The House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health proposed two Budget Act of 2015 provisions that would increase the reimbursement rate for hospital's outpatient, off-campus facilities, according to Healthcare Finance.
Here are five points:
1. The legislation, "The Helping Hospitals Improve Patient Care Act," aims to address hospital and other Medicare provider payments. Health Subcommittee Chairman Pat Tiberi, (R-Ohio) and Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Jim McDermott (D-Washington) introduced the legislation.
2. The legislation does not apply to facilities that were midway through construction as of November 2015.
3. Through the legislation, cancer hospitals' off-campus locations will be reimbursed the same rates as the cancer hospitals.
4. The bill works to offset the small payment reduction cancer hospitals currently receive.
5. The legislation also includes other provisions including:
• A "mid-build" exception to the current law on increasing the number of beds for long-term care hospitals
• Under the meaningful use program, the provision would include changing the way patient counters are treated for ambulatory surgery centers
• A delay in CMS' authority to end contracts for those Medicare Advantage patients not achieving minimum quality rates
• Mandating CMS reports Medicare enrollment data based on Congressional district
"The Helping Hospitals Improve Patient Care Act takes responsible steps to strengthen Medicare and give hospitals and healthcare providers the certainty they need to best serve their patients. It is fully paid for and includes many bipartisan provisions that are priorities to members of the Ways and Means Committee," said Mr. Tiberi.
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