[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 151 (Thursday, November 18, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S8046]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 THE VETERANS', SENIORS', AND CHILDREN'S HEALTH TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS 
                              ACT OF 2010

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to Calendar No. 465, H.R. 5712.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 5712) to provide for certain clarifications 
     and extensions under Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's 
     Health Insurance Program.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the substitute 
amendment, which is at the desk, be considered and that it be agreed 
to; that the bill, as amended, be read three times and then passed and 
the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table; that the title 
amendment, which is also at the desk, be considered and agreed to, and 
the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 4711) in the nature of a substitute, was agreed 
to, as follows:

       Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
     following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``The Physician Payment and 
     Therapy Relief Act of 2010''.

     SEC. 2. PHYSICIAN PAYMENT UPDATE.

       Section 1848(d)(11) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1395w-4(d)(11)) is amended--
       (1) in the heading, by striking ``november'' and inserting 
     ``december'';
       (2) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``November 30'' and 
     inserting ``December 31''; and
       (3) in subparagraph (B)--
       (A) in the heading, by striking ``remaining portion of 
     2010'' and inserting ``2011''; and
       (B) by striking ``the period beginning on December 1, 2010, 
     and ending on December 31, 2010, and for''.

     SEC. 3. TREATMENT OF MULTIPLE SERVICE PAYMENT POLICIES FOR 
                   THERAPY SERVICES.

       (a) Smaller Payment Discount for Certain Multiple Therapy 
     Services.--Section 1848(b) of the Social Security Act (42 
     U.S.C. 1395w-4(b)) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new paragraph:
       ``(7) Adjustment in discount for certain multiple therapy 
     services.--In the case of therapy services furnished on or 
     after January 1, 2011, and for which payment is made under 
     fee schedules established under this section, instead of the 
     25 percent multiple procedure payment reduction specified in 
     the final rule published by the Secretary in the Federal 
     Register on November 29, 2010, the reduction percentage shall 
     be 20 percent.''.
       (b) Exemption of Payment Reduction From Budget-
     neutrality.--Section 1848(c)(2)(B)(v) of the Social Security 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-4(c)(2)(B)(v)) is amended by adding at 
     the end the following new subclause:

       ``(VII) Reduced expenditures for multiple therapy 
     services.--Effective for fee schedules established beginning 
     with 2011, reduced expenditures attributable to the multiple 
     procedure payment reduction for therapy services (as 
     described in subsection (b)(7)).''.

     SEC. 4. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

       The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 
     complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall 
     be determined by reference to the latest statement titled 
     ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act, 
     submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the 
     Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, provided that such 
     statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.

  The amendment (No. 4712) was agreed to, as follows:

       Amend the file so as to read: An act entitled ``The 
     Physician Payment and Therapy Relief Act of 2010.''

  The amendments were ordered to be engrossed and the bill to be read a 
third time.
  The bill (H.R. 5712) was read the third time and passed.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I appreciate everyone's cooperation. This is 
the SGR extension for 30 days to allow us to spend more time on this 
and make sure the doctors are able to be compensated. These Medicare 
patients are extremely important, as are the doctors.

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