Affordable Rabies Treatment for Uninsured Act
Bill: H.R.8995 | Sponsor: Rep. Bera, Ami (D-CA)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Affordable Rabies Treatment for Uninsured Act
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a program to reimburse health care providers that furnish postexposure rabies treatments to uninsured individuals.

To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a 
   program to reimburse health care providers for furnishing rabies 
           postexposure prophylaxis to uninsured individuals.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Affordable Rabies Treatment for 
Uninsured Act''.

SEC. 2. REQUIRING THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO 
              ESTABLISH A PROGRAM TO REIMBURSE HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS 
              FOR FURNISHING RABIES POSTEXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS TO 
              UNINSURED INDIVIDUALS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
establish a program under which--
            (1) program-registered providers submit claims to the 
        Secretary with respect to the furnishing of medically necessary 
        rabies postexposure prohylaxis to uninsured individuals; and
            (2) the Secretary, subject to the availability of 
        appropriations, pays each such provider for such prohylaxis in 
        an amount determined appropriate by the Secretary.
    (b) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Program-registered provider.--The term ``program-
        registered provider'' means a health care provider that--
                    (A) is licensed or otherwise authorized to furnish 
                rabies postexposure prohylaxis in the State in which 
                such provider furnishes such prophylaxis under the 
                program established under this section; and
                    (B) enters into an agreement with the Secretary 
                under which the provider agrees--
                            (i) not to hold an uninsured individual 
                        liable for the cost of rabies postexposure 
                        prophylaxis with respect to which a payment is 
                        made under subsection (a)(2); and
                            (ii) to limit any charge to such individual 
                        for the administration of such prophylaxis with 
                        respect to which such a payment is so made to 
                        an amount specified by the Secretary.
            (2) Rabies postexposure prohylaxis.--The term ``rabies 
        postexposure prophylaxis'' means human rabies immune globulin 
        and rabies vaccine doses, or any other treatment specified by 
        the Secretary, furnished in accordance with guidelines 
        specified by the Secretary to an individual who has been 
        potentially exposed to the rabies virus to prevent the 
        occurrence of rabies.
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Health and Human Services.
            (4) Uninsured individual.--The term ``uninsured 
        individual'' means, with respect to an individual furnished 
        rabies postexposure prohylaxis, an individual who--
                    (A) is not enrolled in--
                            (i) a Federal health care program (as 
                        defined in section 1128B(f) of the Social 
                        Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320a-7b(f)));
                            (ii) a group health plan or health 
                        insurance coverage offered by a health 
                        insurance issuer in the group or individual 
                        market (as such terms are defined in section 
                        2791 of the Public Health Service Act (42 
                        U.S.C. 300gg-91)); or
                            (iii) a health plan offered under chapter 
                        89 of title 5, United States Code; or
                    (B) is enrolled in a program, plan, or coverage 
                described in subparagraph (A) that does not provide any 
                benefits for such prophylaxis under such program, plan, 
                or coverage (as applicable).
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