PROTECTS Act

II 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 2574 To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to increase the ability of Medicare and Medicaid providers to access the National Practitioner Data Bank for the purpose of conducting employee background checks. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 Mr. GARDNER introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance A BILL To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to increase the ability of Medicare and Medicaid providers to access the National Practitioner Data Bank for the purpose of conducting employee background checks. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Promote Responsible 4 Oversight and Targeted Employee background Check 5 Transparency for Seniors Act’’ or the ‘‘PROTECTS Act’’. 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:42 Oct 05, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2574.IS S2574 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •S 2574 IS SEC. 2. PERMITTING MEDICARE AND MEDICAID PRO- 1 VIDERS TO ACCESS THE NATIONAL PRACTI- 2 TIONER DATA BANK TO CONDUCT EMPLOYEE 3 BACKGROUND CHECKS. 4 Section 1921(b)(6) of the Social Security Act (42 5 U.S.C. 1396r–2(b)(6)) is amended— 6 (1) by striking ‘‘and other health care entities 7 (as defined in section 431 of the Health Care Qual- 8 ity Improvement Act of 1986)’’ and inserting ‘‘, 9 other health care entities (as defined in section 431 10 of the Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 11 1986), providers of services (as defined in section 12 1861(u)), suppliers (as defined in section 1861(d)), 13 and providers of items or services under a State plan 14 under this title (or a waiver of such a plan)’’; and 15 (2) by striking ‘‘such hospitals or other health 16 care entities’’ and inserting ‘‘such hospitals, health 17 care entities, providers, or suppliers’’. 18 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:42 Oct 05, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S2574.IS S2574 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS