117th CONGRESS 1st Session |
To provide for certain Medicare program extensions, and for other purposes.
December 7, 2021
Ms. Schrier (for herself and Mr. Horsford) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and the Budget, 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
To provide for certain Medicare program extensions, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
This Act may be cited as the “Supporting Health Care Providers During the COVID–19 Pandemic Act”.
SEC. 2. Adjustments to Medicare sequestration reductions.
(a) Extension of temporary suspension through March 2022.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 3709(a) of division A of the CARES Act (2 U.S.C. 901a note) is amended—
(A) in the subsection header by inserting “and adjustment” after “suspension”; and
(B) by striking “December 31, 2021” and inserting “March 31, 2022”.
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by paragraph (1) shall take effect as if enacted as part of the CARES Act (Public Law 116–136).
(b) Adjustments to Medicare program sequestration reduction with respect to fiscal years 2022 and 2030.—Section 251A(6) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901a(6)) is amended—
(1) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (E); and
(2) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new subparagraphs:
“(C) Notwithstanding the 2 percent limit specified in subparagraph (A) for payments for the Medicare programs specified in section 256(d), the sequestration order of the President under such subparagraph for fiscal year 2022 shall be applied to such payments so that with respect to the period beginning on April 1, 2022, and ending on June 30, 2022, the payment reduction shall be 1.0 percent.
“(D) Notwithstanding the 2 percent limit specified in subparagraph (A) for payments for the Medicare programs specified in section 256(d), the sequestration order of the President under such subparagraph for fiscal year 2030 shall be applied to such payments so that—
“(i) with respect to the first 6 months in which such order is effective for such fiscal year, the payment reduction shall be 2.25 percent; and
“(ii) with respect to the second 6 months in which such order is so effective for such fiscal year, the payment reduction shall be 3 percent.”.
SEC. 3. Extension of support for physicians and other professionals in adjusting to Medicare payment changes.
(a) In general.—Section 1848 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–4) is amended—
(1) in subsection (c)(2)(B)(iv)(V), by striking “2021” and inserting “2021 or 2022”; and
(A) in the subsection header, by striking “2021” and inserting “2021 and 2022”;
(i) by striking “during 2021” and inserting “during 2021 and 2022”; and
(ii) by striking “for such services furnished on or after January 1, 2021, and before January 1, 2022, by 3.75 percent.” and inserting “for—
“(A) such services furnished on or after January 1, 2021, and before January 1, 2022, by 3.75 percent; and
“(B) such services furnished on or after January 1, 2022, and before January 1, 2023, by 3.0 percent.”; and
(i) in the subparagraph header, by striking “2021” and inserting “2021 and 2022”;
(ii) by inserting “for services furnished in 2021 or 2022” after “under this subsection”; and
(iii) by inserting “or 2022, respectively” before the period at the end.
(b) Report.—Section 101(c) of division N of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116–260) is amended—
(A) by striking “April 1, 2022” and inserting “each of April 1, 2022, and April 1, 2023”; and
(B) by striking “, as added by subsection (a)” and inserting “furnished during 2021 or 2022, respectively”; and
(A) by striking “Such report” and inserting “Each such report”; and
(B) by inserting “with respect to 2021 or 2022, as applicable” after “under such section”.
SEC. 4. Preserving patient access to critical clinical lab services.
(a) Revised phase-In of reductions from private payor rate implementation.—Section 1834A(b)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m–1(b)(3)) is amended—
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking “through 2024” and inserting “through 2025”; and
(A) in clause (ii), by striking “for 2021” and inserting “for each of 2021 and 2022”; and
(B) in clause (iii), by striking “2022 through 2024” and inserting “2023 through 2025”.
(b) Revised Reporting Period for Reporting of Private Sector Payment Rates for Establishment of Medicare Payment Rates.—Section 1834A(a)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m–1(a)(1)(B)) is amended—
(1) in clause (i), by striking “December 31, 2021” and inserting “December 31, 2022”; and
(A) by striking “January 1, 2022” and inserting “January 1, 2023”; and
(B) by striking “March 31, 2022” and inserting “March 31, 2023”.
SEC. 5. Delay to the implementation of the radiation oncology model under the Medicare program.
Section 133 of Division CC of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116–260) is amended by striking “January 1, 2022” and inserting “January 1, 2023”.
SEC. 6. Medicare Improvement Fund.
Section 1898(b)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395iii(b)(1)) is amended by striking “fiscal year 2021” and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting “fiscal year 2021, $101,000,000.”.