S.Amdt. 4381

SA 4381. Mr. BENNET submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to
amendment SA 4369 proposed by Mr. Baucus to the bill H.R. 4213, to
amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend certain expiring
provisions, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the
table; as follows:

On page 303, between lines 12 and 13, insert the following:

SEC. 526. RURAL HEALTH ACCESS AND IMPROVEMENT.

(a) Grants to Promote Hospital Health Information
Technology.--Section 3013 of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 300jj-33) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(j) Priority.--In awarding a grant under this section,
the Secretary shall give priority to qualified State-
designated entities that are critical access hospitals, as
defined in section 1861(mm) of the Social Security Act.''.
(b) Expanded Participation in Section 340B Program.--
Section 340B(a)(4) of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 256b(a)(4)) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(P) An entity that is a rural health clinic, as defined
in section 1861(aa)(2) of the Social Security Act.''.
(c) GAO Study and Report on Dispensing Fees.--The
Comptroller General of the United States shall study and
report on the following aspects of the Medicaid pharmacy
benefit program under title XIX of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 1396a et seq.):
(1) Any additional costs to pharmacies, and the factors
contributing to such costs, associated with--
(A) providing pharmacy services, including whether the
pharmacy providing the services is--
(i) a rural or urban pharmacy;
(ii) an independent or chain-operated pharmacy;
(iii) a specialty pharmacy; or
(iv) a long term care pharmacy;
(B) compliance with the requirements of the drug use review
program under section 1927(g) of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 1396r-8(g)), including any State-based counseling
requirements; and
(C) compliance with any additional administrative burdens,
such as coordination of benefits and prior authorization
requirements.
(2) The ability of pharmacies to collect Medicaid
copayments.
(3) The policies used by States to encourage generic drug
utilization.
(4) State Medicaid policies regarding the administration of
vaccinations by pharmacists and access to vaccinations.
(d) State Offices of Rural Health.--Section 338J of the
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254r) is amended by
striking subsection (k).
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