Improving Care in Home Health Agencies Act

Bill: 116-hr-7006
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Velazquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7]
Introduced: 2020-05-22
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Emergency medical services and trauma care

Health care coverage and access

Home and outpatient care
Latest action: action_date: 2020-05-22
text: 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.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-05-22
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Improving Care in Home Health Agencies Act</b></p> <p>This bill allows the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services (CMS) to waive certain requirements during the public health emergency relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) with respect to Medicare coverage of home health services. Specifically, the bill allows the CMS to waive requirements relating to written (1) treatment plans that are signed and dated, (2) orders for care, (3) certification of eligibility, and (4) documentation of face-to-face encounters.</p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7006 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 22, 2020 Ms. Velázquez (for herself, Ms. Sewell of Alabama , Ms. Jackson Lee , Mr. Nadler , Ms. Clarke of New York , Mr. Serrano , Mr. McGovern , Mr. Espaillat , and Ms. Meng ) 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 XI of the Social Security Act to waive the application of certain conditions of payment and conditions of participation for home health services furnished in an emergency area during an emergency period, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Improving Care in Home Health Agencies Act . 2. Modification of the application of certain conditions of payment and conditions of participation for home health services furnished in an emergency area during an emergency period Section 1135(b) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1320b–5 ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (7), by striking at the end and ; (2) in paragraph (8), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and (3) by inserting the following new paragraph: (9) in the case of a home health service (as defined in section 1861(m)) and the home health agency documents the receipt of verbal orders issued by the physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or clinical nurse specialist, as appropriate, with respect to such home health service, conditions of payment or conditions of participation that would otherwise require written— (A) signed and dated plan of treatment; (B) orders for care; (C) certification of benefit eligibility; or (D) documentation of a face-to-face encounter. .