To provide for a study and report on the propagation of concierge.

1. Adds SEC. ____. GAO STUDY AND REPORT ON THE PROPAGATION OF CONCIERGE CARE at the end of subtitle B of title IV

   Adds a section

   In S. 1 · Reported to Senate

   (b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report on the study conducted under subsection (a). The report shall include recommendations regarding the use of more current data in computing geographic cost of practice indices as well as the use of data directly representative of physicians' costs (rather than proxy measures of such costs).

   Inserted: SEC. ____. GAO STUDY AND REPORT ON THE PROPAGATION OF CONCIERGE CARE.

   Inserted: (a) Study.--

   Inserted: (1) In general.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study on concierge care (as defined in paragraph (2)) to determine the extent to which such care--

   Inserted: (A) is used by medicare beneficiaries (as defined in section 1802(b)(5)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395a(b)(5)(A))); and

   Inserted: (B) has impacted upon the access of medicare beneficiaries (as so defined) to items and services for which reimbursement is provided under the medicare program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.).

   Inserted: (2) Concierge care.--In this section, the term "concierge care" means an arrangement under which, as a prerequisite for the provision of a health care item or service to an individual, a physician, practitioner (as described in section 1842(b)(18)(C) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395u(b)(18)(C))), or other individual--

   Inserted: (A) charges a membership fee or another incidental fee to an individual desiring to receive the health care item or service from such physician, practitioner, or other individual; or

   Inserted: (B) requires the individual desiring to receive the health care item or service from such physician, practitioner, or other individual to purchase an item or service.

   Inserted: (b) Report.--Not later than the date that is 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report on the study conducted under subsection (a)(1) together with such recommendations for legislative or administrative action as the Comptroller General determines to be appropriate.

   Original wording

   At the end of subtitle B of title IV, add the following:

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As printed