Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Medicare Patient Access to Hospice Act of 2017”.
Medicare Patient Access to Hospice Act of 2017
A BILL
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the recognition of attending physician assistants as attending physicians to serve hospice patients, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Recognition of attending physician assistants as attending physicians to serve hospice patients
Recognition of attending physician assistants as attending physicians To serve hospice patients—
In general— Section 1861(dd)(3)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(dd)(3)(B)) is amended—
by striking “or nurse” and inserting “, the nurse”; and
by inserting “, or the physician assistant (as defined in such subsection)” after “subsection (aa)(5))”.
Clarification of hospice role of physician assistants— Section 1814(a)(7)(A)(i)(I) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395f(a)(7)(A)(i)(I)) is amended by inserting “or a physician assistant” after “a nurse practitioner”.
Effective date— The amendments made by this section shall apply to items and services furnished on or after January 1, 2018.