[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 138 (Monday, August 20, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S5722]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3740. Mr. MENENDEZ submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill H.R. 6157, making appropriations for the Department 
of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, and for other 
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place in title II of division B, insert 
     the following:

     SEC. __. FAIRNESS IN MEDICARE HOSPITAL PAYMENTS.

       (a) In General.--For discharges occurring on or after 
     October 1, 2018, the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
     shall (for purposes of determining the area wage index under 
     section 1886(d) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1395ww(d)) reclassify any hospital located in New Jersey 
     whose area wage index increased for discharges in fiscal year 
     2018 by reason of the imputed floor policy under section 
     412.64(h) of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations (including 
     the policy under clause (vi) of such section) to a core-based 
     statistical area (CBSA) that has the same area wage index 
     that would have applied to the hospital if such imputed floor 
     policy had been permanently extended.
       (b) Budget-neutral.--The Secretary of Health and Human 
     Services shall implement subsection (a) in a budget-neutral 
     manner under section 1886(d) of the Social Security Act (42 
     U.S.C. 1395ww(d)).
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