Improving Access to Alternative Pain Management Act

Bill: 117-hr-1580
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Latta, Robert E. [R-OH-5]
Introduced: 2021-03-03
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Health care coverage and access

Health technology, devices, supplies

Medical tests and diagnostic methods

Medicare

Mental health
Latest action: action_date: 2021-03-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-03-03
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Improving Access to Alternative Pain Management Act</b></p> <p>This bill allows psychological evaluation requirements for Medicare coverage of specified neurostimulation services to be met via telehealth. The bill also expands Medicare coverage to include such telehealth services.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1580 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 3, 2021 Mr. Latta introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce , and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means , 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 permit the use of certain psychological evaluation via telehealth for Medicare coverage of neurostimulation services for the treatment of chronic pain.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Improving Access to Alternative Pain Management Act . 2. Permitting certain psychological evaluations via telehealth for Medicare coverage of neurostimulation services for the treatment of chronic pain (a) Permitting use of psychological evaluation via telehealth for purposes of certain coverage of neurostimulation services Section 1834 of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395m ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (z) Use of psychological evaluation via telehealth for purposes of coverage of neurostimulation services for the treatment of chronic pain Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, beginning January 1, 2022, for coverage under this part of neurostimulation services, as identified under the National Coverage Determination section 160.7, titled Medicare National Coverage Determination for Electrical Nerve Stimulators, as in effect on January 1, 2020, for the treatment of chronic pain, any requirement for a psychological evaluation prior to receipt of the service may be satisfied through such an evaluation via telehealth. . (b) Inclusion of certain psychological evaluations as telehealth services Section 1834(m)(4)(F)(i) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395m(4)(F)(i) ) is amended by inserting before the period at the end the following: , and, beginning January 1, 2022, shall include psychological evaluations (identified by CPT codes 96130, 96131, 96136, 96137, 96138, and 96139 and any successor codes and additional codes the Secretary determines may be necessary to perform the psychological evaluation furnished prior to the provision of neurostimulation services) furnished prior to the provision of neurostimulation services (as described in section 1834(z)) for the purpose of treating chronic pain .