To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage of testing for COVID-19 at no cost sharing under the Medicare Advantage program.

Bill: 116-hr-6214
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Kind, Ron [D-WI-3]
Introduced: 2020-03-12
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Cardiovascular and respiratory health

Emergency medical services and trauma care

Health care costs and insurance

Health care coverage and access

Health technology, devices, supplies

Infectious and parasitic diseases

Medical tests and diagnostic methods

Medicare
Latest action: action_date: 2020-03-12
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-03-12
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This bill requires Medicare Advantage (MA) plans to cover COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) testing and related visits without cost-sharing during the public health emergency declared on January 31, 2020. MA plans are also prohibited from instituting prior authorization or other utilization management requirements with respect to coverage of such services. </p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 6214 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 12, 2020 Mr. Kind (for himself, Mrs. Trahan , and Ms. Barragán ) 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 amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage of testing for COVID–19 at no cost sharing under the Medicare Advantage program.

1. Coverage of testing for COVID–19 at no cost sharing under the Medicare Advantage program (a) In general Section 1852(a)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395w–22(a)(1)(B) ) is amended— (1) in clause (iv)— (A) by redesignating subclause (IV) as subclause (VI); and (B) by inserting after subclause (III) the following new subclauses: (IV) In vitro diagnostic products (as defined in section 809.3(a) of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations) administered during any portion of the emergency period defined in paragraph (1)(B) of section 1135(g) beginning on or after the date of the enactment of clause (vi) for the detection of SARS–CoV–2 or the diagnosis of the virus that causes COVID–19 that are approved, cleared, or authorized under section 510(k), 513, 515 or 564 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and the administration of such in vitro diagnostic products. (V) Specified COVID–19 testing-related services (as described in section 1833(cc)(1)) for which payment would be payable under a specified outpatient payment provision described in section 1833(cc)(2). ; (2) in clause (v), by inserting , other than subclauses (IV) and (V) of such clause, after clause (iv) ; and (3) by adding at the end the following new clause: (vi) Prohibition of application of certain requirements for COVID–19 testing In the case of a product or service described in subclause (IV) or (V), respectively, of clause (iv) that is administered or furnished during any portion of the emergency period described in such subclause beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this clause, an MA plan may not impose any prior authorization or other utilization management requirements with respect to the coverage of such a product or service under such plan. . (b) Implementation The Secretary of Health and Human Services may implement the amendments made by this section by program instruction or otherwise.