I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1184 
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to revise Medicare coverage 
and payment for advanced surgical dressings in skilled nursing facilities 
and home health settings, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 27, 2015 
Mr. SESSIONS 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 revise 
Medicare coverage and payment for advanced surgical 
dressings in skilled nursing facilities and home health 
settings, 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; PURPOSE. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.— This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Medicare Skilled Nursing and Home Health Services 
Continuity of Care Act of 2015’’. 
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(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to ensure 
Medicare beneficiary access to advance wound care prod-
ucts while in a skilled nursing facility or while on a home 
health plan of care by allowing separate payment to be 
made for advanced surgical dressings under part B of title 
XVIII of the Social Security Act as a durable medical 
equipment prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) 
benefit. 
SEC. 2. MEDICARE COVERAGE OF AND PAYMENT FOR AD-
VANCED SURGICAL DRESSINGS FURNISHED 
IN A SKILLED NURSING FACILITY OR IN A 
HOME HEALTH SETTING AS DURABLE MED-
ICAL EQUIPMENT. 
(a) EXCLUSION
FROM
PAYMENT
AS
PART
OF 
SKILLED
NURSING
FACILITY
SERVICES.—Section 
1888(e)(2)(A)(iii) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395yy(e)(2)(A)(iii)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(VI) Surgical dressings (identi-
fied as most current of January 1, 
2017, by HCPCS codes A4450– 
A6549, and as subsequently modified 
by the Secretary), if delivered to an 
individual who is a patient in a skilled 
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nursing facility for use during the in-
dividual’s stay in the facility.’’. 
(b) EXCLUSION FROM COVERAGE AS PART OF HOME 
HEALTH SERVICES.—Section 1861(m)(5) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(m)(5)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘and durable medical equipment’’ and inserting 
‘‘, durable medical equipment, and surgical dressings 
(identified as most current of January 1, 2017, by 
HCPCS codes A4450–A6549, and as subsequently modi-
fied by the Secretary)’’. 
(c) PROCESSING OF CLAIMS FOR ADVANCED SUR-
GICAL DRESSINGS.—Section 1874A(a) of the Social Secu-
rity Act (42 U.S.C. 1395kk–1(a)) is amended by adding 
at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(7) USE OF MEDICARE ADMINISTRATIVE CON-
TRACTORS FOR PROCESSING CLAIMS FOR ADVANCED 
SURGICAL DRESSINGS.—The Secretary shall provide 
for the submission and processing of claims for sur-
gical 
dressings 
referred 
to 
in 
sections 
1888(e)(2)(A)(iii)(VI) and 1861(m)(5) for payment 
under part B by the same medicare administrative 
contractors as process claims for other durable med-
ical equipment.’’. 
(d) EDUCATION INCENTIVE PROGRAM TO IMPROVE 
QUALITY OF WOUND CARE.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services shall establish an education incen-
tive program to encourage each nursing facility, 
skilled nursing facility, or home health agency cer-
tified under title XVIII or XIX of the Social Secu-
rity Act to provide their clinical staff members annu-
ally with access to wound care education. Such edu-
cation shall be of a scope and level to be determined 
by the Secretary. 
(2) MONITORING.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish a means of measuring such education on a reg-
ular basis, as determined by the Secretary. 
(3) IMPACT AND INCENTIVES.—The Secretary 
shall determine the overall impact of the education 
incentive program on the quality of care provided. 
The type and level of incentive to be provided under 
the program shall be determined by the Secretary, in 
the Secretary’s discretion and subject to amounts 
available in advance from appropriations, based on 
the Secretary’s determination of such impact. 
(e) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply to surgical dressings furnished on 
or after January 1, 2017. 
Æ 
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