To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the National Disaster Medical System, to provide for certain laboratory reimbursement for diagnostic testing for COVID-19 in uninsured individuals.

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 6232 To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the National Disaster Medical System, to provide for certain laboratory reimbursement for diagnostic testing for COVID–19 in uninsured individuals. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MARCH 12, 2020 Mr. CA´RDENAS (for himself, Ms. SA´NCHEZ, and Mr. CASTRO of Texas) intro- duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the National Disaster Medical System, to pro- vide for certain laboratory reimbursement for diagnostic testing for COVID–19 in uninsured individuals. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. REIMBURSEMENT FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING 3 FOR COVID–19 IN UNINSURED INDIVIDUALS. 4 (a) REIMBURSEMENT.—Through the National Dis- 5 aster Medical System under section 2812 of the Public 6 Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300hh–11), and in coordi- 7 nation with the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare 8 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:47 Mar 26, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6232.IH H6232 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 6232 IH & Medicaid Services, the Secretary of Health and Human 1 Services shall, subject to the availability of appropriations 2 under subsection (c), pay the claims of laboratories for 3 reimbursement, as described in subsection (a)(3)(D) of 4 such section 2812, for health services consisting of diag- 5 nostic testing to detect or diagnose COVID–19 in unin- 6 sured individuals. The amount that will be paid shall be 7 equal to the amount that would have been paid to a physi- 8 cian or laboratory under Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule 9 under section 1833(h)(8) of the Social Security Act. 10 (b) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘unin- 11 sured individual’’ means an individual who is not enrolled 12 in— 13 (1) a Federal health care program (as defined 14 under section 1128B(f) of the Social Security Act 15 (42 U.S.C. 1320a–7b(f))); or 16 (2) a group health plan or health insurance cov- 17 erage offered by a health insurance issuer in the 18 group or individual market (as such terms are de- 19 fined in section 2791 of the Public Health Service 20 Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg–91)) or a health plan offered 21 under chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code. 22 (c) FUNDING.—To carry out this section, there is au- 23 thorized to be appropriated, and there is hereby appro- 24 priated, out of amounts in the Treasury not otherwise obli- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:47 Mar 26, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6232.IH H6232 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 6232 IH gated, $1,000,000,000, to remain available until ex- 1 pended. 2 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:47 Mar 26, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H6232.IH H6232 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS