A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make a technical correction in the definition of outpatient speech-language pathology services.

Amends part D (Miscellaneous) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to define outpatient speech-language pathology services.

[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 657 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 657

  To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make a technical 
 correction in the definition of outpatient speech-language pathology 
                               services.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 17, 2005

  Mr. Ensign (for himself and Ms. Landrieu) 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 make a technical 
 correction in the definition of outpatient speech-language pathology 
                               services.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. TECHNICAL CORRECTION IN THE DEFINITION OF OUTPATIENT SPEECH-
              LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY SERVICES.

    (a) In General.--Section 1861(ll) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1395x(ll)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs 
        (3) and (4), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new 
        paragraph:
            ``(2) The term `outpatient speech-language pathology 
        services' has the meaning given the term `outpatient physical 
        therapy services' in subsection (p), except that in applying 
        such subsection--
                    ``(A) `speech-language pathology' shall be 
                substituted for `physical therapy' each place it 
                appears; and
                    ``(B) `speech-language pathologist' shall be 
                substituted for `physical therapist' each place it 
                appears.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--(1) Section 1861(p) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(p)) is amended by striking the fourth 
sentence.
    (2) Section 1833(a)(8)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395l(a)(8)(A)) is amended by striking ``outpatient physical therapy 
services (which includes outpatient speech-language pathology services) 
and outpatient occupational therapy services'' and inserting 
``outpatient physical therapy services, outpatient speech-language 
pathology services, and outpatient occupational therapy services''.
    (3) Section 1833(a)(8)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395l(a)(8)(B)) is amended by striking ``outpatient physical therapy 
services (which includes outpatient speech-language pathology services) 
and outpatient occupational therapy services'' and inserting 
``outpatient physical therapy services, outpatient speech-language 
pathology services, and outpatient occupational therapy services''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to services provided on or after the date that is 6 months after 
the date of enactment of this Act.
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