H.R. 10086 – Reading Mode

118th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 10086

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

November 1, 2024

Mr. Ferguson (for himself and Mr. Griffith) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

A BILL

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to codify the Medicare low-wage index hospital policy.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Save Struggling Hospitals Act.

Codification of the Medicare low-wage index hospital policy

Section 1886(d)(3)(E) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(3)(E)) is amended—

(1)

in clause (i), in the first sentence, by striking or (iv) and inserting , (iv), or (v); and

(2)

by adding at the end the following new clause:

(v)

Low-wage hospitals

For discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2019, the area wage index applicable under this subparagraph for a fiscal year to a hospital with an area wage index below the 25th percentile area wage index shall be increased by ½ of the difference between the otherwise applicable final area wage index for such fiscal year for such hospital and the 25th percentile area wage index for such fiscal year across all hospitals. Pursuant to the fourth sentence of clause (i), the preceding sentence shall be applied in a budget neutral manner.