A bill to provide for a greater utilization of the professional services of qualified professional psychiatric nurses in the medicare and medicaid programs.

Summary

Amends the Social Security Act to require skilled nursing facilities, under Title XVIII (Medicare), to have a qualified professional psychiatric nurse available, on at least a consultant basis, in order to furnish necessary performed psychiatric services, and to permit such nurses to perform specified medical and other health services which are performed by physicians. Defines "qualified professional nurse" to mean an individual who: (1) is licensed to practice nursing by the State in which such function is performed; (2) holds a master's degree in psychiatric nursing or a related field, or practices under the supervision of an individual who has such a degree; and (3) is certified as a psychiatric nurse by the duly recognized professional nurses' organization. Amends Title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act: (1) to authorize payment for professional services furnished by a qualified professional psychiatric nurse; (2) to prohibit payment for services furnished by any intermediate care facility or skilled nursing facility which does not have a qualified psychiatric nurse available, on at least a consultant basis; and (3) to prohibit payment for inpatient services furnished by a psychiatric hospital unless such hospital provides to qualified professional nurses the same staff privileges which are extended to physicians.

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1 official file

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 8 June 1976

  Open at official source

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