119-s1248

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1248 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 1248

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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 April 2, 2025

 Mr. Mullin (for himself, Mr. Padilla, and Mr. Tillis) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
 Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

 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 ``Ensuring Access to Specialty Care 
Everywhere Act'' or the ``EASE Act''.

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.

    (a) In General.--

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 with 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, 
 critical access hospitals, or rural emergency 
 hospitals, at least half of which are located in rural 
 areas (as defined by the Administrator of the Health 
 Resources and Services Administration);
 ``
        (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 in rural and underserved 
 communities in multiple regions throughout the country; 
 and
 ``
            (D) have the ability to collect, exchange, and 
 evaluate data for purposes of the model described in 
 paragraph

    (1) .
 ``

    (3) Eligible individual defined.--For purposes of this 
 subsection, the term `eligible individual' means an 
 individual--
 ``
        (A) who--
 ``
            (i) is entitled to benefits under part A 
 of title XVIII or enrolled under part B of such 
 title; or
 ``
            (ii) is enrolled under the Medicaid 
 program under title XIX or the Children's 
 Health Insurance Program under title XXI and 
 meets all components for eligibility for 
 medical assistance, child health assistance, or 
 pregnancy-related assistance (as applicable), 
 including those described in sections 
 1902

    (a)

    (46)
        (B) and 1137
            (d) ; and
 ``
        (B) who is located in a rural or underserved area 
 (as specified by the Secretary).''.

    (b) Limitation.--Any amounts appropriated or allocated to carry out 
the amendments made by this section shall be subject to the 
requirements contained in Public Law 117-328 for funds for programs 
authorized under sections 330 through 340 of the Public Health Service 
Act (42 U.S.C. 254b through 256).
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