Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 124.djvu/433

 124 STAT. 407 PUBLIC LAW 111–148—MAR. 23, 2010 practitioners to limit applicable beneficiary access to services covered under this title and applicable beneficiaries shall not be required to relinquish access to any benefit under this title as a condition of receiving services from an independence at home medical practice. ‘‘(e) IMPLEMENTATION.— ‘‘(1) STARTING DATE.—The demonstration program shall begin no later than January 1, 2012. An agreement with an independence at home medical practice under the demonstra- tion program may cover not more than a 3-year period. ‘‘(2) NO PHYSICIAN DUPLICATION IN DEMONSTRATION PARTICI- PATION.—The Secretary shall not pay an independence at home medical practice under this section that participates in section 1899. ‘‘(3) NO BENEFICIARY DUPLICATION IN DEMONSTRATION PARTICIPATION.—The Secretary shall ensure that no applicable beneficiary enrolled in an independence at home medical prac- tice under this section is participating in the programs under section 1899. ‘‘(4) PREFERENCE.—In approving an independence at home medical practice, the Secretary shall give preference to practices that are— ‘‘(A) located in high-cost areas of the country; ‘‘(B) have experience in furnishing health care services to applicable beneficiaries in the home; and ‘‘(C) use electronic medical records, health information technology, and individualized plans of care. ‘‘(5) LIMITATION ON NUMBER OF PRACTICES.—In selecting qualified independence at home medical practices to participate under the demonstration program, the Secretary shall limit the number of such practices so that the number of applicable beneficiaries that may participate in the demonstration pro- gram does not exceed 10,000. ‘‘(6) WAIVER.—The Secretary may waive such provisions of this title and title XI as the Secretary determines necessary in order to implement the demonstration program. ‘‘(7) ADMINISTRATION.—Chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code, shall not apply to this section. ‘‘(f) EVALUATION AND MONITORING.— ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall evaluate each independence at home medical practice under the demonstra- tion program to assess whether the practice achieved the results described in subsection (a). ‘‘(2) MONITORING APPLICABLE BENEFICIARIES.—The Sec- retary may monitor data on expenditures and quality of services under this title after an applicable beneficiary discontinues receiving services under this title through a qualifying independence at home medical practice. ‘‘(g) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.—The Secretary shall conduct an independent evaluation of the demonstration program and submit to Congress a final report, including best practices under the dem- onstration program. Such report shall include an analysis of the demonstration program on coordination of care, expenditures under this title, applicable beneficiary access to services, and the quality of health care services provided to applicable beneficiaries. ‘‘(h) FUNDING.—For purposes of administering and carrying out the demonstration program, other than for payments for items