[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1125 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1125

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the quality 
   of care in skilled nursing facilities under the Medicare Program 
      through requiring the reporting of expenditures for nursing.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 23, 2009

  Ms. Kaptur introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy 
    and 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

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                                 A BILL


 
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the quality 
   of care in skilled nursing facilities under the Medicare Program 
      through requiring the reporting of expenditures for nursing.

    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 ``Long-Term Care Quality Improvement 
Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENT IN QUALITY OF LONG-TERM CARE IN SKILLED NURSING 
              FACILITIES UNDER MEDICARE.

    Section 1888 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395yy) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(f) Detailed Reporting of Nursing Expenditures.--
            ``(1) In general.--For cost reports submitted for cost 
        reporting periods beginning on or after four months after the 
        date of the enactment of this subsection, skilled nursing 
        facilities shall separately report expenditures for wages and 
        benefits for nursing staff (by staff level, breaking out (at a 
        minimum) registered nurses, licensed professional nurses, and 
        certified nurse assistants).
            ``(2) Modification of form.--The Secretary, in consultation 
        with private sector accountants experienced with Medicare and 
        Medicaid nursing facility home cost reports, shall redesign 
        such reports to meet the requirement of paragraph (1).''.
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