S.Amdt. 3412

SA 3412. Mr. MERKLEY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
to amendment SA 3378 proposed by Mr. Grassley (for himself, Mr. Leahy,
Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Portman, Ms. Klobuchar, Ms. Ayotte, Mr. Graham, Mr.
Coons, Mr. Cornyn, and Mr. Durbin) to the bill S. 524, to authorize the
Attorney General to award grants to address the national epidemics of
prescription opioid abuse and heroin use; which was ordered to lie on
the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place, insert the following:

SEC. __. IMPROVING MEDICARE COVERAGE FOR BENEFICIARIES WITH
DRUG AND ALCOHOL ADDICTIONS.

(a) Ensuring Coverage of Opioid Detoxification Under
Medicare Part A.--
(1) In general.--Section 1812 of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 1395d) is amended by adding at the end the
following new subsection:
``(h) Coverage for opioid detoxification (as defined by the
Secretary) shall be available under this part in a similar
manner as the coverage for alcohol detoxification is
available under this part.''.
(2) Effective date.--The amendment made by paragraph (1)
shall apply to discharges occurring on or after October 1,
2016.
(b) Inclusion of Methadone as a Covered Part D Drug.--
(1) In general.--Section 1860D-2(e)(1) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-102(e)(1)) is amended--
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``or'' at the end;
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking the comma at the end
and inserting ``; or''; and
(C) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new
subparagraph:
``(C) methadone for the treatment of opioid dependence,''.
(2) Effective date.--The amendments made by paragraph (1)
shall apply to plan year 2017 and subsequent plan years.
(c) Permitting Substance Abuse Counselors to Furnish
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Therapy Services Under Medicare Part
B.--
(1) In general.--Section 1842(b)(18)(C) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395u(b)(18)(C)) is amended by adding
at the end the following new clause:
``(vii) A substance abuse counselor (as defined by the
Secretary) with respect to the furnishing of alcohol and drug
abuse therapy services (as defined by the Secretary) that

[[Page S1238]]

such counselor is authorized to furnish under State law.''.
(2) Effective date.--The amendment made by paragraph (1)
shall apply to items and services furnished on or after
January 1, 2017.
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