Consumer Learning through Electronically-Accessible and Reasonable Cost Information Act of 2013

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the reporting of certain hospital payment data under the Medicare program, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Consumer Learning through Electronically-Accessible and Reasonable Cost Information Act of 2013 CLEAR Cost Information Act of 2013 2. Reporting of certain hospital payment data (a) In general Section 1866 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395cc) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)(1)— (A) in subparagraph (V), by striking and (B) in subparagraph (W), as added by section 3005 of Public Law 111–148 (i) by moving such subparagraph 2 ems to the left; and (ii) by striking the period at the end and inserting a comma; (C) in subparagraph (W), as added by section 6406(b) of Public Law 111–148 (i) by moving such subparagraph 2 ems to the left; (ii) by redesignating such subparagraph as subparagraph (X); and (iii) by striking the period at the end and inserting , and (D) by inserting after subparagraph (X), as redesignated by subparagraph (C)(ii), the following new subparagraph: (Y) in the case of a subsection (d) hospital (as defined in section 1886(d)(1)(B)), to report payment data to the Secretary in accordance subsection (l). ; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection: (l) Reporting of certain hospital payment data (1) In general A subsection (d) hospital (as defined in section 1886(d)(1)(B)) shall submit to the Secretary data on the actual amounts collected by the hospital from uninsured and insured patients over the preceding 2 years for each of the procedures described in paragraph (2). (2) Procedures described The procedures described in this paragraph are the 50 most common diagnosis-related groups and ambulatory payment classification groups for which payment is made under this title, as determined by the Secretary based on claims data, in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. (3) Transparency (A) In general In order to be beneficial to consumers, the reporting of data under this subsection shall be done in a manner that is transparent to the general public. (B) Public availability of information The Secretary shall post data submitted under paragraph (1) on a publicly accessible and searchable Internet website in a form and manner that— (i) allows for meaningful comparisons of hospital collections and related policies by zip code; and (ii) is readily understandable by a typical consumer. (C) Linking of data A subsection (d) hospital shall include a link to the data posted under subparagraph (B) on the home Internet website of the hospital. . (b) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall apply to contracts entered into, or renewed, on or after the date of the enactment of this Act. 3. Inclusion of information on charity care furnished by hospitals in MedPAC's annual report Each annual report submitted to Congress after the date of the enactment of this Act by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission under section 1805 of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395b–6 4. Public availability of report on trends in levels of charity care provided by certain hospitals (a) Posting of data Section 9007(e)(2) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ( Public Law 111–148 (C) Public availability The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall post the data contained in the report under subparagraph (B) on a publicly accessible and searchable website that— (i) allows for meaningful comparisons of the data by zip code; and (ii) is readily understandable by a typical consumer. . (b) Medicare requirement for hospitals To provide a link to the data on the hospital's home webpage (1) In general Section 1866(a)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395cc(a)(1)), as amended by section 2, is amended— (A) in subparagraph (X), by striking and (B) in subparagraph (Y), by striking the period at the end and inserting , and (C) by inserting after subparagraph (Y) the following new subparagraph: (Z) in the case of hospitals and critical access hospitals, to include a link on the home Internet website of the hospital or critical access hospital to the data posted under section 9007(e)(2)(C) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. . (2) Effective date The amendments made by paragraph (1) shall apply to contracts entered into, or renewed, on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Summary: Consumer Learning through Electronically-Accessible and Reasonable Cost Information Act of 2013 [sic] or CLEAR Cost Information Act of 2013 [sic] - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to require service providers, in order to be qualified to participate and receive Medicare payments under any agreement filed with the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), to report to the Secretary payment data on "subsection (d) hospitals." (Generally, a subsection (d) hospital is an acute care hospital, particularly one that receives payments under Medicare's inpatient prospective payment system when providing covered inpatient services to eligible beneficiaries.) Requires a subsection (d) hospital to submit to the Secretary data on the actual amounts it has collected from uninsured and insured patients over the preceding two years for each of the 50 most common diagnosis-related groups and ambulatory payment classification groups for which payment is made in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. Requires each annual report submitted to Congress by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MEDPAC) to contain information on the percentage that charity care makes up of the total care furnished by hospitals and critical access hospitals. Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to require the Secretary of the Treasury to post data on trends in the levels of charity care provided by certain hospitals on a publicly accessible and searchable website. Amends SSA title XVIII to require hospitals and critical access hospitals to include a link to such data on their home Internet websites.