To ensure patients receive doctor recommendations for preventive health services, including mammograms and cervical cancer screening, without interference from government or insurance company bureaucrats.

SA 2836. Ms. MURKOWSKI (for herself, Mrs. Hutchison, and Mr. Johanns)
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 2786
proposed by Mr. Reid (for himself, Mr. Baucus, Mr. Dodd, and Mr.
Harkin) to the bill H.R. 3590, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 to modify the first-time homebuyers credit in the case of members
of the Armed Forces and certain other Federal employees, and for other
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

On page 17, strike lines 11 through 14.
On page 17, line 15, strike ``(2)'' and insert ``(1).''
On page 17, line 20, strike ``(3)'' and insert ``(2)''.
On page 17, between lines 24 and 25, insert the following:

``Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary
shall not use any recommendation made by the United States
Preventive Services Task Force to deny coverage of an item or
service by a group health plan or health insurance issuer
offering group or individual health insurance coverage or
under a Federal health care program (as defined in section
1128B(f) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.1320a-7b(f)))
or private insurance.
``(b) Determinations of Benefits Coverage.--A group health
plan and a health insurance issuer offering group or
individual health insurance coverage shall, in determining
which preventive items and services to provide coverage for
under the plan or coverage, consult the medical guidelines
and recommendations of relevant professional medical
organizations of relevant medical practice areas (such as the
American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American College
of Surgeons, the American College of Radiation Oncology, the
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and
other similar organizations), including guidelines and
recommendations relating to the coverage of women's
preventive services (such as mammograms and cervical cancer
screenings). The plan or issuer shall disclose such
guidelines and recommendations to enrollees as part of the
summary of benefits and coverage explanation provided under
section 2715.''.
On page 17, line 25, strike ``(b)'' and insert ``(c)''.
On page 18, lines 3 and 4, strike ``or (a)(2)''.
On page 18, line 4, strike ``(a)(3)'' and insert ``(a)(2)''
On page 18, line 11, strike ``(c)'' and insert ``(d)''.
On page 124, between lines 22 and 23, insert the following:
(d) Rule of Construction With Respect to Preventive
Services.--Nothing in this Act (or an amendment made by this
Act) shall be construed to authorize the Secretary, or any
other governmental or quasi-governmental entity, to define or
classify abortion or abortion services as ``preventive care''
or as a ``preventive service''.
On page 1680, strike lines 10 through 12, and insert the
following:
``(A) to permit the Secretary to use data obtained from the
conduct of comparative effectiveness research, including such
research that is conducted or supported using funds
appropriated under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
of 2009 (Public Law 111-5), to deny coverage of an item or
service under a Federal health care program (as defined in
section 1128B(f)) or private insurance; or''.
______