vs 6,526 other HR bills in the 114th — cohort avg 56d
Summary
Steve Gleason Act of 2015 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to cover as durable medical equipment any eye tracking and gaze interaction accessories for speech generating devices furnished to individuals with a demonstrated medical need for them. Payment for speech generating devices or accessories shall be made on a rental basis, or in a lump-sum amount for the purchase of the item, without a cap on the amount in the case of devices furnished on or after October 1, 2015, and before October 1, 2018.
Lobbying filings that explicitly cite this bill (7)
These links require the bill number to appear in the filing's source-reported specific issue text. Client expenses and lobbying-firm income are separate disclosure fields.
Cited source text, amounts, lobbyists, and targets
Medicare physician payment reform; in general.
H.R. 2, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015; all provisions.
H.R. 1470, the SGR Repeal and Medicare Provider Payment Modernization Act of 2015; all provisions.
Audiology-related legislation; in general.
H.R. 1116, the Medicare Audiology Services Enhancement Act of 2015.
Repeal of the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB); in general.
H.R. 1190/S.141, the Protecting Seniors' Access to Medicare Act of 2015; all provisions.
Certification of electronic health records (EHRs); in general.
Medicare Advantage "Network Adequacy"; in general.
Opposition to proposed policy in the 2015 Final Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Rule to transition 10- and 90-day global payment period codes to 0-day global period codes in 2017, and 2018, respectively.
Implementation plans for moving to ICD-10, a code set named under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Support for the appointment of a surgeon to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC).
Implementation of Section 218 (b) of Public Law 113-93, entitled the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA), relating to the possible consideration of Radiology Benefit Management (RBM) companies as potential sources for the establishment of applicable appropriate use criteria, as well as any use of RBMs for the enforcement of the prior authorization section for ordering professionals who are outliers.
Comments re: funding of quality measures authorized under section 102 of the recently enacted Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, or MACRA, Public Law 114-10.
H.R. 2519, Audiology Patient Choice Act of 2015; all provisions.
Support for the appointment of a surgeon to the Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC) created under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA).
Support for H.R. 3309, the Further Flexibility in HIT Reporting and Advancing Interoperability Act or Flex IT 2 Act"; all provisions.
Communications urging the Administration to "pause" implementation of Stage 3 Meaningful Use (MU) and reevaluate the program in light of pivotal changes to Medicare, including passage of the Medicare Access and Chip Reauthorization Act (MACRA).
Communication to the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) regarding the "CY 2016 Hospital Outpatient PPS Policy changes and Payment Rates and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System Policy Changes and Payment Rates CMS-1633-P, published in the Federal Register as a proposed notice on July 8, 2015. Comments address 1.) Changes for Computed Tomography (CT) under the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (PAMA); 2.) Proposed New Technology APCs - Orthopedic Procedures.
Communication to the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) regarding the "Medicare Program; Revisions for Part B for CY 2016" published in the Federal Register as a proposed notice on July 15, 2015. Comments address 1.) 2016 Conversion Factor (CF); 2.) Practice Expense Issues; 3.) Potentially Misvalued Services Under the Fee Schedule; 4.) Improving Valuation of the Global Surgical Package; 5.) Improving Payment Accuracy for Primary Care and Care Management Services; 6.) Target for Relative Value Adjustments for Misvalued Services; 7.) Changes for Computed Tomography (CT) under the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (PAMA); 8.) Malpractice RVUs; 9.) Validating RVUs of Service; 10.) Valuing New, Revised, and Potentially Misvalued Codes; 11.) Valuation of Specific Codes; 12.) Incident to Proposals: Billing Physicians as the Supervising Physician and Ancillary Personnel Requirements; 13.) Physicians Compare; 14.) Physician Payment, Efficiency, and Quality Improvements-Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS); 15.) Value Based Modifier (VM) and Physician Feedback Reporting Program.
H.R. 1919, the Steve Gleason Act of 2015; all provisions.
S. 2425, the Patient Access and Medicare Protection Act; Section 4.
Meaningful Use Incentive Program; in general.
Physician-led, team-base care approach to healthcare models; in general.
Comments regarding the Request for Information (RFI) on implementation of Alternative Payment Models (APMs) and Merit-Based Incentive Programs (MIPS) under the Medicare Access and Chip Reauthorization Act (MACRA).
H.R. 2568, the Fair Medical Audits Act of 2015; all provisions.
H.R. 2513, the Protecting Access, Competition, and Equity Act; all provisions.
H.R. 3940, the Meaningful Use Hardship Relief Act of 2015; all provisions.
