114 STAT. 2763A-472 PUBLIC LAW 106-554-APPENDIX F or nutrition professional by the State in which medical nutrition therapy services are performed.". (c) PAYMENT.— Section 1833(a)(1) (42 U.S.C. 13951(a)(1)) is amended— (1) by striking "and" before "(S)"; and (2) by inserting before the semicolon at the end the following: ", and (T) with respect to medical nutrition therapy services (as defined in section 186 l(w)), the amount paid shall be 80 percent of the lesser of the actual charge for the services or 85 percent of the amount determined under the fee schedule established under section 1848(b) for the same services if furnished by a physician". (d) APPLICATION OF LIMITS ON BILLING.—Section 1842(b)(18)(C) (42 U.S.C. 1395u(b)(18)(C)) is amended by adding at the end the following new clause: "(vi) A registered dietitian or nutrition professional.". (e) EFFECTIVE DATE. —The amendments made by this section shall apply to services furnished on or after January 1, 2002. (f) STUDY. —Not later than July 1, 2003, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to Congress a report that contains recommendations with respect to the expansion to other medicare beneficiary populations of the medical nutrition therapy services benefit (furnished under the amendments made by this section). Subtitle B—Other Beneficiary Improvements SEC. 111. ACCELERATION OF REDUCTION OF BENEFICIARY COPAYMENT FOR HOSPITAL OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT SERVICES. (a) REDUCING THE UPPER LIMIT ON BENEFICL\RY COPAYMENT. — (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1833(t)(8)(C) (42 U.S.C. 13951(t)(8)(C)) is amended to read as follows: "(C) LIMITATION ON COPAYMENT AMOUNT. — "(i) To INPATIENT HOSPITAL DEDUCTIBLE AMOUNT. — In no case shall the copayment amount for a procedure performed in a year exceed the amount of the inpatient hospital deductible established under section 1813(b) for that year. " (ii) To SPECIFIED PERCENTAGE.— The Secretary shall reduce the national unadjusted copayment amount for a covered OPD service (or group of such services) furnished in a year in a manner so that the effective copayment rate (determined on a national unadjusted basis) for that service in the year does not exceed the following percentage: "(I) For procedures performed in 2001, on or after April 1, 2001, 57 percent. "(II) For procedures performed in 2002 or 2003, 55 percent. "(Ill) For procedures performed in 2004, 50 percent. "(IV) For procedures performed in 2005, 45 percent. "(V) For procedures performed in 2006 and thereafter, 40 percent.".
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