S.Amdt. 2696

SA 2696. Mrs. LINCOLN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 1776, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the update under the Medicare physician fee schedule for years beginning with 2010 and to sunset the application of the sustainable growth rate formula, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “Medicare Physician Fairness Act of 2009”.

SEC. 2. MEDICARE PHYSICIAN FEE SCHEDULE UPDATE FOR 2010 THROUGH 2014.

Section 1848(d) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-4(d)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

“(10) Update for 2010 through 2014.--

“(A) In general.--Subject to paragraphs (7)(B), (8)(B), and (9)(B), in lieu of the update to the single conversion factor established in paragraph (1)(C) that would otherwise apply for each of 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014, the update to the single conversion factor shall be 0.5 percent.

“(B) No effect on computation of conversion factor for 2015 and subsequent years.--The conversion factor under this subsection shall be computed under paragraph (1)(A) for 2015 and subsequent years as if subparagraph (A) had never applied.”.

SEC. 3. REDUCTION IN TARP FUNDS TO OFFSET THE COSTS OF THE PAYMENT UPDATE FOR MEDICARE PHYSICIANS' SERVICES.

Paragraph (3) of section 115(a) of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (12 U.S.C. 5225) is amended by striking “$1,259,000,000” and inserting “$179,259,000,000”.