Comments re: "Medicare Program; Revisions to Payment Policies under the Physician Fee Schedule and and other Revisions for Part B for CY 16" published in the Federal Register as a final rule with comment period on November 16, 2015, which address the following issues: 1) 2016 Conversion Factor (CF); 2) Practice Expense Issues; 3) Potentially Misvalued Services Under the Fee Schedule; 4) Improving Valuation of the Global Surgical Package; 5) Changes for Computed Tomography (CT) under the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (PAMA); 6) Valuing New, Revised, and Potentially Misvalued Codes; 7) CY 2016 Interim Final Rule Codes; 8) Incident to Proposals: Billing Physicians as the Supervising Physician and Ancillary Personnel Requirements; 9) Physician Compare; 10) Physician Payment, Efficiency, and Quality Improvements - Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS); 11) Value Based Payment Modifier (VM) and Physician Feedback Reporting Program.
Comments re: the "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Electronic Health Record Incentive Program--Stage 3 and Modifications to Meaningful Use in 2015-2017; Final Rule" published in the Federal Register on Friday, October 16, 2015, which address the following issues: 1) the need for increased flexibility; 2) the lack of interoperability; 3) the need for 90-day reporting periods beyond the current year; and 4) the specific meaningful use criteria.
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.
Government targets: Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Government Accountability Office (GAO), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Housing & Urban Development, Dept of (HUD), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Treasury, Dept of, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office
Cited source text, amounts, lobbyists, and targets
Medicare physician payment reform; in general.
H.R. 2, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015; all provisions.
H.R. 1470, the SGR Repeal and Medicare Provider Payment Modernization Act of 2015; all provisions.
Audiology-related legislation; in general.
H.R. 1116, the Medicare Audiology Services Enhancement Act of 2015.
Repeal of the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB); in general.
H.R. 1190/S.141, the Protecting Seniors' Access to Medicare Act of 2015; all provisions.
Certification of electronic health records (EHRs); in general.
Medicare Advantage "Network Adequacy"; in general.
Opposition to proposed policy in the 2015 Final Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Rule to transition 10- and 90-day global payment period codes to 0-day global period codes in 2017, and 2018, respectively.
Implementation plans for moving to ICD-10, a code set named under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Support for the appointment of a surgeon to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC).
Implementation of Section 218 (b) of Public Law 113-93, entitled the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA), relating to the possible consideration of Radiology Benefit Management (RBM) companies as potential sources for the establishment of applicable appropriate use criteria, as well as any use of RBMs for the enforcement of the prior authorization section for ordering professionals who are outliers.
Comments re: funding of quality measures authorized under section 102 of the recently enacted Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, or MACRA, Public Law 114-10.
H.R. 2519, Audiology Patient Choice Act of 2015; all provisions.
Support for the appointment of a surgeon to the Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC) created under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA).
Support for H.R. 3309, the Further Flexibility in HIT Reporting and Advancing Interoperability Act or Flex IT 2 Act"; all provisions.
Communications urging the Administration to "pause" implementation of Stage 3 Meaningful Use (MU) and reevaluate the program in light of pivotal changes to Medicare, including passage of the Medicare Access and Chip Reauthorization Act (MACRA).
Communication to the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) regarding the "CY 2016 Hospital Outpatient PPS Policy changes and Payment Rates and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System Policy Changes and Payment Rates CMS-1633-P, published in the Federal Register as a proposed notice on July 8, 2015. Comments address 1.) Changes for Computed Tomography (CT) under the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (PAMA); 2.) Proposed New Technology APCs - Orthopedic Procedures.
Communication to the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) regarding the "Medicare Program; Revisions for Part B for CY 2016" published in the Federal Register as a proposed notice on July 15, 2015. Comments address 1.) 2016 Conversion Factor (CF); 2.) Practice Expense Issues; 3.) Potentially Misvalued Services Under the Fee Schedule; 4.) Improving Valuation of the Global Surgical Package; 5.) Improving Payment Accuracy for Primary Care and Care Management Services; 6.) Target for Relative Value Adjustments for Misvalued Services; 7.) Changes for Computed Tomography (CT) under the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (PAMA); 8.) Malpractice RVUs; 9.) Validating RVUs of Service; 10.) Valuing New, Revised, and Potentially Misvalued Codes; 11.) Valuation of Specific Codes; 12.) Incident to Proposals: Billing Physicians as the Supervising Physician and Ancillary Personnel Requirements; 13.) Physicians Compare; 14.) Physician Payment, Efficiency, and Quality Improvements-Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS); 15.) Value Based Modifier (VM) and Physician Feedback Reporting Program.
H.R. 1919, the Steve Gleason Act of 2015; all provisions.
