[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1511 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1511

  To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require certain 
    additional information in statements of explanation of benefits 
     provided to Medicare beneficiaries under the Medicare Program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 21, 1999

Mr. Lucas of Oklahoma introduced the following bill; which was referred 
                   to the Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require certain 
    additional information in statements of explanation of benefits 
     provided to Medicare beneficiaries under 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 Truth in Billing Act of 
1999''.

SEC. 2. INFORMATION FOR MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES WITH RESPECT TO ACTUAL 
              PAYMENT AMOUNTS MADE TO HOSPITALS FOR INPATIENT HOSPITAL 
              SERVICES.

    (a) In General.--Section 1806 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395b-7) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(c) Sunshine in Billing.--
            ``(1) In general.--In the case of an item or service 
        consisting of inpatient hospital services furnished during a 
        cost reporting period by a subsection (d) hospital (as defined 
        in section 1886(d)(1)(B)) to individuals entitled to benefits 
        under this part, the Secretary shall include in a statement 
        under subsection (a) the following additional listed 
        information:
                    ``(A) The amount of payment made by the Secretary 
                with respect to such item or service.
                    ``(B) The amount equal to the difference between 
                the amount of payment customarily charged by the 
                hospital during such cost reporting period with respect 
                to such item or service and the amount of payment 
                described in subparagraph (A).
            ``(2) Presentation on statement.--(A) The Secretary shall 
        arrange the listed information required under this section in a 
        manner that is readily comprehensible by such individuals.
            ``(B) The amount described in paragraph (1)(B) shall be 
        referred to as the `hospital discount amount' on the 
        statement.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) applies 
with respect to statements of explanation of benefits under the 
medicare program prepared for items and services furnished on or after 
the date of the enactment of this Act.
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