Medicare Demonstration of Coverage for Low Vision Devices Act of 2019

To provide for a Medicare demonstration project to evaluate the fiscal impact of covering low vision devices as durable medical equipment under part B of the Medicare program. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Medicare Demonstration of Coverage for Low Vision Devices Act of 2019 2. Demonstration project on Medicare coverage of low vision devices as durable medical equipment (a) Establishment of demonstration project (1) In general Beginning not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as the Secretary demonstration project 42 U.S.C. 1395j (2) Low vision device defined In this section, the term low vision device ordinary eyeglasses or contact lenses (b) Project details (1) Eligible participants An individual enrolled under such part is eligible to participate in the demonstration project if an ophthalmologist or optometrist, after a clinical evaluation, has determined and certifies through a prescription that furnishing a low vision device to the individual is medically necessary. (2) National scope and duration The demonstration project shall be national in scope and shall be conducted for a period of 5 years. (3) Project design The Secretary shall design the demonstration project in a manner so as to provide a rich, well-structured, and defined data set from which inferences about the fiscal impact on the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund under section 1841 of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395t 42 U.S.C. 1395j (4) Consultation In conducting the demonstration project the Secretary shall consult with organizations of consumers with vision loss and other stakeholder organizations. (c) Reports (1) Interim report Not later than 180 days after the last day of the third year of the demonstration project, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Finance of the Senate and to the Committees on Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report that describes the progress and preliminary findings from the demonstration project. (2) Final report Not later than 180 days after the last day of the demonstration project and after solicitation and consideration of formal written input on the project from organizations representing consumers with vision loss and other stakeholder organizations, the Secretary shall submit to such Committees a final report on the project. Such report shall include an evaluation of the fiscal impact on the Medicare program under part B of title XVIII of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395 (d) Funding For fiscal year 2020 and for each of the four succeeding fiscal years, out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $2,500,000 is appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the demonstration project.

Summary: Medicare Demonstration of Coverage for Low Vision Devices Act of 2019 This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to carry out a demonstration project to evaluate the fiscal impact of covering low-vision devices under Medicare in the same manner as Medicare coverage is provided for durable medical equipment. The bill defines low-vision device to mean a physician-prescribed device that magnifies, enhances, or otherwise augments or interprets visual images; the term does not include ordinary eyeglasses or contact lenses. The bill appropriates $2.5 million for FY2020 and each of the next four fiscal years for the CMS to carry out the project.