Client expense: $220,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ), Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Government Accountability Office (GAO), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Housing & Urban Development, Dept of (HUD), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Natl Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)
Cited source text, amounts, lobbyists, and targets
Preservation of Medicaid as an entitlement program and avoiding cuts.
Preservation of Medicare and opposition to using Medicare to pay for the costs of other programs.
Achieving a Better Life Experience Act, P.L. 113-295
Implementation of the Affordable Care Act, P.L. 111-148 and P.L. 111-192
HCBS Settings
Community Integration Act.
S. 1604 Transition to Independence Medicaid Buy-In Option.
Steve Gleason Act (H.R. 1919)(Medicare coverage of speech generating devices)
Medicare Part B premium increase
Client expense: $40,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Education, Dept of, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Housing & Urban Development, Dept of (HUD), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Social Security Administration (SSA), Treasury, Dept of, White House Office
Cited source text, amounts, lobbyists, and targets
Oppose home health and hospice payment cuts and co-pays.
Legislative and regulatory proposals affecting home care and hospice.
Fostering Independence Through Technology Act (to be re-filed).
S. 578/H.R. 1342, Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act.
Proposals to fix the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR).
Labor/Health and Human Services/Education Appropriations, FY2016, provisions relating to Lifespan Respite Program, caregiver, and falls prevention matters.
Recognition and payment for telehealth services under Medicare and Medicaid.
Face to Face Physician Encounter Requirement.
Medicare Home Health Rebasing Relief and Reassessment Act (to be re-filed).
H.R. 1458, BACPAC Act of 2015.
H.R. 2055, Telehealth Enhancement Act of 2015.
Medicare Telehealth Parity Act (to be re-filed).
SAVE Medicare Home Health Act (to be re-filed).
Home health rural add on payment.
H.R. 1021, Protecting the Integrity of Medicare Act (PIMA) of 2015, provisions on home health surety bond.
H.R. 2, Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015.
H.R. 1202, Medicare Patient Access to Hospice Act of 2015.
S. 839, a bill to extend home health rural add-on.
Value Based Purchasing and Bundling.
Therapy Cap.
S. 1650, Home Health Documentation and Program Improvement Act of 2015.
Medicare reimbursement of advance care planning services.
Appropriations for Family Caregiver Support Programs.
H.R. 2208, Hospice Commitment to Accurate and Relevant Encounters Act.
S. 1549, Care Planning Act of 2015.
S. 1354, Medicare Patient Access to Hospice Act of 2015.
H.R. 1919, Steve Gleason Act of 2015.
H.R. 1516/S. 1013, Ensuring Access to Quality Complex Rehabilitation Technology Act of 2015.
Qualified Individual (QI) Medicare Program.
S. 141/H.R. 1190, Protecting Seniors' Access to Medicare Act.
Client expense: $120,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Cited source text, amounts, lobbyists, and targets
Oppose home health and hospice payment cuts and co-pays.
Legislative and regulatory proposals affecting home care and hospice.
Fostering Independence Through Technology Act (to be re-filed).
S. 578/H.R. 1342, Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act.
Proposals to fix the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR).
Labor/Health and Human Services/Education Appropriations, FY2016, provisions relating to Lifespan Respite Program, caregiver, and falls prevention matters.
Recognition and payment for telehealth services under Medicare and Medicaid.
Face to Face Physician Encounter Requirement.
Medicare Home Health Rebasing Relief and Reassessment Act (to be re-filed).
H.R. 1458, BACPAC Act of 2015.
H.R. 2055, Telehealth Enhancement Act of 2015.
Medicare Telehealth Parity Act (to be re-filed).
SAVE Medicare Home Health Act (to be re-filed).
Home health rural add on payment.
H.R. 1021, Protecting the Integrity of Medicare Act (PIMA) of 2015, provisions on home health surety bond.
H.R. 2, Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015.
H.R. 1202, Medicare Patient Access to Hospice Act of 2015.
S. 839, a bill to extend home health rural add-on.
Value Based Purchasing and Bundling.
Therapy Cap.
S. 1650, Home Health Documentation and Program Improvement Act of 2015.
Medicare reimbursement of advance care planning services.
Appropriations for Family Caregiver Support Programs.
H.R. 2208, Hospice Commitment to Accurate and Relevant Encounters Act.
S. 1549, Care Planning Act of 2015.
S. 1354, Medicare Patient Access to Hospice Act of 2015.
H.R. 1919, Steve Gleason Act of 2015.
H.R. 1516/S. 1013, Ensuring Access to Quality Complex Rehabilitation Technology Act of 2015.
Qualified Individual (QI) Medicare Program.
