MEDPAC STUDY OF COVERAGE OF SURGICAL FIRST ASSISTING SERVICES OF CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE FIRST ASSISTANTS.

SEC. 643. MEDPAC STUDY OF COVERAGE OF SURGICAL FIRST ASSISTING SERVICES OF CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE FIRST ASSISTANTS.(a) Study.—The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (in this section referred to as the “Commission”) shall conduct a study on the feasibility and advisability of providing for payment under part B of title XVIII of the Social Security Act for surgical first assisting services furnished by a certified registered nurse first assistant to medicare beneficiaries.(b) Report.—Not later than January 1, 2005, the Commission shall submit to Congress a report on the study conducted under 117 STAT. 2323 subsection (a) together with recommendations for such legislation or administrative action as the Commission determines to be appropriate.(c) Definitions.—In this section: (1) Surgical first assisting services.—The term “surgical first assisting services” means services consisting of first assisting a physician with surgery and related preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care (as determined by the Secretary) furnished by a certified registered nurse first assistant (as defined in paragraph (2)) which the certified registered nurse first assistant is legally authorized to perform by the State in which the services are performed.(2) Certified registered nurse first assistant.—The term “certified registered nurse first assistant” means an individual who—(A) is a registered nurse and is licensed to practice nursing in the State in which the surgical first assisting services are performed;(B) has completed a minimum of 2,000 hours of first assisting a physician with surgery and related preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care; and(C) is certified as a registered nurse first assistant by an organization recognized by the Secretary.