S.Amdt. 2964

SA 2964. Mr. COBURN 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 line 11 through line 14.
On page 396, between lines 8 and 9, insert the following:

SEC. 1563. ENSURING THAT GOVERNMENT HEALTH CARE RATIONING
DOES NOT HARM, INJURE, OR DENY MEDICALLY
NECESSARY CARE.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law--
(1) no individual may be denied health care based on age or
life expectancy by any Federal health program, the community
health insurance option established under section 1323, or
any Exchange established under this Act; and
(2) no entity of the Federal Government may develop
Quality-Adjusted Life Year measures or other similarly
designed government formulas for limiting access to
treatment.
Strike section 3403.
Strike section 4105.
On page 1680, between lines 20 and 21, insert the
following:
``(2) Prohibition.--The findings of the Institute are
prohibited from being used by any government entity for
payment, coverage, or treatment decisions. Nothing in the
preceding sentence shall limit a physician or other health
care provider from using Institute reports and
recommendations when making decisions about the best
treatment for an individual patient in an individual
circumstance.''.
At the end of subtitle G of title I, add the following:

SEC. 15__. IDENTIFICATION OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HEALTH CARE
RATIONING.

(a) In General.--The Comptroller General of the United
States shall conduct, and submit to Congress a report
describing the results of, a study that compares, with regard
to the programs described in subsection (b)--
(1) any restrictions or limitations regarding access to
health care providers (including the percentage of health
care providers willing or permitted to care for patients
insured by each program);
(2) any restrictions, denials, or rationing relating to the
provision of health care, including medical procedures, tests
(including mammograms and cervical cancer screenings), and
prescription drug formularies;
(3) average wait times to see a primary care doctor;
(4) average wait times for medically necessary surgeries
and medical procedures; and
(5) the estimated waste, fraud, and abuse (including
improper payments) in each program.
(b) Programs.--The programs referred to in subsection (a)
are--
(1) Medicare;
(2) Medicaid;
(3) the Indian Health Service;
(4) the Department of Veterans Affairs; and
(5) the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program.
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