H.R. 4945 · 116th Congress

Safeguarding Medicare Access to Respiratory Therapy Act of 2019

Stage
In committee
Introduced
2019-10-31
Latest action
2019-11-01 · Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summary

Safeguarding Medicare Access to Respiratory Therapy Act of 2019

This bill establishes certain requirements relating to Medicare coverage of ventilators.

Specifically, the bill (1) excludes ventilators and other covered respiratory items, as specified, from Medicare's competitive acquisition program (in which rates are set through a competitive bidding program rather than by an established fee schedule); and (2) requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to establish a technical expert panel to review, and make recommendations regarding, national coverage determinations with respect to Medicare coverage of ventilators and other specified respiratory devices.