[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 332 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 332

 To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent the 
  extension of the Medicare-dependent hospital (MDH) program and the 
   increased payments under the Medicare low-volume hospital program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            February 2, 2015

  Mr. Grassley (for himself and Mr. Schumer) introduced the following 
  bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent the 
  extension of the Medicare-dependent hospital (MDH) program and the 
   increased payments under the Medicare low-volume hospital program.

    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 ``Rural Hospital Access Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF THE MEDICARE-DEPENDENT HOSPITAL (MDH) PROGRAM.

    (a) Extension of Payment Methodology.--Section 1886(d)(5)(G) of the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(5)(G)) is amended--
            (1) in clause (i), by striking ``, and before April 1, 
        2015''; and
            (2) in clause (ii)(II), by striking ``, and before April 1, 
        2015''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Extension of target amount.--Section 1886(b)(3)(D) of 
        the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(b)(3)(D)) is 
        amended--
                    (A) in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking 
                ``, and before April 1, 2015''; and
                    (B) in clause (iv), by striking ``through fiscal 
                year 2014 and the portion of fiscal year 2015 before 
                April 1, 2015'' and inserting ``or a subsequent fiscal 
                year''.
            (2) Permitting hospitals to decline reclassification.--
        Section 13501(e)(2) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 
        1993 (42 U.S.C. 1395ww note) is amended by striking ``fiscal 
        year 2000 through the first 2 quarters of fiscal year 2015'' 
        and inserting ``a subsequent fiscal year''.

SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF THE INCREASED PAYMENTS UNDER THE MEDICARE LOW-
              VOLUME HOSPITAL PROGRAM.

    Section 1886(d)(12) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395ww(d)(12)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (B), in the matter preceding clause 
        (i), by striking ``and for discharges occurring in fiscal year 
        2015 (beginning on April 1, 2015), fiscal year 2016, and 
        subsequent fiscal years'';
            (2) in subparagraph (C)(i)--
                    (A) by striking ``fiscal years 2011 through 2014 
                and fiscal year 2015 (before April 1, 2015)'' each 
                place it appears and inserting ``fiscal year 2011 and 
                each subsequent year''; and
                    (B) by striking ``or portion of fiscal year'' after 
                ``during the fiscal year''; and
            (3) in subparagraph (D)--
                    (A) by striking ``fiscal years 2011 through 2014 
                and fiscal year 2015 (before April 1, 2015),'' and 
                inserting ``fiscal year 2011 and each subsequent fiscal 
                year''; and
                    (B) by striking ``or the portion of fiscal year'' 
                after ``fiscal year''.
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