Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 115 Part 2.djvu/179

 •4 ^& PUBLIC LAW 107-107—DEC. 28, 2001 115 STAT. 1163 availability of outpatient mental health benefits provided for members of the Armed Forces and covered beneficiaries under the TRICARE program. (b) REPORT.— Not later than March 31, 2002, the Secretary Deadline, shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the study, including the conclusions and any recommendations for legislation that the Secretary considers appropriate. SEC. 706. CLARIFICATION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF TRAVEL EXPENSES OF ADULT ACCOMPANYING PATIENT IN TRAVEL FOR SPECIALTY CARE. Section 10741 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting before the period at the end the following: "and, when accompaniment by an adult is necessary, for a parent or guardian of the covered beneficiary or another member of the covered beneficiary's family who is at least 21 years of age". SEC. 707. TRICARE PROGRAM LIMITATIONS ON PAYMENT RATES FOR INSTITUTIONAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AND ON BAL- ANCE BILLING BY INSTITUTIONAL AND NONINSTITU- TIONAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS. (a) INSTITUTIONAL PROVIDERS. — Section 1079(j) of title 10, United States Code, is amended— (1) in paragraph (2)(A)— (A) by striking "(A)"; and (B) by striking "may be determined under joint regulations" and inserting "shall be determined under joint regulations"; (2) by redesignating subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) as paragraph (4), and, in such paragraph, as so redesignated, by striking "subparagraph (A)," and inserting "this subsection,"; and (3) by inserting before paragraph (4), as redesignated by paragraph (2), the following new paragraph (3): "(3) A contract for a plan covered by this section shall include a clause that prohibits each provider of services under the plan from billing any person covered by the plan for any balance of charges for services in excess of the amount paid for those services under the joint regulations referred to in paragraph (2), except for any unpaid amounts of deductibles or copa3anents that are payable directly to the provider by the person.". (b) NONINSTITUTIONAL PROVIDERS.—Section 1079(h)(4) of such title is amended— (1) by inserting "(A)" after "(4)"; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: "(B) The regulations shall include a restriction that prohibits Regtiiations. an individual health care professional (or other noninstitutional health care provider) from billing a beneficiary for services for more than the amount that is equal to— "(i) the excess of the limiting charge (as defined in section 1848(g)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-4(g)(2))) that would be applicable if the services had been provided by the professional (or other provider) as an individual health care professional (or other noninstitutional health care provider) on a nonassignment-related basis under part B of title XVIII of such Act over the amount that is payable by the United States for those services under this subsection, plus

