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[DOCID: f:h1490ih.txt]






107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1490

    To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to clarify the 
definition of homebound with respect to home health services under the 
                           Medicare Program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 4, 2001

    Mr. Markey (for himself, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. King, Mr. 
McDermott, Mr. Holt, Mr. Matsui, Mr. Waxman, Mr. Baldacci, Mr. Meehan, 
   Mr. Hilliard, Mr. Riley, Ms. Slaughter, Mrs. Mink of Hawaii, Mr. 
 Kucinich, Mr. Gutierrez, Mr. Bonior, Mr. Sandlin, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. 
   Delahunt, Mr. Gordon, Mr. Inslee, Mr. Reyes, Mr. Andrews, and Mr. 
   DeFazio) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy 
    and Commerce, 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 clarify the 
definition of homebound with respect to home health 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 ``Homebound Clarification Act of 
2001''.

SEC. 2. CLARIFICATION OF THE DEFINITION OF HOMEBOUND.

    (a) In General.--Sections 1814(a) and 1835(a) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395f(a); 1395n(a)), as amended by section 
507(a)(1)(B) of BIPA (114 Stat. 2763A-532), are each amended by 
striking the last two sentences and inserting the following: ``Any 
other absence of an individual from the home, including any absence for 
the purpose of attending a religious service, shall not so disqualify 
the individual.''.
    (b) Technical Amendments.--(1) The fifth sentence of such sections 
1814(a) and 1835(a), as amended by section 507(a)(1)(A) of BIPA (114 
Stat. 2763A-532), is amended by striking ``leave home,'' and inserting 
``leave home and''.
    (2) Such section 1814(a) is further amended by moving the sixth 
sentence, as added by section 322(a)(1) of BIPA (114 Stat. 2763A-501), 
to the end of that section.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take 
effect as if included in the enactment of section 507(a) of BIPA (114 
Stat. 2763A-532).
    (d) References to BIPA.--In this section, the term ``BIPA'' means 
the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and Protection 
Act of 2000 (appendix F, 114 Stat. 2763A-463), as enacted into law by 
section 1(a)(6) of Public Law 106-554.
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