,,ii #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #abbg ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,april #a 7legislative day1 ,march #ca71 #bjbe,mr4 ,markey 7for himself1 ,mrs4 ,capito1 ,mr4 ,hickenlooper1 ,mrs4 ,hyde-,smith1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 ,mr4 ,tillis1 ,ms4 ,klobuchar1 ,mr4 ,scott of ,florida1 ,ms4 ,baldwin1 ,ms4 ,lummis1 ,mr4 ,kelly1 ,mrs4 ,britt1 ,ms4 ,hirono1 ,mr4 ,rounds1 ,mr4 ,whitehouse1 ,mr4 ,cassidy1 ,mr4 ,coons1 and ,mr4 ,schmitt7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,finance ,a ,,bill ,to require the ,administrator of the ,centers for ,medicare ,medicaid ,services and the ,commissioner of ,social ,security to review and simplify the processes1 procedures1 forms1 and communications for family caregivers to assist individuals in establishing eligibility for1 enrolling in1 and maintaining and utilizing coverage and benefits under the ,medicare1 ,medicaid1 ,,chip1 and ,social ,security programs respectively1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,alleviating ,barriers for ,caregivers ,act or the ,,abc ,act4 #b4 ,review of ,medicare1 ,medicaid1 ,,chip1 and ,social ,security to simplify processes4 procedures1 forms1 and communications 7a7 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,administrator ,the term ,administrator means the ,administrator of the ,centers for ,medicare ,medicaid ,services4 7#b7 ,,chip ,the term ,,chip means the ,children's ,health ,insurance ,program established under title ,,xxi of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acig;aa et seq474 7#c7 ,commissioner ,the term ,commissioner means the ,commissioner of ,social ,security4 7#d7 ,covered agencies ,the term covered agencies means the ,centers for ,medicare ,medicaid ,services and the ,social ,security ,administration4 7#e7 ,covered officials ,the term covered officials means the ,administrator and ,commissioner4 7#f7 ,covered programs ,the term covered programs means ,medicare1 ,medicaid1 ,,chip1 and the ,social ,security programs4 7#g7 ,disability ,the term disability has the meaning given such term in section #c of the ,americans with ,disabilities ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abajb74 7#h7 ,family caregiver ,the term family caregiver has the meaning given the term in section #b of the ,,raise ,family ,caregivers ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjcjs note74 7#i7 ,medicaid ,the term ,medicaid means the ,medicaid program established under title ,,xix of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acif et seq474 7#aj7 ,medicare ,the term ,medicare means the ,medicare program established under title ,,xviii of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acie et seq474 7#aa7 ,state ,the term ,state means any of the #ej ,states1 the ,district of ,columbia1 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1 the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands1 ,guam1 ,american ,samoa1 or the ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands4 7#ab7 ,social ,security programs ,the term ,social ,security programs means each of the following3 7,a7 ,the programs for old-age and survivors insurance benefits and disability insurance benefits established under title ,,ii of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dja et seq474 7,b7 ,the program for supplemental security income benefits established under title ,,xvi of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acha et seq474 7b7 ,review of programs 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator and the ,commissioner shall jointly conduct a review of the eligibility determination and application processes1 procedures1 forms1 and communications of ,medicare1 ,medicaid1 ,,chip1 and the ,social ,security programs4 7#b7 ,goals of the review ,in conducting the reviews under paragraph 7#a71 the covered officials shall seek ways to-- 7,a7 simplify and streamline policies and procedures for determining eligibility for1 enrolling in1 maintaining coverage in1 and utilizing the full benefits available under the covered programs2 7,b7 reduce the frequency of family caregivers having to-- 7i7 provide the same information to covered agencies more than once2 7ii7 complete-- 7,i7 multiple documents for each covered agency2 or 7,,ii7 documents requesting the same or similar information for multiple covered agencies2 or 7iii7 provide information to the covered agencies that-- 7,i7 the covered agencies already have2 or 7,,ii7 the covered agencies can easily receive from other ,federal agencies2 and 7,c7 make it easier for family caregivers to work with the covered agencies and the ,state agencies responsible for administering ,state ,medicaid and ,,chip plans by-- 7i7 providing information on eligibility for1 enrollment in1 maintaining coverage in1 and utilizing the full benefits available under the covered programs to family caregivers2 7ii7 improving communications between family caregivers and employees of covered agencies by-- 7,i7 decreasing call wait times2 7,,ii7 ensuring that employees