[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7931 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7931

   To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to update the fee 
 schedule for ambulance services provided by critical access hospitals.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 10, 2024

 Mrs. Miller of West Virginia (for herself and Ms. Caraveo) 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 update the fee 
 schedule for ambulance services provided by critical access 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 ``Preserving Emergency Access in Key 
Sites Act'' or the ``PEAKS Act''.

SEC. 2. UPDATE TO FEE SCHEDULE FOR AMBULANCE SERVICES PROVIDED BY 
              CRITICAL ACCESS HOSPITALS.

    Section 1834(l)(8) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395m(l)(8)) is amended in the flush left text following subparagraph 
(B) by inserting ``(or, in the case of mountainous terrain or in areas 
with only secondary roads available, a 15-mile drive)'' after ``35-mile 
drive''.

SEC. 3. TREATMENT OF HOSPITALS THAT MET MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN OR 
              SECONDARY ROADS DISTANCE REQUIREMENT FOR DESIGNATION AS 
              CRITICAL ACCESS HOSPITAL.

    Section 1820(h) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i-4(h)) 
is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(4) Treatment of hospitals that met mountainous terrain 
        or secondary roads distance requirements for designation.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Beginning January 1, 2025, in 
                the case of a hospital described in subparagraph (B), 
                such hospital shall be deemed to meet the 15-mile 
                distance requirement for mountainous terrain or 
                secondary roads described in subsection 
                (c)(2)(B)(i)(I).
                    ``(B) Hospital described.--A hospital described in 
                this subparagraph is a hospital that--
                            ``(i) as of the date of enactment of this 
                        paragraph, is designated as a critical access 
                        hospital;
                            ``(ii) demonstrates (in a manner determined 
                        by the Secretary) that the hospital met the 15-
                        mile distance requirement for mountainous 
                        terrain or secondary roads described in 
                        subsection (c)(2)(B)(i)(I) as of the hospital's 
                        last certification as a critical access 
                        hospital; and
                            ``(iii) after such date of enactment, has a 
                        new hospital or other facility described in 
                        this subsection that is located not less than 
                        10, but no more than 15, miles from the 
                        hospital.
                    ``(C) Regulations.--Not later than 1 year after the 
                date of enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary 
                shall promulgate regulations to carry out this 
                paragraph.''.
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