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S 236 113th Congress Senate Health Contracts and agency Federal preemption Health care costs and insurance Health care coverage and access Health personnel Medicare

Medicare Patient Empowerment Act

Introduced: February 7, 2013 Introduced by: Murkowski, Lisa Republican · Alaska See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Feb 7, 2013
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Feb 7, 2013
Introduced in Senate
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Medicare Patient Empowerment Act - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to allow any Medicare beneficiary to enter into a contract with a non-participating (as well as with a participating) physician or practitioner for any item or service covered by Medicare. Allows such beneficiaries to submit a claim for Medicare payment in the amount that would otherwise apply if the claim had been filed by a participating physician or practitioner in the payment area where the physician or practitioner covered by the contract resides.

Requires a Medicare beneficiary to agree in writing in such a contract to: (1) pay the physician or practitioner for a Medicare-covered item or service; and (2) submit (in lieu of the physician or practitioner) a claim for Medicare payment. Allows a beneficiary, however, to negotiate, as a term of the contract, for the physician or practitioner to file such claims on the beneficiary's behalf.

Preempts state laws from limiting the amount of charges for physician and practitioner services for which Medicare payment is made.

What's happening now February 7, 2013

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1