of covered agencies and the ,state agencies responsible for administering ,state ,medicaid and ,,chip plans provide timely answers to the questions of family caregivers2 7,,iii7 improving the websites of the covered programs-- 7aa7 by making it easier for family caregivers to find information regarding benefit availability1 eligibility1 and how to maintain coverage2 and 7bb7 by designing such websites to align with the requirements of the ,americans with ,disabilities ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abaja et seq47 regarding web design2 7,,iv7 improving the timely access to in-person appointments or meetings between employees of covered agencies and family caregivers2 7,v7 providing translation or interpretation services for family caregivers for whom ,english is not their primary language2 and 7,,vi7 providing information to family caregivers in accessible formats1 including formats compatible with ,american ,sign ,language and multiple languages2 7iii7 ensuring that employees of covered agencies and the ,state agencies responsible for administering ,state ,medicaid and ,,chip plans understand how the covered programs can help family caregivers2 7iv7 improving the relationship between family caregivers and the covered agencies and the ,state agencies responsible for administering ,state ,medicaid and ,,chip plans1 which may include regularly meeting with family caregivers1 individuals entitled to1 receiving services from1 or filing for1 #a or more of the covered programs1 and other stakeholders of the covered programs2 7v7 ensuring that employees of covered agencies and the ,state agencies responsible for administering ,state ,medicaid and ,,chip plans who are responsible for resolving disputes1 appeals1 and grievances within the covered programs receive education1 training1 and guidance on specific issues faced by family caregivers who participate in the covered programs2 and 7vi7 taking other actions the covered officials may identify4 7#c7 ,input from family caregivers1 organizations1 and ,state entities ,in conducting the reviews under paragraph 7#a71 the covered officials shall seek input from-- 7,a7 family caregivers1 including family caregivers with a disability1 that have interacted with the covered programs2 7,b7 ,state1 regional1 national1 and ,tribal organizations representing or working with family caregivers or individuals receiving care from family caregivers2 and 7,c7 ,state ,medicaid and ,,chip programs4 7c7 ,action ,after the reviews under subsection 7b7 have been completed1 the covered officials shall take actions that will simplify and streamline policies and procedures that improve customer service for individuals entitled to1 receiving services from1 or filing for1 any of the covered programs1 and family caregivers4 7d7 ,report to ,congress 7#a7 ,in general ,no later than #b years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the covered officials shall each submit a report to the ,committee on ,finance of the ,senate1 the ,committee on ,ways and ,means of the ,house of ,representatives1 and the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce of the ,house of ,representatives that details the results of the respective reviews each covered official conducted under subsection 7b74 7#b7 ,contents of the report ,the reports required under paragraph 7#a7 shall contain-- 7,a7 issues that the covered officials identified in the reviews and their findings2 7,b7 the actions that the covered officials are taking to address the issues in subparagraph 7,a72 7,c7 an estimate on when the actions in subparagraph 7,b7 will be completed2 7,d7 projected annual costs to implement the actions identified in subparagraph 7,b72 and 7,e7 any recommended change in ,federal law to address any issue identified in subparagraph 7,a74 7#c7 ,updated reports ,the covered officials shall each submit a report #b years after submitting the report required under paragraph 7#a7 providing an update to the contents identified in paragraph 7#b74 7#d7 ,publication of the reports ,the covered officials shall make the reports required under paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#c7 publicly accessible on the websites of covered agencies4 7e7 ,reducing red tape for ,state ,medicaid and ,,chip programs ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,administrator shall issue a letter to each ,state ,medicaid and ,,chip ,director to-- 7#a7 encourage ,state ,medicaid agencies to conduct reviews of ,state ,medicaid programs and ,state ,,chip programs similar to the reviews conducted at the ,federal level under subsection 7b72 7#b7 provide suggestions1 informed by the results of such ,federal reviews1 for promising practices that ,states could take to reduce administrative burdens on family caregivers in supporting individuals entitled to1 receiving service from1 or filing for1 #a or more of the covered programs in applying for and receiving assistance under ,state ,medicaid programs and ,state ,,chip programs2 and 7#c7 identify best practices to support family caregivers4