[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1173 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1173

    To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for 
   treatment of clinical psychologists as physicians for purposes of 
 furnishing clinical psychologist services under the Medicare program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 16, 2017

Mrs. Noem (for herself, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Curbelo of Florida, and Mr. 
   Mullin) 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 XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for 
   treatment of clinical psychologists as physicians for purposes of 
 furnishing clinical psychologist services under the Medicare program.

    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 ``Medicare Mental Health Access Act''.

SEC. 2. TREATMENT OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS AS PHYSICIANS FOR PURPOSES 
              OF FURNISHING CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST SERVICES.

    (a) In General.--The first sentence of section 1861(r) of the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(r)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``or'' before ``(5)''; and
            (2) by inserting before the period the following: ``, or 
        (6) a clinical psychologist, but only with respect to the 
        furnishing of qualified psychologist services described in 
        subsection (ii) for which the psychologist is legally 
        authorized to perform by the State and who is acting within the 
        scope of the psychologist's license (or other authorization 
        under State law)''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
apply to items and services furnished on or after January 1, 2018.
                                 <all>