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Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Sep 20, 2012
Improving Dementia Care Treatment for Older Adults Act of 2012 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to establish and implement prescriber education programs to promote high quality evidence-based treatment through the development and dissemination of objective, educational, and informational materials to physicians and other prescribing practitioners, including such a program developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Amends SSA titles XVIII and XIX (Medicaid) with respect to the review and reporting of antipsychotics prescribed to skilled nursing facility (SNF) and nursing facility residents with dementia.
Directs the Secretary to develop a standardized protocol for such facilities to obtain informed consent from an older adult with dementia before prescribing an antipsychotic to him or her for a use not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
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Directs the Comptroller General to study state laws and regulations concerning informed consent with respect to the administration of a psychoactive medication with regard to the effectiveness of such laws and practices in changing the frequency of prescribing of such medications to older adults with dementia.
Directs the Secretary to include a measure of the utilization of antipsychotics for each such facility for inclusion on the Nursing Home Compare Website as part of the quality measures or health inspection measures, or both such measures, under the Five-Star Quality Rating System.
Directs the Comptroller General to study the impact of the standardized protocol for obtaining informed consent under the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Directs the Secretary to enter into an agreement with the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies to study appropriate prescribing of antipsychotics for hospital inpatients and whether documentation of antipsychotic use in patients with dementia is provided during transitions of care from hospitals to other care settings.
People & committees
Sen. Kohl, Herb [D-WI] · D–WI
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Introduced in Senate
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Source last updated: Aug 14, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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