[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 57 (Monday, March 23, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S1972]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 1571. Mr. SASSE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 748, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to 
repeal the excise tax on high cost employer-sponsored health coverage; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

        At the end of subtitle D of title III of division A, 
     insert the following:

     SEC. 3717. MEDICARE SKILLED NURSING FACILITY PROSPECTIVE 
                   PAYMENT SYSTEM ADJUSTMENT FOR COVID-19 
                   RESIDENTS DURING EMERGENCY PERIOD.

       (a) In General.--Section 1888(e) of the Social Security Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 1395yy(e)) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1), by striking `` and (12)'' and 
     inserting ``(12), and (13)''; and
       (2) by inserting after paragraph (12) the following new 
     paragraph:
       ``(13) Adjustment for residents with covid-19.--During the 
     emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B), in the 
     case of a resident who has a principal or secondary diagnosis 
     of COVID-19, the per diem amount of payment otherwise 
     applicable shall be increased by 15 percent to reflect 
     increased costs associated with such residents.''.
       (b) Implementation.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, the Secretary may implement the amendments made by 
     subsection (a) by program instruction or otherwise.
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