S. 3797 — Introduced in Senate

II 118th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 3797 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 12, 2024Mr. Rounds (for himself, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Thune, Mr. Hoeven, and Mrs. Murray) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs A BILL To amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to address liability for payment of charges or costs associated with provision of purchased/referred care services, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Purchased and Referred Care Improvement Act. 2. Changes to liability for payment Section 222 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1621u) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) by striking A patient and inserting Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a patient; (B) by striking contract health care and inserting purchased/referred care; and (C) by inserting to any provider, third party debt collector, or any other person after shall not be liable; (2) in subsection (b)— (A) by striking contract care each place it appears and inserting purchased/referred care; (B) by striking contract health care and inserting purchased/referred care; (C) by inserting , notwithstanding any other provision of law, after by the Service that; and (D) by inserting to any provider, third party debt collector, or any other person after is not liable; (3) in subsection (c), by inserting , the third party debt collector, or any other person, as applicable after the provider; and (4) by adding at the end the following: (d) Reimbursement (1) In general Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Service shall establish and implement procedures to allow a patient that paid directly for purchased/referred care services authorized by the Service under this Act to be reimbursed by the purchased/referred care program for that payment not later than 30 days after the patient submits documentation to the Service pursuant to paragraph (2). (2) Submitting documentation The Service shall accept documentation from a patient seeking reimbursement under paragraph (1) that was submitted— (A) electronically; or (B) in-person at a Indian health program. .