Medicare Health Improvement Act of 2000

Summary

Medicare Health Improvement Act of 2000 - Title I: HCFA Mission Statement - Amends part A (Hospital Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to provide that in administering the Medicare program it is the mission of the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) to: (1) effectively and efficiently administer a program of health insurance coverage for individuals entitled to benefits under Medicare part A or enrolled under Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance), including individuals enrolled in a Medicare+Choice plan offered by a Medicare+Choice organization under Medicare part C (Medicare+Choice); (2) assure that health care provided to such individuals is of the highest quality; and (3) carry out programs in cooperation with other Government agencies and the private sector to promote health, prevent disease, and assure the highest possible functional level for such individuals. Title II: Enabling Older Americans and Persons with Disabilities to Improve Their Health Status - Amends SSA title XVIII to provide for the waiver of coinsurance and deductibles for specified preventive services. (Sec. 202) Directs the Secretary and the Commissioner of Social Security jointly to conduct an information campaign for individuals who have attained age 50 and individuals with disabilities to promote: (1) the use of preventive health services; (2) the proper use of prescription and over-the-counter drugs in order to reduce the number of hospital stays and physician visits among such individuals that result from improper use of such drugs; and (3) the steps that such individuals may take in order to promote and safeguard their health. Directs such officials to provide grants to, and enter into contracts with, eligible entities to assist with carrying out the purposes of this paragraph. (Sec. 203) Requires the Secretary to develop a health status self-assessment form that includes assessment of mental health status, alcohol use, and substance use, and assists Medicare beneficiaries in identifying important health information, risk factors, or significant symptoms that should be acted upon or discussed with the beneficiary's health care provider. Directs the Secretary to establish a training program for the staff of State health insurance assistance programs that will enable them to assist Medicare beneficiaries in completing the self-assessment form. Title III: Improving the Quality of Care Provided to Older Americans and Persons with Disabilities - Directs the Secretary to: (1) conduct a study to determine areas where treatment of Medicare beneficiaries falls short of the highest professional standards and to determine the best practices in such areas; and (2) provide for an information campaign to inform Medicare beneficiaries about the results of such study. (Sec. 302) Requires the Secretary to establish and report to Congress on a program to: (1) improve treatment of Medicare beneficiaries based on the results of such study and other relevant information; and (2) reduce the number of hospital stays and physician visits among Medicare beneficiaries that result from improper use of prescription and over-the-counter drugs. (Sec. 303) Directs the Secretary to conduct and report to Congress on a series of studies designed to identify preventive interventions that can be delivered in the primary care setting that are most valuable to older Americans. Amends the mission statement of the United States Preventive Services Task Force to include the evaluation of services that are of particular relevance to older Americans. (Sec. 304) Requires the Secretary to conduct and report to Congress on a demonstration project to: (1) evaluate the most successful and cost-effective means of providing smoking cessation services to Medicare beneficiaries; and (2) test incentive systems for physicians, other health care professionals, and Medicare beneficiaries to optimize rates of successful smoking cessation among such beneficiaries. Title IV: Demonstration Projects to Improve the Care of Residents of Skilled Nursing Facilities and Persons with Serious Illnesses - Directs the Secretary to conduct and report to Congress on demonstration projects designed to provide Medicare beneficiaries who are residents of skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) with higher quality and more cost-effective services in order to avoid unnecessary hospitalizations of such residents. (Sec. 402) Amends the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 to revise the Medicare coordinated care demonstration project to include fee-for-service program enrollees with a serious illness or a chronic illness. (Currently, only such enrollees with a chronic illness are covered.) Title V: White House Conference on Improving the Health of Older Americans - Directs the President to convene a White House Conference on Improving the Health of Older Americans.

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3 official files

• Introduced in Senate (text)

  Introduced in Senate · EN · 14 June 2000

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• Introduced in Senate (PDF)

  Introduced in Senate · EN · 14 June 2000

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• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 14 June 2000

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