Title: Lymphedema Treatment Act
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Lymphedema Treatment Act
This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to cover certain lymphedema compression treatment items as durable medical equipment under Medicare. (Lymphedema is a condition of localized fluid retention and tissue swelling that is caused when the lymphatic system is damaged or blocked.)

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 497 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 497

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for Medicare 
coverage of certain lymphedema compression treatment items as items of 
                       durable medical equipment.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 2, 2017

 Ms. Cantwell (for herself, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Brown, Mrs. Gillibrand, 
Mr. Coons, Mr. Franken, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Merkley, Mrs. Ernst, Mr. Blunt, 
and Ms. Klobuchar) introduced the following bill; which was read twice 
                and referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for Medicare 
coverage of certain lymphedema compression treatment items as items of 
                       durable medical equipment.

    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 ``Lymphedema Treatment Act''.

SEC. 2. MEDICARE COVERAGE OF CERTAIN LYMPHEDEMA COMPRESSION TREATMENT 
              ITEMS AS ITEMS OF DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT.

    (a) In General.--Section 1861 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395x) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (n), in the first sentence, by inserting 
        before the semicolon the following: ``and includes lymphedema 
        compression treatment items (as defined in subsection (jjj))''; 
        and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:

                ``Lymphedema Compression Treatment Items

    ``(jjj) The term `lymphedema compression treatment items'--
            ``(1) means, with respect to an individual, compression 
        garments, devices, bandaging systems, components, and 
        supplies--
                    ``(A) that are primarily and customarily used in 
                the medical treatment of lymphedema;
                    ``(B) as prescribed by a physician (or a physician 
                assistant, nurse practitioner, or a clinical nurse 
                specialist (as those terms are defined in section 
                1861(aa)(5)) to the extent authorized under State law); 
                and
                    ``(C) which would not, other than under subsection 
                (s)(6), be included as medical and other health 
                services under this title; and
            ``(2) includes--
                    ``(A) multilayer compression bandaging systems;
                    ``(B) custom or standard fit gradient compression 
                garments;
                    ``(C) non-elastic and low-elastic compression 
                garments and compression wraps and directional flow 
                pads; and
                    ``(D) any other compression garments, bandaging 
                systems, devices, and aids determined by the Secretary 
                to be effective in the prevention or treatment of 
                lymphedema.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
apply to lymphedema compression treatment items furnished on or after 
180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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