EASE Act of 2024

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7149 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7149

To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require the Center for 
 Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to test a model to improve access to 
      specialty health services for certain Medicare and Medicaid 
                             beneficiaries.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 30, 2024

Mrs. Steel (for herself, Ms. Lee of Nevada, Mr. Kelly of Pennsylvania, 
   Mr. LaHood, Mr. Davis of North Carolina, Ms. Caraveo, Mrs. Chavez-
   DeRemer, Mr. Bacon, Ms. De La Cruz, Ms. Salinas, and Mr. Valadao) 
 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 XI of the Social Security Act to require the Center for 
 Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to test a model to improve access to 
      specialty health services for certain Medicare and Medicaid 
                             beneficiaries.

    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 ``Equal Access to Specialty Care 
Everywhere Act of 2024'' or the ``EASE Act of 2024''.

SEC. 2. REQUIRING THE CENTER FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID INNOVATION TO 
              TEST A MODEL TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO SPECIALTY HEALTH 
              SERVICES FOR CERTAIN MEDICARE AND MEDICAID BENEFICIARIES.

    Section 1115A of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1315a) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)(2)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), in the third sentence, by 
                inserting ``, and shall include the model described in 
                subparagraph (B)(xxviii)'' before the period at the 
                end; and
                    (B) in subparagraph (B), by adding at the end the 
                following new clause:
                            ``(xxviii) The Specialty Health Care 
                        Services Access Model described in subsection 
                        (h).''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(h) Specialty Health Care Services Access Model.--
            ``(1) In general.--For purposes of subsection 
        (b)(2)(B)(xxviii), the Specialty Health Care Services Access 
        Model described in this subsection is a model under which the 
        Secretary enters into an agreement one or more provider 
        networks selected in accordance with paragraph (2) for purposes 
        of furnishing specialty health care services (as specified by 
        the Secretary) to eligible individuals through the use of 
        digital modalities (such as telehealth and other remote 
        technologies) in coordination with such individuals' primary 
        care providers.
            ``(2) Selection of provider networks.--The Secretary shall 
        select one or more networks of providers for purposes of 
        furnishing services under the model described in paragraph (1). 
        Any such network so selected shall--
                    ``(A) be comprised of at least 50 Federally 
                qualified health centers, rural health clinics, or 
                community health clinics;
                    ``(B) be a nonprofit entity under section 501(c)(3) 
                of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;
                    ``(C) have an established record of supporting the 
                delivery of health care and addressing social 
                determinants of health in underserved communities in 
                multiple regions throughout the country; and
                    ``(D) agree to support public health and serve as a 
                national clinical research network, including by 
                conducting research with respect to both insured and 
                uninsured individuals.
            ``(3) Eligible individual defined.--For purposes of this 
        subsection, the term `eligible individual' means an 
        individual--
                    ``(A) entitled to benefits under part A of title 
                XVIII, enrolled under part B of such title, or enrolled 
                under a State plan (or waiver of such plan) under title 
                XIX; and
                    ``(B) located in a rural or underserved area (as 
                specified by the Secretary).''.
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