[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8995 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8995
To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a
program to reimburse health care providers for furnishing rabies
postexposure prophylaxis to uninsured individuals.
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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 28, 2022
Mr. Bera introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
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A BILL
To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a
program to reimburse health care providers for furnishing rabies
postexposure prophylaxis to uninsured individuals.
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 ``Affordable Rabies Treatment for
Uninsured Act''.
SEC. 2. REQUIRING THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO
ESTABLISH A PROGRAM TO REIMBURSE HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS
FOR FURNISHING RABIES POSTEXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS TO
UNINSURED INDIVIDUALS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall
establish a program under which--
(1) program-registered providers submit claims to the
Secretary with respect to the furnishing of medically necessary
rabies postexposure prohylaxis to uninsured individuals; and
(2) the Secretary, subject to the availability of
appropriations, pays each such provider for such prohylaxis in
an amount determined appropriate by the Secretary.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Program-registered provider.--The term ``program-
registered provider'' means a health care provider that--
(A) is licensed or otherwise authorized to furnish
rabies postexposure prohylaxis in the State in which
such provider furnishes such prophylaxis under the
program established under this section; and
(B) enters into an agreement with the Secretary
under which the provider agrees--
(i) not to hold an uninsured individual
liable for the cost of rabies postexposure
prophylaxis with respect to which a payment is
made under subsection (a)(2); and
(ii) to limit any charge to such individual
for the administration of such prophylaxis with
respect to which such a payment is so made to
an amount specified by the Secretary.
(2) Rabies postexposure prohylaxis.--The term ``rabies
postexposure prophylaxis'' means human rabies immune globulin
and rabies vaccine doses, or any other treatment specified by
the Secretary, furnished in accordance with guidelines
specified by the Secretary to an individual who has been
potentially exposed to the rabies virus to prevent the
occurrence of rabies.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Health and Human Services.
(4) Uninsured individual.--The term ``uninsured
individual'' means, with respect to an individual furnished
rabies postexposure prohylaxis, an individual who--
(A) is not enrolled in--
(i) a Federal health care program (as
defined in section 1128B(f) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320a-7b(f)));
(ii) a group health plan or health
insurance coverage offered by a health
insurance issuer in the group or individual
market (as such terms are defined in section
2791 of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 300gg-91)); or
(iii) a health plan offered under chapter
89 of title 5, United States Code; or
(B) is enrolled in a program, plan, or coverage
described in subparagraph (A) that does not provide any
benefits for such prophylaxis under such program, plan,
or coverage (as applicable).
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