[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2937 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2937

 To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve access to 
Medicare+Choice plans through an increase in the annual Medicare+Choice 
                capitation rates and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 26, 2000

  Mr. Domenici (for himself, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Grassley, and Mr. Kerrey) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
                          Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve access to 
Medicare+Choice plans through an increase in the annual Medicare+Choice 
                capitation rates and for other purposes.

    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 Geographic Fair Payment Act 
of 2000''.

SEC. 2. IMPROVED ACCESS TO MEDICARE+CHOICE PLANS THROUGH AN INCREASE IN 
              THE ANNUAL MEDICARE+CHOICE CAPITATION RATES.

    Section 1853(c)(1)(B)(ii) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395w-23(c)(1)(B)(ii)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``(ii) For a succeeding year'' and 
        inserting ``(ii)(I) Subject to subclause (II), for a succeeding 
        year''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subclause:
                            ``(II) For 2001 for any area in any 
                        Metropolitan Statistical Area with a population 
                        of more than 250,000, $525 (and for any area 
                        outside such an area, $475).''.

SEC. 3. REQUIREMENT THAT THE ACTUAL PROPORTION OF A HOSPITAL'S COSTS 
              ATTRIBUTABLE TO WAGES AND WAGE-RELATED COSTS BE WAGE 
              ADJUSTED.

    (a) In General.--The first sentence of section 1886(d)(3)(E) of the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(3)(E)) is amended by striking 
``, (as estimated by the Secretary from time to time) of hospitals' 
costs'' and inserting ``of each hospital's costs (based on the most 
recent data available to the Secretary with respect to the hospital)''.
    (b) Special Rule for Hospitals Located in Puerto Rico.--Section 
1886(d)(3)(E) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(3)(E)) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: ``In the case 
of a hospital located in Puerto Rico, the first sentence of this 
subparagraph shall be applied as in effect on the day before the date 
of enactment of the Geographic Adjustment Fairness Act of 2000.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply with respect to discharges occurring on or after January 1, 2001.
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