S 853 IS
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 853
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate
discriminatory copayment rates for outpatient psychiatric services under the
medicare program.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 10, 2003
Ms. SNOWE (for herself and Mr. KERRY) introduced the following bill; which
was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance
A BILL
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate
discriminatory copayment rates for outpatient psychiatric 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 `Medicare Mental Health Copayment Equity Act
of 2003'.
SEC. 2. ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATORY COPAYMENT RATES FOR MEDICARE
OUTPATIENT PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES.
Section 1833(c) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(c))
is amended to read as follows:
`(c)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, with respect to
expenses incurred in a calendar year in connection with the treatment of
mental, psychoneurotic, and personality disorders of an individual who is not
an inpatient of a hospital at the time such expenses are incurred, there shall
be considered as incurred expenses for purposes of subsections (a) and
(b)--
`(A) for expenses incurred in any year before 2004, only 62 1/2 percent
of such expenses;
`(B) for expenses incurred in 2004, only 68 3/4 percent of such
expenses;
`(C) for expenses incurred in 2005, only 75 percent of such
expenses;
`(D) for expenses incurred in 2006, only 81 1/4 percent of such
expenses;
`(E) for expenses incurred in 2007, only 87 1/2 percent of such
expenses;
`(F) for expenses incurred in 2008, only 93 3/4 percent of such
expenses; and
`(G) for expenses incurred in 2009 or any subsequent year, 100 percent
of such expenses.
`(2) For purposes of this subsection, the term `treatment' does not
include brief office visits (as defined by the Secretary) for the sole purpose
of monitoring or changing drug prescriptions used in the treatment of such
disorders or partial hospitalization services that are not directly provided
by a physician.'.
END