‘‘(D) Such other diagnoses, indications, or other
manifestations as the Secretary may determine to be
appropriate.’’.
(c) PAYMENT UNDER PART B.—
(1) 
PHYSICIAN
FEE
SCHEDULE.—Section
1848(j)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
1395w–4(j)(3)) is amended by inserting ‘‘(2)(W),’’
after ‘‘(2)(S),’’.
(2) CARVE OUT FROM HOSPITAL OUTPATIENT
DEPARTMENT
PROSPECTIVE
PAYMENT
SYSTEM.—
Section 1833(t)(1)(B)(iv) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
1395l(t)(1)(B)(iv)), as redesignated by section
201(e)(1)(B) of the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP
Balanced Budget Refinement Act of 1999 (as en-
acted into law by section 1000(a)(6) of Public Law
106–113), is amended by inserting ‘‘vision rehabili-
tation services (as defined in section 1861(ww)(1)),
or’’ after ‘‘does not include’’.
(3) CLARIFICATION
OF
BILLING
REQUIRE-
MENTS.—The first sentence of section 1842(b)(6) of
such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395u(b)(6)) is amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ before ‘‘(G)’’; and
(B) by inserting before the period the fol-
lowing: ‘‘, and (H) in the case of vision rehabili-
tation 
services 
(as 
defined 
in 
section
1861(ww)(1)) furnished by a vision rehabilita-
tion 
professional 
(as 
defined 
in 
section
1861(ww)(2)) while under the general super-
vision (as defined in section 1861(ww)(1)(D))
of a qualified physician (as defined in section
1861(ww)(1)(C)), payment shall be made to (i)
the qualified physician or (ii) the facility (such
as a rehabilitation agency, a clinic, or other fa-
cility) through which such services are fur-
nished under the plan of care if there is a con-
tractual arrangement between the vision reha-
bilitation professional and the facility under
which the facility submits the bill for such serv-
ices’’.
(d) PLAN OF CARE.—Section 1835(a)(2) of the So-
cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395n(a)(2)) is amended—
(1) in subparagraph (E), by striking ‘‘and’’ at
the end;
(2) in subparagraph (F), by striking the period
and inserting ‘‘; and
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (F) the fol-
lowing new subparagraph:
‘‘(G) in the case of vision rehabilitation
services, that (i) such services are or were re-
quired because the individual needed vision re-
habilitation services, (ii) an individualized, writ-
ten plan for furnishing such services has been
established (I) by a qualified physician (as de-
fined in section 1861(ww)(1)(C)), (II) by a
qualified occupational therapist, or (III) in the
case of such services furnished by a vision reha-
bilitation professional, by a qualified physician,
(iii) the plan is periodically reviewed by the
qualified physician, and (iv) such services are or
were furnished while the individual is or was
under the care of the qualified physician.’’.
(e) RELATIONSHIP
TO REHABILITATION ACT
OF
1973.—The provision of vision rehabilitation services
under the medicare program under title XVIII of the So-
cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) shall not be
taken into account for any purpose under the Rehabilita-
tion Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 701 et seq.).
(f) EFFECTIVE DATE.—
(1) INTERIM, FINAL REGULATIONS.—The Sec-
retary shall publish a rule under this section in the
Federal Register by not later than 180 days after
the date of the enactment of this section to carry
out the provisions of this section. Such rule shall be
effective and final immediately on an interim basis,
but is subject to change and revision after public no-
tice and opportunity for a period (of not less than
60 days) for public comment.
(2) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall con-
sult with the National Vision Rehabilitation Cooper-
ative, the Association for Education and Rehabilita-
tion of the Blind and Visually Impaired, the Acad-
emy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and
Education Professionals, the American Academy of
Ophthalmology, the American Occupational Therapy
Association, the American Optometric Association,
and such other qualified professional and consumer
organizations as the Secretary determines appro-
priate in promulgating regulations to carry out this
Act.
Æ