[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 876 Reported in House (RH)]
Union Calendar No. 25
114th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 876
[Report No. 114-39, Part I]
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require hospitals to
provide certain notifications to individuals classified by such
hospitals under observation status rather than admitted as inpatients
of such hospitals.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 11, 2015
Mr. Doggett (for himself and Mr. Young of Indiana) 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
March 13, 2015
Additional sponsors: Mr. Blumenauer and Mr. Rangel
March 13, 2015
Reported from the Committee on Ways and Means with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
March 13, 2015
The Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged; committed to the
Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to
be printed
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on
February 11, 2015]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require hospitals to
provide certain notifications to individuals classified by such
hospitals under observation status rather than admitted as inpatients
of such hospitals.
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 ``Notice of Observation Treatment and
Implication for Care Eligibility Act'' or the ``NOTICE Act''.
SEC. 2. MEDICARE REQUIREMENT FOR HOSPITAL NOTIFICATIONS OF OBSERVATION
STATUS.
Section 1866(a)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
1395cc(a)(1)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (V), by striking at the end ``and'';
(2) in the first subparagraph (W), by striking at the end
the period and inserting a comma;
(3) in the second subparagraph (W)--
(A) by redesignating such subparagraph as
subparagraph (X); and
(B) by striking at the end the period and inserting
``, and''; and
(4) by inserting after such subparagraph (X) the following
new subparagraph:
``(Y) beginning 12 months after the date of the enactment
of this subparagraph, in the case of a hospital or critical
access hospital, with respect to each individual who receives
observation services as an outpatient at such hospital or
critical access hospital for more than 24 hours, to provide to
such individual not later than 36 hours after the time such
individual begins receiving such services (or, if sooner, upon
release)--
``(i) such oral explanation of the written
notification described in clause (ii), and such
documentation of the provision of such explanation, as
the Secretary determines to be appropriate;
``(ii) a written notification (as specified by the
Secretary pursuant to rulemaking and containing such
language as the Secretary prescribes consistent with
this paragraph) which--
``(I) explains the status of the individual
as an outpatient receiving observation services
and not as an inpatient of the hospital or
critical access hospital and the reasons for
such status of such individual;
``(II) explains the implications of such
status on services furnished by the hospital or
critical access hospital (including services
furnished on an inpatient basis), such as
implications for cost-sharing requirements
under this title and for subsequent eligibility
for coverage under this title for services
furnished by a skilled nursing facility;
``(III) includes such additional
information as the Secretary determines
appropriate;
``(IV) either--
``(aa) is signed by such individual
or a person acting on such individual's
behalf to acknowledge receipt of such
notification; or
``(bb) if such individual or person
refuses to provide the signature
described in item (aa), is signed by
the staff member of the hospital or
critical access hospital who presented
the written notification and includes
the name and title of such staff
member, a certification that the
notification was presented, and the
date and time the notification was
presented; and
``(V) is written and formatted using plain
language and is made available in appropriate
languages as determined by the Secretary.''.
Union Calendar No. 25
114th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 876
[Report No. 114-39, Part I]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require hospitals to
provide certain notifications to individuals classified by such
hospitals under observation status rather than admitted as inpatients
of such hospitals.
_______________________________________________________________________
March 13, 2015
Reported from the Committee on Ways and Means with an amendment
March 13, 2015
The Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged; committed to the
Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to
be printed