Title: Peer Support Enhancement and Evaluation Review Act
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Peer Support Enhancement and Evaluation Review Act
This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to report on the provision of peer support services by states under Medicaid. The report must include information relating to coverage (e.g., payment models), the effects of such coverage (e.g., on overall health care costs), and recommendations for improving access to peer support services under Medicaid.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2892 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2892

  To require the Comptroller General of the United States to submit a 
report to Congress on the provision of peer support services under the 
                           Medicaid program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 22, 2018

Mr. Cardin (for himself and Mr. Isakson) introduced the following bill; 
     which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To require the Comptroller General of the United States to submit a 
report to Congress on the provision of peer support services under the 
                           Medicaid program.

    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 ``Peer Support Enhancement and 
Evaluation Review Act''.

SEC. 2. GAO REPORT ON PEER SUPPORT SERVICES UNDER MEDICAID.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
Representatives, the Committee on Finance of the Senate, and the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a 
report on the provision of peer support services under the Medicaid 
program.
    (b) Content of Report.--
            (1) In general.--The report required under subsection (a) 
        shall include the following information:
                    (A) Information on State coverage of peer support 
                services under Medicaid, including--
                            (i) the mechanisms through which States may 
                        provide such coverage, including through 
                        existing statutory authority or through 
                        waivers;
                            (ii) the populations to which States have 
                        provided such coverage;
                            (iii) the payment models, including any 
                        alternative payment models, used by States to 
                        pay providers of such services; and
                            (iv) where available, information on 
                        Federal and State spending under Medicaid for 
                        peer support services.
                    (B) Information on selected State experiences in 
                providing medical assistance for peer support services 
                under State Medicaid plans and whether States measure 
                the effects of providing such assistance with respect 
                to--
                            (i) improving access to behavioral health 
                        services;
                            (ii) improving early detection, and 
                        preventing worsening, of behavioral health 
                        disorders;
                            (iii) reducing chronic and comorbid 
                        conditions; and
                            (iv) reducing overall health costs.
            (2) Recommendations.--The report required under subsection 
        (a) shall include recommendations, including recommendations 
        for such legislative and administrative actions related to 
        improving services, including peer support services, and access 
        to peer support services under Medicaid as the Comptroller 
        General of the United States determines appropriate.
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