,,ii  #aaeth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #bbad  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,december #aa1 
#bjag,mr4 ,enzi 7for himself and ,mr4   
,carper7 introduced the following bill2 
which was read twice and referred to the
 ,committee on ,finance  ,a ,,bill  ,to 
amend title ,,xviii of the ,social      
,security ,act to provide for the       
recognition of attending physician      
assistants as attending physicians to   
serve hospice patients1 and for other   
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,medicare ,patient  
,access to ,hospice ,act of #bjag4  #b4 
,recognition of attending physician     
assistants as attending physicians to   
serve hospice patients  7a7 ,recognition
 of attending physician assistants as   
attending physicians ,to serve hospice  
patients  7#a7 ,in general ,section     
#ahfa7;dd77#c77;,b7 of the ,social      
,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4           
#aciex7dd77#c77;,b77 is amended--  7,a7 
by striking or nurse and inserting 1 the

 nurse2 and  7,b7 by inserting 1 or the 
physician assistant 7as defined in such 
subsection7 after subsection 7aa77#e774 
7#b7 ,clarification of hospice role of  
physician assistants ,section           
#ahad7;a77#g77;,a77i77,i7 of the ,social
 ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4          
#acie;f7a77#g77;,a77i77,i77 is amended  
by inserting or a physician assistant   
after a nurse practitioner4  7b7        
,effective date ,the amendments made by 
this section shall apply to items and   
services furnished on or after ,january 
#a1 #bjai4