II 110th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 3484 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 12, 2008 Mr. Specter (for himself, Mr. Harkin, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Wyden, and Mr. Smith) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance A BILL To provide for a delay in the phase out of the hospice budget neutrality adjustment factor under title XVIII of the Social Security Act.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Hospice Protection Act of 2008.

2.

Delay in phase out of the hospice budget neutrality adjustment factor

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, including the provisions contained in the final rule published on August 8, 2008, on pages 46464 through 46522 of volume 73, Federal Register (relating to part 418 of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations), the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall not take any action to phase out or eliminate the budget neutrality adjustment factor in the Medicare hospice wage index prior to October 1, 2009.