Title: PEERS Act of 2020
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Promoting Effective and Empowering Recovery Services in Medicare Act of 2020 or the PEERS Act of 2020
This bill specifies that peer support specialists may participate in the provision of behavioral health integration services with the supervision of a physician or other entity under Medicare. The bill defines peer support specialists as individuals who are recovering from a mental health or substance-use condition and have certain national or state credentials, as specified, to provide peer support services.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8206 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8206

     To clarify the eligibility for participation of peer support 
specialists in the furnishing of behavioral health integration services 
                      under the Medicare program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 11, 2020

  Ms. Judy Chu of California (for herself and Mr. Smith of Nebraska) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
    Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce, 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 clarify the eligibility for participation of peer support 
specialists in the furnishing of behavioral health integration services 
                      under the Medicare 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 ``Promoting Effective and Empowering 
Recovery Services in Medicare Act of 2020'' or the ``PEERS Act of 
2020''.

SEC. 2. CLARIFYING THE ELIGIBILITY FOR PARTICIPATION OF PEER SUPPORT 
              SPECIALISTS IN THE FURNISHING OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH 
              INTEGRATION SERVICES UNDER THE MEDICARE PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Nothing in title XVIII of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) shall be construed as prohibiting a peer 
support specialist (as defined in subsection (b)) from participating in 
the furnishing of behavioral health integration services under such 
title under the supervision of a physician or other entity billing for 
such services under such title.
    (b) Peer Support Specialist Defined.--For purposes of subsection 
(a), the term ``peer support specialist'' means an individual who--
            (1) is recovering from a mental health or substance use 
        condition; and
            (2) is certified as qualified to furnish peer support 
        services under a certification process consistent with the 
        National Practice Guidelines for Peer Supporters and inclusive 
        of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
        Administration Core Competencies for Peer Workers in Behavioral 
        Health Settings (as established by the State in which such 
        individual furnishes such services or under such national 
        certification process determined appropriate by the Secretary 
        of Health and Human Services).
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