[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4191 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4191

  To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a 
study of the effect on payments under Medicare where certain inpatient 
             services are replaced by outpatient services.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 25, 1996

  Mr. Stark introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
   Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on 
Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
   each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
                jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a 
study of the effect on payments under Medicare where certain inpatient 
             services are replaced by outpatient services.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SEC. 1. STUDY AND REPORT TO CONGRESS.

    (a) Study.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
conduct a study of coverage for outpatient services in lieu of 
inpatient services under the Medicare program. Such study shall include 
an analysis of--
            (1) the cost of providing to a Medicare beneficiary 
        outpatient drug benefits and coverage for supplies, appliances, 
        equipment, laboratory tests and nursing services required for 
        appropriate outpatient treatment in lieu of continued 
        hospitalization;
            (2) whether payments under part A of the Medicare program 
        may be reduced if a Medicare beneficiary is provided the 
        outpatient services described in paragraph (1), including any 
        duplicate payments made for a Medicare beneficiary who is 
        transferred from a hospital to a nursing facility, intermediate 
        care facility, or other post-hospital care facility;
            (3) potential savings to the Medicare program if a Medicare 
        beneficiary is provided the outpatient services described in 
        paragraph (1), including savings with respect to the decreased 
        probability of nosocomial infections due to shortened inpatient 
        stays; and
            (4) how any such outpatient services should be reimbursed 
        so as to ensure cost savings.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a report to the 
Congress on the study under subsection (a) and shall include in the 
report such recommendations with respect to coverage of outpatient 
services in lieu of inpatient services under the Medicare program as 
the Secretary deems appropriate.
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