I 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3422 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 30, 2009 Mr. King of Iowa (for himself and Mr. Latham) 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 A BILL To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make temporary improvements to the Medicare inpatient payment adjustment for low-volume hospitals, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Medicare Support for Rural Hospitals Act.

2.

Temporary improvements to the medicare inpatient hospital payment adjustment for low-volume hospitals

(a)

In General

Section 1886(d)(12) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(12)) is amended— (1)in subparagraph (A), by inserting or (D) (for discharges occurring in fiscal year 2010) after subparagraph (B); (2)in subparagraph (B), by striking The Secretary and inserting Except as provided in subparagraph (D), the Secretary; (3)in subparagraph (C)(i)— (A)by inserting (or, with respect to fiscal year 2010, 15 road miles) after 25 road miles; and (B)by inserting (or, with respect to fiscal year 2010, 1,500 discharges of individuals entitled to, or enrolled for, benefits under part A) after 800 discharges; and (4)by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (D)

Temporary applicable percentage increase

For discharges occurring in fiscal year 2010, the Secretary shall determine an applicable percentage increase for purposes of subparagraph (A) using a continuous linear sliding scale ranging from 25 percent for low-volume hospitals with 200 or fewer discharges of individuals entitled to, or enrolled for, benefits under part A in the fiscal year to 0 percent for low-volume hospitals with greater than 1,500 discharges of such individuals in the fiscal year. . (b)

Implementation

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Health and Human Services may implement the amendments made by subsection (a) by program instruction or otherwise.

3.

Use of non-wage adjusted pps rate under the medicare-dependent hospital (mdh) program

(a)

In General

Section 1886(d)(5)(G) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(5)(G)) is amended by adding at the end the following new clause: (v)In the case of discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2009, and before October 1, 2010, in determining the amount under paragraph (1)(A)(iii) for purposes of clauses (i) and (ii)(II), such amount shall, if it results in greater payments to the hospital, be determined without regard to any adjustment for different area wage levels under paragraph (3)(E). . (b)

Implementation

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Health and Human Services may implement the amendment made by subsection (a) by program instruction or otherwise.

4.

Repeal of section 211 of Public Law 111–3

Section 211 of Public Law 111–3 is repealed.