109 HR 5704 IH: To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to U.S. House of Representatives 2006-06-28 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I 109th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5704 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 28, 2006 Mr. Pitts (for himself, Mr. Ferguson, Mr. English of Pennsylvania, Mr. Bass, Mr. Gillmor, Mr. Hall, Mr. Norwood, Mr. Pickering, Mr. Shimkus, Mrs. Capps, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. Gonzalez, Mr. Gene Green of Texas, Mr. Inslee, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Ross, Mr. Towns, Mr. Wynn, Mrs. McCarthy, Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, Mrs. Jo Ann Davis of Virginia, Mr. McNulty, Mr. Miller of Florida, Mr. Dent, Mr. Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Mr. Sam Johnson of Texas, Mr. LaTourette, Mr. LoBiondo, Mr. Peterson of Pennsylvania, Mr. Price of Georgia, Mr. Ramstad, Mr. Schwarz of Michigan, Mr. Saxton, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Souder, Mr. Weldon of Pennsylvania, Mr. Weller, Mr. Boyd, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Crowley, Mr. Hinchey, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, and Mr. Jefferson) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 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 provide for a budget-neutral two-year moratorium on certain Medicare physician payment reductions for imaging services.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Access to Medicare Imaging Act of 2006.

2.

Budget-neutral two-year moratorium on certain medicare physician payment reductions for imaging services

(a)

Moratorium

Subsections (b)(4)(A) and (c)(2)(B)(v)(II) of section 1848 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–4), as added by section 5102 of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, are each amended by striking 2007 and inserting 2009. (b)

Budget neutrality

(1)

In general

Notwithstanding any other provision of law (including subclause (II) of section 1848(c)(2)(B)(ii) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–4(c)(2)(B)(ii)), for 2007 and for 2008 the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall reduce the payment amounts otherwise provided under this part and part A (and not under parts C and D) in a manner so as to provide for a reduction in aggregate expenditures under this part and part A for each such year of an amount equivalent to the increase in expenditures under such section for such year that the Secretary estimates will result from the application of the amendments made by subsection (a). (2)

No effect on subsequent periods

The reduction in payment effected under paragraph (1) for a year shall not apply to (or be taken into account in) the computation of payment amounts for a subsequent year. (c)

GAO study on patient access to imaging services

(1)

In general

The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a comprehensive study on patient access and service issues relating to the availability and quality of imaging services in physician offices and freestanding clinics that would have resulted (but for subsection (a)) from payment changes made by the amendments made by section 5102(b) of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. (2)

Details

Such study also shall examine— (A)reductions in review application to multiple procedure reductions multiple procedures and additional reductions associated with changes in physician practice expense, with particular attention to rural and medically underserved areas; and (B)the appropriateness of using the hospital outpatient department prospective payment system methodology to set reimbursement under the medicare program for all imaging services, regardless of site of service. (3)

Report

Not later than July 31, 2008, the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress and the Secretary of Health and Human Services a report on the study under this subsection and shall include in the report such recommendations regarding extending the moratorium imposed under the amendments made by subsection (a) or such other changes in medicare reimbursement for imaging services as the Comptroller General deems appropriate.