I 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3005 
To establish a grant program to provide screenings for glaucoma to individ-
uals determined to be at high risk for glaucoma, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 11, 2007 
Mr. SERRANO 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 establish a grant program to provide screenings for glau-
coma to individuals determined to be at high risk for 
glaucoma, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Glaucoma Screening 
Act of 2007’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
17:28 Jul 14, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3005.IH
H3005
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with BILLS
(1) It is estimated that only half of the more 
than 3,000,000 individuals in the United States that 
have glaucoma are aware that they have glaucoma. 
(2) Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness 
among African-Americans and Hispanics. 
(3) Glaucoma is 6 to 8 times more common in 
African-Americans than in Caucasians. 
(4) Glaucoma accounts for over 7,000,000 visits 
to physicians each year. 
(5) In terms of Social Security benefits paid, 
lost income tax revenues, and health care expendi-
tures, the cost of glaucoma to the United States gov-
ernment is estimated to be over $1.5 billion annu-
ally. 
(6) Poor vision costs Medicare more than $2 
billion per year in non-eye-related illnesses and 
healthcare needs. 
(7) Medicare currently provides coverage for 
glaucoma screenings for beneficiaries in the fol-
lowing high risk groups: 
(A) Individuals with diabetes. 
(B) Individuals with a family history of 
glaucoma. 
(C) African-Americans 50 years of age and 
older. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
17:28 Jul 14, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3005.IH
H3005
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with BILLS
(D) Hispanics 65 years of age and older. 
(8) Although Medicare has covered glaucoma 
screenings since 1998 for beneficiaries with diabetes, 
less than 45 percent of those beneficiaries have had 
an eye exam. 
SEC. 3. DIRECTING SECRETARY TO INCLUDE COVERAGE OF 
GLAUCOMA SCREENINGS UNDER MEDICARE 
FOR CERTAIN HISPANICS. 
(a) EXPANDING MEDICARE COVERAGE
OF GLAU-
COMA SCREENINGS TO HISPANICS 50 YEARS OF AGE AND 
OLDER.—Section 1861(s)(2)(U) of the Social Security 
Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(s)(2)(U)) is amended by striking 
‘‘determined to be’’ and all that follows through ‘‘diabe-
tes’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘with a family history 
of glaucoma, individuals with diabetes, and individuals de-
termined to be at high risk for glaucoma including, among 
other individuals determined to be at high risk for glau-
coma, individuals who are both older than 49 years of age 
and Hispanic’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) applies with respect to services furnished 
on or after January 1, 2008. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
17:28 Jul 14, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3005.IH
H3005
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with BILLS
SEC. 4. ESTABLISHING GRANT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE 
SCREENINGS FOR GLAUCOMA TO HIGH RISK 
INDIVIDUALS. 
(a) GRANT PROGRAM.—The Secretary shall establish 
a program to award a grant to an eligible entity (as de-
scribed in subsection (b)) to provide screenings for glau-
coma for individuals determined to be at high risk for 
glaucoma. 
(b) ELIGIBILITY.—In order to be eligible to receive 
a grant under this section, an entity shall— 
(1) submit an application at such time, in such 
form, and with such information and assurances as 
the Secretary may require; 
(2) be located within the United States, the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory or pos-
session of the United States; and 
(3) be dedicated solely to screening individuals 
for glaucoma and other eye diseases. 
(c) USE OF FUNDS.—An entity receiving a grant 
under this section shall use the grant in accordance with 
the following requirements: 
(1) The entity shall utilize mobile screening 
units to test for glaucoma and other eye diseases. 
(2) The entity shall target screening activities 
to populations primarily consisting of individuals de-
termined to be at high risk for glaucoma. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
17:28 Jul 14, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3005.IH
H3005
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with BILLS
(3) The entity shall form partnerships with 
Federally-qualified health centers to increase aware-
ness of the need for screenings for glaucoma and to 
provide screenings for glaucoma for individuals de-
termined to be at high risk for glaucoma, individuals 
with a family history of glaucoma, and individuals 
with diabetes. 
(4) The entity shall provide grants to approved 
medical residency training programs to permit stu-
dents participating in the programs to conduct 
screenings for glaucoma for individuals determined 
to be at high risk for glaucoma. 
(5) The entity shall conduct all grant-funded 
activities within the United States, the Common-
wealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory or possession 
of the United States. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—For the purposes of this section, 
the following definitions apply: 
(1) APPROVED MEDICAL RESIDENCY TRAINING 
PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘approved medical residency 
training program’’ has the meaning given that term 
in section 1886(h)(5)(A) of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1395ww(h)(5)(A)). 
(2) 
FEDERALLY-QUALIFIED
HEALTH
CEN-
TER.—The term ‘‘Federally-qualified health center’’ 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
17:28 Jul 14, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3005.IH
H3005
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with BILLS
has the meaning given that term in section 
1861(aa)(4) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C.1395x(aa)(4)). 
(3) INDIVIDUALS DETERMINED TO BE AT HIGH 
RISK FOR GLAUCOMA.—The term ‘‘individuals deter-
mined to be at high risk for glaucoma’’ means those 
individuals determined by the Secretary to be at 
high risk for glaucoma pursuant to the Secretary’s 
administration of section 1861(s)(2)(U) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(s)(2)(U)), as amend-
ed by section 3(a), but without regard to the age of 
the individual. 
(4) SCREENING
FOR
GLAUCOMA.—The term 
‘‘screening for glaucoma’’ has the meaning given 
that term in section 1861(uu) of the Social Security 
Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(uu)). 
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for grants 
under this section for each of the first 5 fiscal years begin-
ning after the date of enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
17:28 Jul 14, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H3005.IH
H3005
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with BILLS