[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4898 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4898

  To amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to require 
    nursing facilities to be air conditioned to receive Medicare or 
                           Medicaid funding.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 20, 2000

  Mr. Lantos 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 amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to require 
    nursing facilities to be air conditioned to receive Medicare or 
                           Medicaid funding.

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

SECTION 1. REQUIRING AIR CONDITIONING FOR NURSING FACILITIES TO RECEIVE 
              MEDICARE OR MEDICAID FUNDING.

    (a) Requirement for Medicare Skilled Nursing Facilities.--Section 
1819(d)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i-3(d)(3)) is 
amended--
            (1) by striking ``, and'' at the end of subparagraph (A) 
        and inserting a semicolon;
            (2) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (B) 
        and inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(C) provide air conditioning or other ventilation 
                as may be required to maintain air temperatures within 
                those parts of the facility in which residents reside, 
                congregate, or conduct activities, within a range 
                conducive to maintaining the qualify of life of 
                residents of the facility.''.
    (b) Requirement for Medicaid Nursing Facilities.--Section 
1919(d)(3) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r(d)(3)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``, and'' at the end of subparagraph (A) 
        and inserting a semicolon;
            (2) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (B) 
        and inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(C) provide air conditioning or other ventilation 
                as may be required to maintain air temperatures within 
                those parts of the facility in which residents reside, 
                congregate, or conduct activities, within a range 
                conducive to maintaining the qualify of life of 
                residents of the facility.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section apply to 
items and services furnished on or after one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act. The Secretary of Health and Human Services may 
extend such date in specific exceptional cases of hardship for 
particular skilled nursing facilities or nursing facilities as the 
Secretary determines to be appropriate.
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