II 112th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 3659 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES December 5, 2012 Mr. Conrad (for himself and Mr. Wyden) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance A BILL To repeal certain changes to contracts with Medicare Quality Improvement Organizations, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Quality Improvement Organization Program Restoration Act.

2.

Repeal of changes to contracts with Medicare QIOs

Section 261 of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Extension Act of 2011 (relating to contracts with Quality Improvement Organizations) is repealed and the provisions of law amended by such section are restored as if such section had never been enacted.

3.

Quality improvement funding

Section 1159 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320c–8) is amended— (1)by striking Expenses incurred and inserting (a) Expenses incurred; and (2)by adding at the end the following new subsection: (b)(1)With respect to any 3-year period for which 3-year contracts are entered into under this part for contract periods beginning on or after August 1, 2014, and ending on or before July 31, 2021, the aggregate amount of funds payable during any such 3-year period for such contracts shall not exceed $1,674,000,000. (2)For any contract period beginning on or after August 1, 2014, at least 80 percent of the funds to carry out this part shall be expended to directly fund the contracts with utilization and quality control peer review organizations under section 1153(b). (3)In order to reduce spending of the amount in paragraph (1) by $330,000,000, for the period beginning on October 1, 2014, and ending on September 30, 2021, the aggregate amount of funds payable for contracts under this part shall be reduced by $330,000,000. .