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Medicare Patient Empowerment Act of 2023
12/27/2023, 2:36 PM
Summary of Bill S 3403
One key provision of the bill is the expansion of telehealth services for Medicare beneficiaries. This would allow patients to receive medical care remotely, through video calls or other virtual means, making it easier for them to access healthcare services without having to travel to a doctor's office.
Another important aspect of the Medicare Patient Empowerment Act is the promotion of shared decision-making between patients and their healthcare providers. This means that patients would be encouraged to actively participate in decisions about their own care, including choosing treatment options and setting healthcare goals. Additionally, the bill aims to improve transparency in healthcare pricing, making it easier for patients to understand the costs associated with their care. This would help patients make more informed decisions about their healthcare and potentially save them money in the long run. Overall, the Medicare Patient Empowerment Act of 2023 seeks to give Medicare beneficiaries more control over their healthcare decisions, improve access to care through telehealth services, promote shared decision-making, and increase transparency in healthcare pricing.
Congressional Summary of S 3403
Medicare Patient Empowerment Act of 2023
This bill allows any Medicare beneficiary to enter into a contract with an eligible professional, regardless of whether the professional is a participating or non-participating physician or practitioner, for any item or service covered by Medicare.
Such beneficiaries may submit a claim for Medicare payment in the amount that would otherwise apply, except that, where the professional is considered to be non-participating, payment shall be paid as if the professional were participating. An eligible professional is a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, certified registered nurse anesthetist, certified nurse-midwife, clinical social worker, clinical psychologist, registered dietitian or nutrition professional, physical or occupational therapist, qualified speech-language pathologist, or qualified audiologist.
A Medicare beneficiary must agree in writing in such a contract to (1) pay the eligible professional for a Medicare-covered item or service; and (2) submit, in lieu of the eligible professional, a claim for Medicare payment. However, a beneficiary may negotiate, as a term of the contract, for the eligible professional to file such claims on the beneficiary's behalf.
The bill preempts state laws from limiting the amount of charges for physician and practitioner services for which Medicare payment is made.
