,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #hghj ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,november #ah1 #bjbj ,mr4 ,walden 7for himself and ,ms4 ,blunt ,rochester7 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 for additional requirements with respect to electrodiagnostic services under the ,medicare program4 #a4 ,additional requirements for electrodiagnostic services ,section #ahcd of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciem7 is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection3 7x7 ,payment for electrodiagnostic services 7#a7 ,in general ,no payment may be made under this part for electrodiagnostic services described in paragraph 7#b7 furnished on or after a date determined appropriate by the ,secretary that is not less than #c years after the date of the enactment of this subsection and not later than #d years after such date of enactment that are not furnished at a qualified facility4 7#b7 ,electrodiagnostic services ,the services described in this paragraph are the following3 7,a7 ,nerve conduction studies4 7,b7 ,needle electromyography tests4 7#c7 ,qualified facility ,in this subsection1 the term qualified facility means a facility accredited by an organization specified by the ,secretary pursuant to paragraph 7#d74 7#d7 ,accreditation organizations 7,a7 ,in general ,not later than #b years after the date of the enactment of this subsection1 the ,secretary shall specify one or more accrediting organizations1 in consultation with the advisory committee described in paragraph 7#e71 for purposes determining whether a facility is a qualified facility4 ,the ,secretary may specify an organization pursuant to the preceding sentence only if such organization requires1 as a condition of accreditation of a facility by such organization1 that such facility meet the requirements described in subparagraph 7,b74 7,b7 ,facility requirements ,the requirements described in this subparagraph are1 with respect to a facility and electrodiagnostic services furnished at such facility1 the following3 7i7 ,the facility establishes and maintains a quality assurance and control program to ensure the reliability1 safety1 and accuracy of such service4 7ii7 ,the facility ensures that such service is conducted using a device capable of performing both nerve conduction studies that record amplitude and latency and needle electromyography tests capable of real-time waveform display and analysis4 7iii7 ,in the case that such service is a needle electromyography test1 the facility ensures that the physician furnishing such test has completed not less than three months of training in furnishing electrodiagnostic services through a residency or fellowship program accredited by the ,accreditation ,council for ,graduate ,medical ,education or the ,royal ,college of ,physicians and ,surgeons of ,canada4 7iv7 ,the facility ensures that the results are interpreted on-site and at the time of the procedure-- 7,i7 in the case of a needle electromyography test1 by the physician who performed such test2 and 7,,ii7 in the case of a nerve conduction study1 by the physician who performed or supervised such study4 7v7 ,any other requirement determined appropriate by the ,secretary4 7,c7 ,regulations ,not later than #a year after the date of the enactment of this subsection1 the ,secretary shall finalize regulations that outline-- 7i7 the process by which an accrediting organization may be specified under subparagraph 7,a72 7ii7 the duration and the minimum time period between reviews for reaccreditation an organization so specified must provide for with respect to an accreditation of a facility made by such organization2 7iii7 the process by which the ,secretary may withdraw approval of an accrediting organization so specified if the ,secretary determines that such organization no longer requires1 as a condition of accreditation of a facility by such organization1 that such facility meet the requirements described in subparagraph 7,b72 and 7iv7 the effect such a withdrawal will have on facilities accredited by such organization as of the date of such withdrawal4 7#e7 ,advisory committee 7,a7 ,in general ,not later than #b years after the date of the enactment of this subsection1 the ,secretary shall establish an advisory committee to be known as the ,national ,electrodiagnostic ,services ,advisory ,committee 7in this subsection referred to as the committee7 for purposes of carrying out the duties specified in subparagraph 7,b74 7,b7 ,duties ,the duties of the committee are the following3 7i7 ,to provide to the ,secretary recommendations with respect to requirements that may be determined appropriate by the ,secretary pursuant to paragraph 7#d77;,b77v71 including any proposed additions to such requirements or modifications of such requirements4 ,in developing such recommendations1 the committee shall prioritize-- 7,i7 reducing unnecessary treatments and surgeries2 7,,ii7 decreasing the need for retesting of individuals2 7,,iii7 enhancing the reliability of diagnoses and promoting positive health outcomes for individuals2 7,,iv7 addressing emerging waste1 fraud1 and abuse schemes2 and 7,v7 otherwise improving the quality of care for individuals4 7ii7 ,to provide to the ,secretary recommendations regarding the regulations described in paragraph 7#d77;,c74 7iii7 ,to provide to the ,secretary recommendations with respect to whether accrediting organizations seeking to be specified pursuant to paragraph 7#d77;,a7 should be so specified4 7,c7 ,composition ,the committee shall be composed of not fewer than #i and not more than #aa individuals selected by the ,secretary4 ,such individuals shall not be officers or employees of the ,federal ,government and shall include-- 7i7 physicians2 7ii7 other health care practitioners2 and 7iii7 other individuals determined appropriate by the ,secretary4 7,d7 ,meetings ,the committee shall convene not less than twice each year4 4