II 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 5194 

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend certain increases 

in payments for physicians services under the Medicare program through 

2023. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 6, 2022 

Mr. KENNEDY introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Finance 

A BILL 

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend 

certain increases in payments for physicians services 

under the Medicare program through 2023. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protecting Medicare 

5 Patients and Physicians Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

7 It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of 

8 Health and Human Services, the House of RepresentaVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:15 Dec 07, 2022 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S5194.IS S5194

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1 tives, and the Senate should commit to take administrative 

2 and legislative actions to— 

3 (1) ensure financial stability and predictability 

4 in the Medicare physician payment system; 

5 (2) promote and reward value-based care inno6 vation; and 

7 (3) safeguard timely access to high-quality care 

8 by advancing health equity and reducing disparities. 

9 SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF SUPPORT FOR PHYSICIANS AND 

10 OTHER PROFESSIONALS IN ADJUSTING TO 

11 MEDICARE PAYMENT CHANGES. 

12 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1848 of the Social Secu13 rity Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–4) is amended— 

14 (1) in subsection (c)(2)(B)(iv)(V), by striking 

15 ‘‘or 2022’’ and inserting ‘‘, 2022, or 2023’’; and 

16 (2) in subsection (t)— 

17 (A) in the heading, by striking ‘‘AND

18 2022’’ and inserting ‘‘, 2022, AND 2023’’; 

19 (B) in paragraph (1)— 

20 (i) by striking ‘‘and 2022’’ and insert21 ing ‘‘, 2022, and 2023’’; 

22 (ii) in subparagraph (A), by striking 

23 ‘‘and’’ at the end; 


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1 (iii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 

2 the period at the end and inserting ‘‘; 

3 and’’; and 

4 (iv) by adding at the end the following 

5 new subparagraph: 

6 ‘‘(C) such services furnished on or after 

7 January 1, 2023, and before January 1, 2024, 

8 by 4.42 percent.’’; and 

9 (C) in paragraph (2)(C)— 

10 (i) in the heading, by striking ‘‘AND

11 2022’’ and inserting ‘‘, 2022 AND 2023’’; and 

12 (ii) by striking ‘‘or 2022’’ each place 

13 it appears and inserting ‘‘, 2022, or 

14 2023’’. 

15 (b) TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF PAYGO MEDICARE

16 SEQUESTRATION.—During the period beginning on the 

17 date of enactment of this Act and ending on December 

18 31, 2023, the Medicare programs under title XVIII of the 

19 Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) shall be ex20 empt from reduction under any sequestration order issued 

21 under the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (2 U.S.C. 

22 931 et seq.) before, on, or after the date of enactment 

23 of this Act. 

24 (c) TRANSFER OF RETURNED PROVIDER RELIEF

25 FUNDS.—Section 1150C of the Social Security Act (42 


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1 U.S.C. 1320b–26) is amended by adding at the end the 

2 following new subsection: 

3 ‘‘(f) TRANSFER OF RETURNED FUNDS.—The Sec4 retary shall provide for the transfer to the Federal Supple5 mentary Medical Insurance Trust Fund under section 

6 1841 of any amounts returned to the Secretary by an eli7 gible health care provider under this section that are unob8 ligated as of the date of the enactment of this sub9 section.’’. 

Æ 


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