I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1608 
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for Medicare 
coverage of certain lymphedema compression treatment items as items 
of durable medical equipment. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 25, 2015 
Mr. REICHERT (for himself, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. LANCE, and Ms. SCHA-
KOWSKY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee 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 amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide 
for Medicare coverage of certain lymphedema compres-
sion treatment items as items of durable medical equip-
ment. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Lymphedema Treat-
ment Act’’. 
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SEC. 3. MEDICARE COVERAGE OF CERTAIN LYMPHEDEMA 
COMPRESSION TREATMENT ITEMS AS ITEMS 
OF DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1861 of the Social Secu-
rity Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (n), in the first sentence, by 
inserting before the semicolon the following: ‘‘and in-
cludes lymphedema compression treatment items (as 
defined in subsection (iii))’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(iii) LYMPHEDEMA
COMPRESSION
TREATMENT 
ITEMS.—The term ‘lymphedema compression treatment 
items’— 
‘‘(1) means, with respect to an individual, com-
pression garments, devices, bandaging systems, com-
ponents, and supplies— 
‘‘(A) that are primarily and customarily 
used in the medical treatment of lymphedema; 
‘‘(B) as prescribed by a physician (or a 
physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or a 
clinical nurse specialist (as those terms are de-
fined in section 1861(aa)(5)) to the extent au-
thorized under State law); and 
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‘‘(C) which would not, other than under 
subsection (s)(6), be included as medical and 
other health services under this title; and 
‘‘(2) includes— 
‘‘(A) multilayer compression bandaging 
systems; 
‘‘(B) custom or standard fit gradient com-
pression garments; 
‘‘(C) non-elastic and low-elastic compres-
sion garments and compression wraps and di-
rectional flow pads; and 
‘‘(D) any other compression garments, 
bandaging systems, devices, and aids deter-
mined by the Secretary to be effective in the 
prevention or treatment of lymphedema.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall apply to lymphedema compression 
treatment items furnished on or after 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
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