Title: Improving HOPE for Alzheimer's
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Improving HOPE for Alzheimer's
This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to conduct outreach to health care practitioners regarding comprehensive care planning services that are available under Medicare for individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. The CMS must report on its outreach efforts, as well as on the number of beneficiaries receiving such services and any barriers to access.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 880 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 880

To provide outreach and reporting on comprehensive Alzheimer's disease 
      care planning services furnished under the Medicare program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 26, 2019

 Ms. Stabenow (for herself, Ms. Collins, Mr. Markey, Mrs. Capito, and 
 Mr. Menendez) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
                  referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To provide outreach and reporting on comprehensive Alzheimer's disease 
      care planning services furnished 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 ``Improving HOPE for Alzheimer's''.

SEC. 2. CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES PROVIDER OUTREACH 
              AND REPORTING ON COMPREHENSIVE ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE CARE 
              PLANNING SERVICES.

    (a) Outreach.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this 
section referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall conduct outreach to 
physicians and appropriate non-physician practitioners participating 
under the Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) with respect to comprehensive care planning 
services furnished to individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related 
dementias (in this section referred to as ``comprehensive Alzheimer's 
disease care planning services''). Such outreach shall include a 
comprehensive, one-time education initiative to inform such physicians 
and practitioners of the addition of such services as a covered benefit 
under the Medicare program, including materials on appropriate 
diagnostic evaluations and explanations of the requirements for 
eligibility for such services.
    (b) Reports to Congress.--
            (1) Provider outreach.--Not later than one year after the 
        date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
        the Committee on Ways and Means and the Committee on Energy and 
        Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
        Finance of the Senate a report on the outreach conducted under 
        subsection (a). Such report shall include a description of the 
        methods used for such outreach.
            (2) Utilization rates.--Not later than 18 months after such 
        date of enactment and annually thereafter for the succeeding 
        five years, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Ways 
        and Means and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House 
        of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate a 
        report on the number of Medicare beneficiaries who, during the 
        preceding year, were furnished comprehensive Alzheimer's 
        disease care planning services for which payment was made under 
        title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et 
        seq.). Each such report shall include information on any 
        barriers Medicare beneficiaries face to access such services 
        and the recommendations of the Secretary to eliminate any such 
        barriers.
            (3) Copy of each report.--On the same day that a report is 
        submitted under paragraph (1) or (2), the Secretary shall 
        transmit a copy of such report to the Advisory Council on 
        Alzheimer's Research, Care, and Services established under 
        section 2(e) of the National Alzheimer's Project Act (42 U.S.C. 
        11225(e); Public Law 111-375).
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