Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 84 Part 1.djvu/1367

 84 STAT. ]

PUBLIC LAW 91-515-OCT. 30, 1970

1309

TITLE IV—AUTHORITY FOR GROUP PRACTICE SEC. 401. (a) The Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare may, m accordance with the provisions of this section, authorize any carrier, which is a party to a contract entered into under chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code (relating to health benefits for Federal employees), or under the Retired Federal Employees Health Benefits Act, or which participates in the carrying out of any such contract, to issue in any State contracts entitling any person as a beneficiary to receive comprehensive medical services (as defined in subsection (b)) from a group practice unit or organization (as defined in subsection (c)) with which such carrier has contracted or otherwise arranged for the provision of such services. (b) As used in this section, the term "comprehensive medical services" means comprehensive preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic medical services (as defined in regulations of the Secretary), furnished on a prepaid basis; and may include, at the option of a carrier, such other health services including mental health services, and equipment and supplies, furnished on such terms and conditions with respect to copayment and other matters, as may be authorized in regulations of the Secretary. (c) As used in this section: (1) The term "group practice unit or organization" means a nonprofit agency, co-operative, or other organization undertaking to provide, through direct employment of, or other arrangements with the members of a medical group, comprehensive medical services (or such services and other health services) to members, subscribers, or other persons protected under contracts of carriers. (2) The term "medical group" means a partnership or other association or group of persons who are licensed to practice medicine in a State (or of such persons and persons licensed to practice dentistry or optometry) who (A) as their principal professional activity and as a group responsibility, engage in the coordinated practice of their profession primarily in one or more group practice facilities, (B) pool their income from practice as members of the group and distribute it among themselves according to a prearranged plan, or enter into an employment arrangement with a group practice unit or organization for the provision of their services, (C) share common overhead expenses (if and to the extent such expenses are paid by members of the group), medical and other records, and substantial portions of the equipment and professional, technical, and administrative staff, and (D) include within the group at least such professional personnel, and make available at least such health services, as may be specified in regulations of the Secretary. (d) Nothing in this section shall preclude any State or State agency from regulating the amounts charged for contracts issued pursuant to subsection (a) or the manner of soliciting and issuing such contracts, or from regulating any carrier issuing such contracts in any manner not inconsistent with the provisions of this section. TITLE V—STUDY R E L A T I N G TO ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION SEC. 501. (a) The Congress finds that there is general agreement that air, water, and other common environmental pollution may be hazardous to the health of individuals resident in the United States, but that despite the existence of various research papers and other technical reports on the health hazards of such pollution, there is no authoritative source of information about (1) the nature and gravity

Ante, p. 869.

Definitions.

Contract charges. State regulation.

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