II 111th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1108 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 20, 2009 Mr. Lautenberg (for himself, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Dodd, and Mr. Lieberman) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance A BILL To require application of budget neutrality on a national basis in the calculation of the Medicare hospital wage index floor for each all-urban and rural State.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Safeguarding Our Hospitals’ Futures Act of 2009.

2.

Application of budget neutrality on a national basis in the calculation of the Medicare hospital wage index floor for each all-urban and rural State

In the case of discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2009, for purposes of applying section 4410 of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (42 U.S.C. 1395ww note) and paragraph (h)(4) of section 412.64 of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall administer subsection (b) of such section 4410 and paragraph (e) of such section 412.64 in the same manner as the Secretary administered such subsection (b) and paragraph (e) for discharges occurring during fiscal year 2008 (through a uniform, national adjustment to the area wage index).