I 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 986 

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure the eligibility 

of eligible professionals practicing in rural health clinics for electronic 

health records and quality improvement incentives under Medicare, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 6, 2013 

Mr. SCHOCK (for himself, Mr. BRALEY of Iowa, Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan, 

Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS, and Mr. WALDEN) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and 

in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of 

such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure 

the eligibility of eligible professionals practicing in rural 

health clinics for electronic health records and quality 

improvement incentives under Medicare, and for other 

purposes. 

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 ‘‘Rural Health Clinic 

5 Fairness Act of 2013’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF MEDICARE EHR INCENTIVES TO ELI2 GIBLE PROFESSIONALS PRACTICING IN 

3 RURAL HEALTH CLINICS. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1848(o)(5)(A) of the So5 cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w(o)(5)(A)) is amended 

6 by inserting before the period at the end the following: 

7 ‘‘and, with respect to payment years after 2013, includes 

8 rural health clinic services (as defined in section 

9 1861(aa)(1)) furnished by an eligible professional’’. 

10 (b) OFFSETTING REDUCTION.—Section 

11 1848(o)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 

12 1395w–4(o)(1)(B)) is amended— 

13 (1) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘clauses (iii) 

14 through (v)’’ and inserting ‘‘the succeeding clauses’’; 

15 and 

16 (2) by adding at the end the following new 

17 clause: 

18 ‘‘(iv) BUDGET NEUTRALITY ADJUST19 MENT.—The Secretary shall reduce the ap20 plicable amounts that would otherwise be 

21 determined under this subparagraph with 

22 respect to 2014 and each succeeding year 

23 by an amount that the Secretary estimates 

24 would ensure that estimated aggregate 

25 payments under this subsection for such 

26 year is not increased as a result of the 


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1 amendment made by section 2(a) of the 

2 Rural Health Clinic Fairness Act of 

3 2013.’’. 

4 SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF MEDICARE ERX AND QUALITY RE5 PORTING INCENTIVES TO RURAL HEALTH 

6 CLINICS. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1848(m)(6)(A) of the So8 cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w(m)(6)(A)) is amended 

9 by inserting before the period at the end the following: 

10 ‘‘, except that the term ‘covered professional services’ 

11 shall, with respect to reporting periods for 2014 or a sub12 sequent year, include rural health clinic services (as de13 fined in section 1861(aa)(1)) furnished by an eligible pro14 fessional’’. 

15 (b) OFFSETTING REDUCTION.—Section 1848(m)(1) 

16 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w(m)(1)) is amended— 

17 (1) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘For pur18 poses’’ and inserting ‘‘Subject to subparagraph (C), 

19 for purposes’’; and 

20 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub21 paragraph: 

22 ‘‘(C) BUDGET NEUTRALITY ADJUST23 MENT.—The Secretary shall reduce the applica24 ble quality percent that would otherwise be de25 termined under subparagraph (B) for 2014 by 


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1 an amount that the Secretary estimates would 

2 ensure that estimated aggregate payments 

3 under this subsection for such year is not in4 creased as a result of the amendment made by 

5 section 3(a) of the Rural Health Clinic Fairness 

6 Act of 2013.’’. 

Æ 


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