PUBLIC LAW 96-499—DEC. 5, 1980
94 STAT. 2649
tive, financial, and other aspects of making such nutritional therapy generally available as part of the benefits received under title XVIII 42 USC 1395. of the Social Security Act. (b) The Secretary shall submit, to the Congress, within one year Report to after the date of the enactment of this Act, a report on the demonstra- Congress. tion projects being conducted by the Secretary with respect to waiving the applicable cost sharing amounts which beneficiaries under title XVIII of the Social Security Act have to pay for obtaining a second opinion on having surgery performed. Such report shall include any recommendations for legislative changes in such title which the Secretary finds desirable as a result of such demonstration projects. (c) The Secretary shall conduct a study of the circumstances and conditions under which services furnished by registered dietitians should be covered as a home health benefit under title XVIII of the Social Security Act. (d) The Secretary shall develop and carry out demonstration projects to determine the administrative, financial, and other aspects of making the services of clinical social workers more generally available as part of the benefits received under title XVIII of the Social Security Act. (e) The Secretary shall, in consultation with appropriate professional organizations, conduct a comprehensive study of methods for providing coverage under part B of title XVIII of the Social Security Act for orthopedic shoes for individuals with disabling or deforming 42 USC I395j. conditions who require special fitting considerations to help protect against increasing disability or serious medical complications or who require special shoes in conjunction with the use of an orthosis or foot support. The Secretary shall submit to the Congress, no later than Report to July 1, 1981, a report on the findings of this study and such specific Congress. legislative recommendations as is appropriate with respect to the utilization, cost control, quality of care, and equitable and efficient administration of such an extension of coverage. (f) The Secretary shall conduct a study of the circumstances and conditions under which services furnished with respect to respiratory therapy should be covered as a home health benefit under title XVIII of the Social Security Act. (g) The Secretary shall conduct a study involving a comprehensive analysis of the cost effects of alternative approaches to improving coverage under title XVIII of the Social Security Act for the treatment of various types of foot conditions. (h) The Secretary shall submit a report on each of the demonstra- Report. tion projects and studies described in subsections (a), (c), (d), (f), and (g). Each such report shall be submitted within twenty-four months of the date of the enactment of this Act and shall contain any recommendations for legislative changes which the Secretary finds desirable as a result of conducting the demonstration project or study with respect to which the report is submitted. (i) Where any study or demonstration project conducted under this section relates to payments with respect to services furnished by independent practitioners, such study or project shall include an evaluation of the effect of such payments on coordination of care, cost, quality, and the organization in the provision of services and the utilization of services. (j) Grants, payments under contracts, and other expenditures made for studies and demonstration projects under this section shall be made in appropriate part from the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund (established by section 1817 of the Social Security Act) and the 42 USC I395i.
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