II
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2785
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 13, 2008
Ms. Stabenow introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance
A BILL
To amend title XVIII of the Security Act to preserve access to physicians' services under the Medicare program.
Short title
This Act may be cited as
the Save Medicare Act of
2008
.
Increase in Medicare physician payment update
Section 1848(d) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–4(d)), as amended by section 101 of the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 (Public Law 110–173), is amended—
in paragraph (8)—
in the heading,
by striking a portion
of
;
in subparagraph (A)—
by
striking (A) In
general.—Subject to
and inserting
Notwithstanding
; and
by
striking for the period beginning on January 1, 2008, and ending on June
30, 2008,
;
by striking subparagraph (B); and
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
Update for 2009
In lieu of the update to the single conversion factor established in paragraph (1)(C) that would otherwise apply for 2009, the update to the single conversion factor shall be 1.8 percent.
.
Extension of the physician quality reporting system
System
Section 1848(k)(2)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–4(k)(2)(B)), as amended by section 101 of the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 (Public Law 110–173), is amended—
in the heading,
by striking and
2009
and inserting , 2009, and
2010
;
in clause (i), by
striking and 2009
and inserting , 2009, and 2010
;
and
in each of clauses (ii) and (iii)—
by striking
and 2008
and inserting , 2008, and 2009
;
and
by striking
or 2009
and inserting , 2009, or 2010
.
Reporting
Section 101(c) of division B of the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 (42 U.S.C. 1395w–4 note), as amended by section 101 of the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 (Public Law 110–173), is amended—
in the heading, by
striking and
2008
and inserting , 2008, and 2009
;
and
in paragraph (6)(C)—
in clause (i), by
striking and
at the end;
in clause (ii),
by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and
;
and
by adding at the end the following new clause:
for 2009, all of 2009.
.
Extension of medicare incentive payment program for physician scarcity areas
Section 1833(u) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(u)), as amended by section 102 of the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 (Public Law 110–173), is amended—
in paragraph (1),
by striking July 1, 2008
and inserting January 1,
2010
; and
in subparagraph
(4)(D), by striking July 1, 2008
and inserting January 1,
2010
.
Extension of floor on Medicare work geographic adjustment under the Medicare physician fee schedule
Section 1848(e)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–4(e)(1), as amended by section 103 of the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 (Public Law 110–173), is amended—
in subparagraph (A), in the matter
preceding clause (i), by striking subparagraphs (B)
through
the Secretary
and inserting the succeeding provisions of
this paragraph, the Secretary
; and
in subparagraph (E), by striking
July 1, 2008
and inserting January 1,
2010
.
Extension of accommodation of physicians ordered to active duty in the armed services
Section
1842(b)(6)(D)(iii) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395u(b)(6)(D)(iii)),
as amended by section 116 of the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of
2007 (Public Law 110–173), is amended by striking July 1, 2008
and inserting January 1, 2010
.
Sense of the Senate regarding fiscal responsibility
It is the sense of the Senate that—
the provisions of, and amendments made by, this Act should be deficit neutral over the 5-year period beginning on October 1, 2008; and
Congress should address the challenges facing the Medicare program in a fiscally responsible manner.
Sense of the Senate regarding quality
It is the Sense of the Senate that—
the Medicare program should provide payments to physicians and other health professionals that serve as positive incentives for participation in voluntary initiatives to improve health care quality;
such initiatives should include pay-for-reporting programs, programs to facilitate coordination of care, the use of clinical appropriateness criteria developed by organizations representing physicians and other health care professionals, grants for developing and pilot testing data registry systems, grants for participation in such data registries, and other appropriate initiatives; and
financing for such initiatives should be non-punitive and exempt from the Medicare physician fee schedule budget neutrality requirements.