,i  #aacth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #cige  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,january #bi1        
#bjad,mr4 ,owens introduced the         
following bill2 which was referred to   
the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce1
 and in addition to the ,committee on   
,ways and ,means1 for a period to be    
subsequently determined by the ,speaker1
 in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the           
jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
,a ,,bill  ,to amend title ,,xviii of   
the ,social ,security ,act to provide   
coverage for low vision devices under   
,medicare1 and for other purposes4  #a4 
,medicare coverage for low vision       
devices  7a7 ,coverage as durable       
medical equipment ,section #ahfa7n7 of  
the ,social ,security ,act 7#db         
,u4,s4,c4 #aciex7n77 is amended by      
inserting low vision devices 7as defined
 in subsection 7iii77#a771 after        
hospital beds14  7b7 ,low vision devices
 defined ,section #ahfa of the ,social  

,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciex7 is
 amended by adding at the end the       
following new subsection3  7iii7 ,low   
vision device2 low vision  7#a7 ,the    
term low vision device means a device   
that-- 7,a7 is an electronic optical    
device with one or more lenses that     
operates to modify or enlarge images2   
7,b7 is prescribed by an ophthalmologist
 or optometrist to an individual with   
low vision in order to address such low 
vision2 and  7,c7 meets such other      
requirements as the ,secretary may      
prescribe4  7#b7 ,the term low vision   
means macular degeneration1 glaucoma1 or
 other visual impairment that-- 7,a7    
cannot be corrected by standard         
eyeglasses1 contact lenses1 medication1 
or surgery2 and  7,b7 interferes with   
the ability of the individual involved  
to perform everyday activities 7as      
determined by the ,secretary74  4  7c7  
,effective date ,the amendments made by 
this section shall apply with respect to
 low vision devices furnished on or     

after ,january #a1 #bjaf4