S. 141/H.R. 1190, Protecting Seniors' Access to Medicare Act.
Client expense: $120,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Cited source text, amounts, lobbyists, and targets
Supports H.R. 1516/S. 1013 - ENsuring Access to Quality Compex Rehabiliation Technology Act - to ensure Medicare beneficiaries' access to customized wheelchairs.
United Spinal advocated distributed a Congressional Dear Colleague letter urging that CRT accessories (specialty controls such as head-rests) are not set at competitive bidding pricing the same as standard wheelchairs due to their highly customized nature for a small population living with significant disabilities.
United Spinal highlighted our concern with CRT Accessories, described above and with our concerns with access to durable medical equipment for wheelchair users under the competitive acquisition program.
United Spinal signed on to a letter to US Health and Human Services Secretary Burwell and CMS officials regarding a pending case, Davis v. Shah, in the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals - a challenge to New York Medicaid's attempt to limit coverage of compression stockings and orthopedic shoes only to Medicaid recipients with specific diagnoses.
Supports the Steve Gleason Act which lifts caps on access to speech-generating devices. (HR 1919, H.R. 629, S, 768, S. 984.
United Spinal supported Congressional testimony on behalf of the Coalition to Preserve Rehabilitation Steering Committee highlighting the need to eliminate site-neutral payments under Medicare and also advocated for additional signatories to a Dear Colleague letter stating the same issue.
United Spinal supports expanded state participation in Medicaid programs that increase funding for HCBS such as the Community First Choice Option, Money Follows the Person, and the Balancing Incentive Program; and oppose restructuring of Medicaid funding through block grants, State Flexibility Funds, or per capita caps.
United Spinal signed on to a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in support of an improved mechanism for the reimbursement of Lemtrada to ensure speedier access to this therapy for individuals with multiple sclerosis.
United Spinal signed onto three comment letters to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in support of improved rehab policy, namely: on in-patient rehabilitative facilities and on skilled nursing facilities to allow for improved quality reporting and on acute care hospitals and payment issues to ensure that bundled payments of services does not hinder coverage of episodes of care for individuals with multiple needs.
United Spinal signed onto a MapRx letter to urge the Senate Finance Committee to include, in their discussion of chronic care, robust formularies, coverage of the six-protected classes of drugs, strong oversight, and transparency for consumers are among the design principles essential to meet the needs of Medicare beneficiaries. In addition, a process for notice of non-coverage, appeals and exceptions is critical to providing access to needed drug therapies.
United Spinal supports S.1253, the Patient Access to Disposable Medical Technology Act of 2015.The legislation amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to cover disposable medical technology in addition to equipment traditionally described as durable medical equipment. This legislation was introduced by Senators Burr (R-NC) and Bennet (D-CO) this spring and is identical to its House counterpart, H.R. 1018, which United Spinal has also supported.
United Spinal supports the Protect Medical Innovation Act of 2015, HR 160, introduced by Rep. Eric Paulsen of Minnesota, which repeals the medical device tax on medical device manufacturers and importers.
United Spinal signed on to a letter to Congress to convey support for the goals of the final Home and Community Based Settings (HCBS) rule issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in January 2014. This rule is the first time CMS has defined community for Medicaid-funded HCBS programs. The letter also urges Congress to: protect cuts to funding; support the requested additional $2.8m in CMS funding for HCBS; and defend against policies or changes to the rule that would hinder the goal of providing supports through HCBS so that people with disabilities can live meaningful lives.
Cited source text, amounts, lobbyists, and targets
Preservation of Medicaid as an entitlement program and avoiding cuts.
Preservation of Medicare and opposition to using Medicare to pay for the costs of other programs.
Achieving a Better Life Experience Act, P.L. 113-295
Implementation of the Affordable Care Act, P.L. 111-148 and P.L. 111-192, including Medicaid and application of mental health parity.
HCBS Settings
Community Integration Act.
S. 1604 Transition to Independence Medicaid Buy-In Option.
Steve Gleason Act (H.R. 1919)(Medicare coverage of speech generating devices)
Medicare Part D / Access to Medications and Access to Durable Medical Equipment.
Client expense: $40,000 · Firm income: Not reported
Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Education, Dept of, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Housing & Urban Development, Dept of (HUD), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Labor, Dept of (DOL), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Social Security Administration (SSA), State, Dept of (DOS), Treasury, Dept of, White House Office
Government targets: Defense, Dept of (DOD), Education, Dept of, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Labor, Dept of (DOL), SENATE, Transportation, Dept of (DOT), U.S. Architectural & Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (ACCESS), U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA), White House Office