Optometric Equity in Medicaid Act

Optometric Equity in Medicaid Act - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to require coverage under Medicaid of services of optometrists.

[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 855 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 855

   To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to require Medicaid 
                       coverage of optometrists.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 27, 2013

  Mr. Hall (for himself, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Terry, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. 
 Loebsack, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Doggett, Mr. Ellison, Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. 
 Cicilline, Ms. Norton, Mr. Keating, and Mr. Whitfield) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                                Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to require Medicaid 
                       coverage of optometrists.

    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 ``Optometric Equity in Medicaid Act''.

SEC. 2. REQUIRING COVERAGE OF SERVICES OF OPTOMETRISTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 1905(a)(5) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1396d(a)(5)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' before ``(B)''; and
            (2) by inserting before the semicolon at the end the 
        following: ``, and (C) medical and other health services (as 
        defined in section 1861(s)) as authorized by State law, 
        furnished by an optometrist (described in section 1861(r)(4)) 
        to the extent such services may be performed under State law''.
    (b) Effective Date.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
        amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect 90 days 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply to 
        services furnished and other actions required on or after such 
        date.
            (2) Rule for changes requiring state legislation.--In the 
        case of a State plan for medical assistance under title XIX of 
        the Social Security Act which the Secretary of Health and Human 
        Services determines requires State legislation (other than 
        legislation appropriating funds) in order for the plan to meet 
        the additional requirement imposed by the amendments made by 
        subsection (a), the State plan shall not be regarded as failing 
        to comply with the requirements of such title solely on the 
        basis of its failure to meet this additional requirement before 
        the first day of the first calendar quarter beginning after the 
        close of the first regular session of the State legislature 
        that begins after the date of the enactment of this Act. For 
        purposes of the previous sentence, in the case of a State that 
        has a 2-year legislative session, each year of such session 
        shall be deemed to be a separate regular session of the State 
        legislature.
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