under section 1890. 

21 ‘‘(2) REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT.—Not later 

22 than 1 year after the date the technical expert panel 

23 described in paragraph (1) is established (and peri24 odically thereafter as the Secretary determines ap25 propriate), the technical expert panel shall— 


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1 ‘‘(A) review quality measures that relate to 

2 opioids and opioid use disorders, including ex3 isting measures and those under development; 

4 ‘‘(B) identify gaps in areas of quality 

5 measurement that relate to opioids and opioid 

6 use disorders, and identify measure develop7 ment priorities for such measure gaps; and 

8 ‘‘(C) make recommendations to the Sec9 retary on quality measures with respect to 

10 opioids and opioid use disorders for purposes of 

11 improving care, prevention, diagnosis, health 

12 outcomes, and treatment, including rec13 ommendations for revisions of such measures, 

14 need for development of new measures, and rec15 ommendations for including such measures in 

16 quality reporting programs, value-based pur17 chasing programs, accountable care organiza18 tions, and alternative payment models under 

19 this title. 

20 ‘‘(3) CONSIDERATION OF MEASURES BY SEC21 RETARY.—The Secretary shall consider— 

22 ‘‘(A) using opioid and opioid use disorder 

23 measures (including measures used under the 

24 Merit-Based Incentive Payment System under 

25 section 1848(q), measures recommended under 


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1 paragraph (2)(C), and other such measures 

2 identified by the Secretary) in Alternative Pay3 ment Models under section 1833(z)(3)(C) and 

4 in the Shared Savings Program under section 

5 1899; and 

6 ‘‘(B) using opioid measures described in 

7 subparagraph (A), as applicable, in the Hos8 pital Inpatient Quality Reporting program 

9 under section 1886(b)(3)(B)(viii), in the hos10 pital value-based purchasing program under 

11 section 1886(o), and under other value-based 

12 purchasing programs under this title. 

13 ‘‘(4) PRIORITIZATION OF MEASURE DEVELOP14 MENT.—The Secretary shall prioritize for measure 

15 development the gaps in quality measures identified 

16 under paragraph (2)(C).’’. 

17 (b) EXPEDITED ENDORSEMENT PROCESS FOR

18 OPIOID MEASURES.—Section 1890(b)(2) of the Social Se19 curity Act (42 U.S.C. 1395aaa(b)(2)) is amended by add20 ing at the end the following new flush sentence: 

21 ‘‘Such endorsement process shall, as determined 

22 practicable by the entity, provide for an expedited 

23 process with respect to the endorsement of measures 

24 relating to opioids and opioid use disorders.’’. 

Æ 


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