I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 301
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage
of early detection of prostate cancer and certain drug treatment services
under part B of the Medicare program and to amend chapter 17 of
title 38, United States Code, to provide for coverage of such early
detection and treatment services under the programs of the Department
of Veterans Affairs.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 7, 1997
Mr. SHAYS (for himself and Mr. GEJDENSON) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Commerce, and in addition to
the Committees on Ways and Means and Veterans’ Affairs, for a period
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation 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 coverage of early detection of prostate cancer and
certain drug treatment services under part B of the
Medicare program and to amend chapter 17 of title
38, United States Code, to provide for coverage of such
early detection and treatment services under the pro-
grams of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
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 ‘‘Prostate Cancer Diag-
nosis and Treatment Act of 1997’’.
SEC. 2. MEDICARE COVERAGE OF PROSTATE CANCER
SCREENING AND CERTAIN DRUG TREAT-
MENTS.
(a) COVERAGE OF SCREENING SERVICES.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Section 1861(s)(2) of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(s)(2)) is
amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of sub-
paragraph (N);
(B) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of sub-
paragraph (O); and
(C) by inserting after subparagraph (O)
the following new subparagraph:
‘‘(P) services for the early detection of prostate
cancer (as defined in subsection (oo)); and’’.
(2) SERVICES
DESCRIBED.—Section 1861 of
such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x) is amended by adding
at the end the following new subsection:
‘‘Services for the Early Detection of Prostate Cancer
‘‘(oo) The term ‘services for the early detection of
prostate cancer’ means the following procedures provided
to a man for the purpose of early detection of prostate
cancer:
‘‘(1) Digital rectal examination.
‘‘(2) Prostate-specific antigen blood test.
‘‘(3) Transrectal ultrasonography.
‘‘(4) Such other procedures as the Secretary
may designate as appropriate for early detection of
prostate cancer.’’.
(3) PAYMENT AMOUNTS; LIMITATIONS ON FRE-
QUENCY OF COVERAGE.—Section 1834 of such Act
(42 U.S.C. 1395m) is amended by inserting after
subsection (c) the following new subsection:
‘‘(d) PAYMENT AMOUNTS AND FREQUENCY LIMITS
FOR SERVICES FOR THE EARLY DETECTION OF PROS-
TATE CANCER.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other
provision of this part, with respect to expenses in-
curred for services for the early detection of prostate
cancer (as defined in section 1861(oo))—
‘‘(A) payment may be made only for serv-
ices provided consistent with the frequency per-
mitted under paragraph (2); and
‘‘(B) the amount of the payment under
this part shall be equal to 80 percent of the
lesser of the actual charge for the service or—