text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Home Health Care Planning 
  Improvement Act of 2007''.
  
  SEC. 2. IMPROVING CARE PLANNING FOR MEDICARE HOME HEALTH SERVICES.
  
      (a) In General.--Section 1814(a)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 
  U.S.C. 1395f(a)(2)), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), is 
  amended--
              (1) by inserting ``(as those terms are defined in section 
          1861(aa)(5))'' after ``clinical nurse specialist''; and
              (2) by inserting ``, or in the case of services described 
          in subparagraph (C), a physician, or a nurse practitioner or 
          clinical nurse specialist who is working in collaboration with 
          a physician in accordance with State law, or a certified nurse-
          midwife (as defined in section 1861(gg)) as authorized by State 
          law, or a physician assistant (as defined in section 
          1861(aa)(5)) under the supervision of a physician'' after 
          ``collaboration with a physician''.
      (b) Conforming Amendments.--(1) Section 1814(a) of the Social 
  Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395f(a)) is amended--
              (A) in paragraph (2)(C), by inserting ``, a nurse 
          practitioner, a clinical nurse specialist, a certified nurse-
          midwife, or a physician assistant (as the case may be)'' after 
          ``physician'' each place it appears;
              (B) in the second sentence, by striking ``or clinical nurse 
          specialist'' and inserting ``clinical nurse specialist, 
          certified nurse-midwife, or physician assistant'';
              (C) in the third sentence--
                      (i) by striking ``physician certification'' and 
                  inserting ``certification'';
                      (ii) by inserting ``(or on January 1, 2008, in the 
                  case of regulations to implement the amendments made by 
                  section 2 of the Home Health Care Planning Improvement 
                  Act of 2007)'' after ``1981''; and
                      (iii) by striking ``a physician who'' and inserting 
                  ``a physician, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse 
                  specialist, certified nurse-midwife, or physician 
                  assistant who''; and
              (D) in the fourth sentence, by inserting ``, nurse 
          practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse-
          midwife, or physician assistant'' after ``physician''.
      (2) Section 1835(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395n(a)) 
  is amended--
              (A) in paragraph (2)--
                      (i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by 
                  inserting ``or, in the case of services described in 
                  subparagraph (A), a physician, or a nurse practitioner 
                  or clinical nurse specialist (as those terms are 
                  defined in 1861(aa)(5)) who is working in collaboration 
                  with a physician in accordance with State law, or a 
                  certified nurse-midwife (as defined in section 
                  1861(gg)) as authorized by State law, or a physician 
                  assistant (as defined in section 1861(aa)(5)) under the 
                  supervision of a physician'' after ``a physician''; and
                      (ii) in each of clauses (ii) and (iii) of 
                  subparagraph (A) by inserting ``, a nurse practitioner, 
                  a clinical nurse specialist, a certified nurse-midwife, 
                  or a physician assistant (as the case may be)'' after 
                  ``physician'';
              (B) in the third sentence, by inserting ``, nurse 
          practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse-
          midwife, or physician assistant (as the case may be)'' after 
          physician;
              (C) in the fourth sentence--
                      (i) by striking ``physician certification'' and 
                  inserting ``certification'';
                      (ii) by inserting ``(or on January 1, 2008, in the 
                  case of regulations to implement the amendments made by 
                  section 2 of the Home Health Care Planning Improvement 
                  Act of 2007)'' after ``1981''; and
                      (iii) by striking ``a physician who'' and inserting 
                  ``a physician, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse 
                  specialist, certified nurse-midwife, or physician 
                  assistant who''; and
              (D) in the fifth sentence, by inserting ``, nurse 
          practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse-
          midwife, or physician assistant'' after ``physician''.
      (3) Section 1861 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x) is 
  amended--
              (A) in subsection (m)--
                      (i) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)--
                              (I) by inserting ``a nurse practitioner or 
                          a clinical nurse specialist (as those terms are 
                          defined in subsection (aa)(5)), a certified 
                          nurse-midwife (as defined in section 1861(gg)), 
                          or a physician assistant (as defined in 
                          subsection (aa)(5))'' after ``physician'' the 
                          first place it appears; and
                              (II) by inserting ``a nurse practitioner, a 
                          clinical nurse specialist, a certified nurse-
                          midwife, or a physician assistant'' after 
                          ``physician'' the second place it appears; and
                      (ii) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``a nurse 
                  practitioner, a clinical nurse specialist, a certified 
                  nurse-midwife, or a physician assistant'' after 
                  ``physician''; and
              (B) in subsection (o)(2)--
                      (i) by inserting ``, nurse practitioners or 
                  clinical nurse specialists (as those terms are defined 
                  in subsection (aa)(5)), certified nurse-midwives (as 
                  defined in section 1861(gg)), or physician assistants 
                  (as defined in subsection (aa)(5))'' after 
                  ``physicians''; and
                      (ii) by inserting ``, nurse practitioner, clinical 
                  nurse specialist, certified nurse-midwife, physician 
                  assistant,'' after ``physician''.
      (4) Section 1895 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395fff) is 
  amended--
              (A) in subsection (c)(1), by inserting ``, the nurse 
          practitioner or clinical nurse specialist (as those terms are 
          defined in section 1861(aa)(5)), the certified nurse-midwife 
          (as defined in section 1861(gg)), or the physician assistant 
          (as defined in section 1861(aa)(5)),'' after ``physician''; and
              (B) in subsection (e)--
                      (i) in paragraph (1)(A), by inserting ``, a nurse 
                  practitioner or clinical nurse specialist (as those 
                  terms are defined in section 1861(aa)(5)), a certified 
                  nurse-midwife (as defined in section 1861(gg)), or a 
                  physician assistant (as defined in section 
                  1861(aa)(5))'' after ``physician''; and
                      (ii) in paragraph (2)--
                              (I) in the heading, by striking ``Physician 
                          certification'' and inserting ``Rule of 
                          construction regarding requirement for 
                          certification''; and
                              (II) by striking ``physician''.
      (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
  apply to items and services furnished on or after January 1, 2008.
target: Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act of 2007 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to revise conditions of and limitations on payment for home health care services.
  
  Allows payment for home health services to Medicare beneficiaries by: (1) a nurse practitioner; (2) a clinical nurse specialist working in collaboration with a physician in accordance with state law; (3) a certified nurse-midwife; or (4) a physician assistant under a physician's supervision.
feat_title: A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure more timely access to home health services for Medicare beneficiaries under the Medicare program.