To call for a comprehensive approach for wage index reform.

SA 651. Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. Lautenberg, Ms. Warren, and
Mr. Cowan) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the
concurrent resolution S. Con. Res. 8, setting forth the congressional
budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2014, revising
the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal year 2013, and setting
forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2015 through
2023; as follows:

At the end of title III, add the following:

SEC. 3__. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND TO MAKE COMPREHENSIVE
IMPROVEMENTS TO MEDICARE HOSPITAL WAGE-RELATED
PAYMENTS.

The Chairman of the Committee on the Budget of the Senate
may revise the allocations of a committee or committees,
aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this resolution
for one or more bills, joint resolutions, amendments,
motions, or conference reports that would adjust Medicare
payments for hospitals, which may include adjustments to
reflect area differences in wage levels, by the amounts
provided in such legislation for those purposes, provided
that such legislation would not increase the deficit over
either the period of the total of fiscal years 2013 through
2018 or the period of the total of fiscal years 2013 through
2023.
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