[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4534 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4534

 To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to implement a budget-
neutral payment system for rehabilitation services under part B of the 
                           Medicare Program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 9, 1998

  Mr. Stark introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
  Committee on Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and 
 Means, 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 amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to implement a budget-
neutral payment system for rehabilitation services under part B of the 
                           Medicare Program.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Medicare Rehabilitation Benefit 
Equity Act of 1998''.

SEC. 2. REPEAL OF FINANCIAL LIMITATION ON REHABILITATION SERVICES.

    (a) Repeal.--
            (1) In general.--Section 1833 of the Social Security Act 
        (42 U.S.C. 1395l) is amended by striking subsection (g).
            (2) Effective date.--The amendment made by paragraph (1) 
        shall apply to services furnished on or after July 1, 2000.
    (b) Establishment of Alternative Payment Methodology.--
            (1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
        law, for outpatient physical therapy services, outpatient 
        occupational therapy services, and outpatient speech-language 
        pathology services covered under title XVIII of the Social 
        Security Act and furnished on or after July 1, 2000, the 
        Secretary of Health and Human Services shall implement a 
        payment methodology based on the classification of individuals 
        by diagnostic category, functional status, and prior use of 
        services in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
            (2) Budget neutrality in implementation.--Such payment 
        methodology shall be designed so that the methodology does not 
        result in any increase or decrease in the expenditures under 
        title XVIII of such Act for fiscal year 2000 and fiscal year 
        2001.
            (3) Adjustment for outyears.--For each fiscal year after 
        fiscal year 2001, the Secretary shall provide for a percentage 
        increase in the payment rate under the methodology for the 
        fiscal year involved that is equal to the Secretary's estimate 
        of the percentage increase in the MEI (as defined in section 
        1842(i)(3)) of such Act for such fiscal year.
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