A BILL

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to allow Medicare beneficiaries to choose their physical and occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and chiropractors.

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 ‘‘Medicare Patient Choice Act’’.

SECTION 2. FREE CHOICE OF THERAPISTS FOR MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES

Section 1802(b) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395a(b)) is amended—

1. (1) in paragraph (1)—
2. A. in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘physician or practitioner’’ and inserting ‘‘physician, practitioner, therapist, or qualified audiologist’’;
3. B. in subparagraph (B), in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking ‘‘physician or practitioner’’ and inserting ‘‘physician, practitioner, therapist, or qualified audiologist’’;
4. (2) in paragraph (2)(B)—
5. A. in clause (i), by striking ‘‘physician or practitioner’’ and inserting ‘‘physician, practitioner, therapist, or qualified audiologist’’;
6. B. in clause (v), by striking ‘‘physicians or practitioners’’ and inserting ‘‘physicians, practitioners, therapists, or qualified audiologists’’;
7. C. in the matter following clause (v), by striking ‘‘physician or practitioner’’ and inserting ‘‘physician, practitioner, therapist, or qualified audiologist’’;
8. (3) in paragraph (3)—
9. A. in the heading, by striking ‘‘ PHYSICIAN OR PRACTITIONER ’’ and inserting ‘‘ PHYSICIAN , PRACTITIONER , THERAPIST , OR QUALIFIED AU-DIOLOGIST ”’’;
10. B. in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘physician or practitioner’’ and inserting ‘‘physician, practitioner, therapist, or qualified audiologist’’;
11. C. in subparagraph (B)—
12. i. in clause (i), by striking ‘‘physician or practitioner’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘physician, practitioner, therapist, or qualified audiologist’’;
13. ii. in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘physician or practitioner’’ and inserting ‘‘physician, practitioner, therapist, or qualified audiologist’’;
14. D. in subparagraph (C)—
15. i. in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking ‘‘physician or practitioner’’ and inserting ‘‘physician, practitioner, therapist, or qualified audiologist’’;
16. ii. in clause (i), by striking ‘‘physician or practitioner’’ and inserting ‘‘physician, practitioner, therapist, or qualified audiologist’’;
17. iii. in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘physician or practitioner’’ and inserting ‘‘physician, practitioner, therapist, or qualified audiologist’’;
18. E. in subparagraph (D), by striking ‘‘physician or practitioner’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘physician, practitioner, therapist, or qualified audiologist’’;
19. (4) in paragraph (5)—
20. A. in the heading, by striking ‘‘ PHYSI – CIANS AND PRACTITIONERS ’’ and inserting ‘‘ PHYSICIANS , PRACTITIONERS , THERAPISTS , AND QUALIFIED AUDIOLOGISTS ”’’;
21. B. in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘physicians and practitioners’’ and inserting ‘‘physicians, practitioners, therapists, and qualified audiologists’’;
22. C. in subparagraph (B)—
23. i. in the manner preceding clause (i), by striking ‘‘physicians and practitioners’’ and inserting ‘‘physicians, practitioners, therapists, and qualified audiologists’’;
24. ii. in clause (iv), by striking ‘‘physicians and practitioners’’ and inserting ‘‘physicians, practitioners, therapists, and qualified audiologists’’;
25. iii. in clause (v), by striking ‘‘physicians and practitioners’’ and inserting ‘‘physicians, practitioners, therapists, and qualified audiologists’’;

Æ

‘‘(F) QUALIFIED AUDIOLOGIST .—The term“qualified audiologist”has the meaning given such term in section 1861(ll)(4)(B).’’