[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3050 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3050

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make improvements to 
 the prospective payment system for skilled nursing facility services.


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                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 14, 2000

Mr. Hatch (for himself and Mr. Domenici) 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 make improvements to 
 the prospective payment system for skilled nursing facility services.

    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 ``Skilled Nursing Facility Care Act of 
2000''.

SEC. 2. REVISION TO THE SKILLED NURSING FACILITY (SNF) MARKET BASKET 
              UPDATE FOR FISCAL YEARS 2001 AND 2002.

    (a) Revision.--Section 1888(e)(4)(E)(ii)(II) of the Social Security 
Act (42 U.S.C. 1395yy(e)(4)(E)(ii)(II)) is amended by striking ``minus 
1 percentage point'' and inserting ``plus 4 percentage points''.
    (b) Special Rule for Payment for Skilled Nursing Facility Services 
for Fiscal Year 2001.--Notwithstanding the amendment made by subsection 
(a), for purposes of making payments for covered skilled nursing 
facility services under section 1888(e) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1395yy(e)) for fiscal year 2001, the Federal per diem rate 
referred to in paragraph (4)(E)(ii) of such section--
            (1) for the period beginning on October 1, 2000, and ending 
        on March 31, 2001, shall be the rate determined in accordance 
        with subclause (II) of such paragraph as in effect on the day 
        before the date of enactment of this Act; and
            (2) for the period beginning on April 1, 2001, and ending 
        on September 30, 2001, shall be the rate computed for fiscal 
        year 2000 pursuant to subclause (I) of such paragraph increased 
        by the skilled nursing facility market basket percentage change 
        for fiscal year 2001 plus 9 percentage points.

SEC. 3. REEXAMINATION OF, AND AUTHORITY TO REVISE, THE SKILLED NURSING 
              FACILITY MARKET BASKET PERCENTAGE INCREASE.

    (a) Reexamination.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
        shall reexamine the skilled nursing facility market basket 
        percentage (as defined in paragraph (5)(B) of section 1888(e) 
        of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395yy(e)) that was used 
        in making the update to the first fiscal year under paragraph 
        (4)(B) of such section under the prospective payment system for 
        skilled nursing facility services.
            (2) Specific elements.--In conducting the reexamination 
        under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
        shall account for costs based on actual data and actual 
        medicare skilled nursing facility cost increases.
    (b) Authority.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services shall make adjustments to 
payments under the prospective payment system under section 1888(e) of 
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395yy(e)) for covered skilled 
nursing facility services furnished in fiscal year 2002 to reflect any 
necessary adjustments to such payments as is appropriate as a result of 
the reexamination conducted under subsection (a).
    (c) Publication.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than April 1, 2001, the 
        Secretary of Health and Human Services shall publish for public 
        comment a description of--
                    (A) whether the Secretary will make any adjustments 
                pursuant to this section; and
                    (B) if so, the form of such adjustments.
            (2) Final form.--Not later than August 1, 2001, the 
        Secretary of Health and Human Services shall publish the 
        description described in paragraph (1) in final form.
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