42 USC 1395k - Scope of benefits; definitions

U.S Code last checked for updates: Sep 15, 2026

§ 1395k.

Scope of benefits; definitions

(a)

Scope of benefits

The benefits provided to an individual by the insurance program established by this part shall consist of—

(1)

entitlement to have payment made to him or on his behalf (subject to the provisions of this part) for medical and other health services, except those described in subparagraphs (B) and (D) of paragraph (2) and subparagraphs (E) and (F) of section 1395u(b)(6) of this title; and

(2)

entitlement to have payment made on his behalf (subject to the provisions of this part) for—

(A)

home health services (other than items described in subparagraph (G) or subparagraph (I));

(B)

medical and other health services (other than items described in subparagraph (G) or subparagraph (I)) furnished by a provider of services or by others under arrangement with them made by a provider of services, excluding—

(i)

physician services except where furnished by—

(I)

a resident or intern of a hospital, or

(II)

a physician to a patient in a hospital which has a teaching program approved as specified in paragraph (6) of section 1395x(b) of this title (including services in conjunction with the teaching programs of such hospital whether or not such patient is an inpatient of such hospital) where the conditions specified in paragraph (7) of such section are met,

(ii)

services for which payment may be made pursuant to section 1395n(b)(2) of this title,

(iii)

services described by section 1395x(s)(2)(K)(i) of this title, certified nurse-midwife services, qualified psychologist services, and services of a certified registered nurse anesthetist; 1

 So in original. The semicolon probably should be a comma.

(iv)

services of a nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist but only if no facility or other provider charges or is paid any amounts with respect to the furnishing of such services; and 2

 So in original. The word “and” probably should not appear.

(C)

outpatient physical therapy services (other than services to which the second sentence of section 1395x(p) of this title applies), outpatient occupational therapy services (other than services to which such sentence applies through the operation of section 1395x(g) of this title), and outpatient speech-language pathology services (other than services to which the second sentence of section 1395x(p) of this title applies through the application of section 1395x(ll)(2) of this title);

(D)

(i)

rural health clinic services and (ii) Federally qualified health center services;

(E)

comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facility services;

(F)

facility services furnished in connection with surgical procedures specified by the Secretary—

(i)

pursuant to section 1395l(i)(1)(A) of this title and performed in an ambulatory surgical center (which meets health, safety, and other standards specified by the Secretary in regulations) if the center has an agreement in effect with the Secretary by which the center agrees to accept the standard overhead amount determined under section 1395l(i)(2)(A) of this title as full payment for such services (including intraocular lens in cases described in section 1395l(i)(2)(A)(iii) of this title) and to accept an assignment described in section 1395u(b)(3)(B)(ii) of this title with respect to payment for all such services (including intraocular lens in cases described in section 1395l(i)(2)(A)(iii) of this title) furnished by the center to individuals enrolled under this part, or

(ii)

pursuant to section 1395l(i)(1)(B) of this title and performed by a physician, described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of section 1395x(r) of this title, in his office, if the Secretary has determined that—

(I)

a quality improvement organization (having a contract with the Secretary under part B of subchapter XI of this chapter) is willing, able, and has agreed to carry out a review (on a sample or other reasonable basis) of the physician’s performing such procedures in the physician’s office,

(II)

the particular physician involved has agreed to make available to such organization such records as the Secretary determines to be necessary to carry out the review, and

(III)

the physician is authorized to perform the procedure in a hospital located in the area in which the office is located,

and if the physician agrees to accept the standard overhead amount determined under section 1395l(i)(2)(B) of this title as full payment for such services and to accept payment on an assignment-related basis with respect to payment for all services (including all pre- and post-operative services) described in paragraphs (1) and (2)(A) of section 1395x(s) of this title and furnished in connection with such surgical procedure to individuals enrolled under this part;

(G)

covered items (described in section 1395m(a)(13) of this title) furnished by a provider of services or by others under arrangements with them made by a provider of services;

(H)

outpatient critical access hospital services (as defined in section 1395x(mm)(3) of this title);

(I)

prosthetic devices and orthotics and prosthetics (described in section 1395m(h)(4) of this title) furnished by a provider of services or by others under arrangements with them made by a provider of services; and

(J)

partial hospitalization services and intensive outpatient services provided by a community mental health center (as described in section 1395x(ff)(2)(B) of this title).

(b)

Definitions

(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title XVIII, § 1832, as added Pub. L. 89–97, title I, § 102(a), July 30, 1965, 79 Stat. 302; amended Pub. L. 90–248, title I, §§ 129(c)(6)(B), 133(d), Jan. 2, 1968, 81 Stat. 848, 851; Pub. L. 92–603, title II, §§ 227(e)(1), 251(a)(4), Oct. 30, 1972, 86 Stat. 1406, 1445; Pub. L. 95–210, § 1(a), Dec. 13, 1977, 91 Stat. 1485; Pub. L. 96–499, title IX, §§ 930(g), 933(a), 934(a), 948(a)(2), Dec. 5, 1980, 94 Stat. 2631, 2635, 2637, 2643; Pub. L. 97–248, title I, § 148(c), Sept. 3, 1982, 96 Stat. 394; Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title III, §§ 2341(b), 2354(b)(6), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 1094, 1100; Pub. L. 99–509, title IX, §§ 9320(d), 9337(a), 9343(e)(1), Oct. 21, 1986,

cite as: 42 USC 1395k