I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 663 
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make permanent the 
extension of the Medicare-dependent hospital (MDH) program and the 
increased payments under the Medicare low-volume hospital program. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 2, 2015 
Mr. REED (for himself and Mr. WELCH) 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 make 
permanent the extension of the Medicare-dependent hos-
pital (MDH) program and the increased payments under 
the Medicare low-volume hospital program. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Rural Hospital Access 
Act of 2015’’. 
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SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF THE MEDICARE-DEPENDENT HOS-
PITAL (MDH) PROGRAM. 
(a) EXTENSION OF PAYMENT METHODOLOGY.—Sec-
tion 1886(d)(5)(G) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395ww(d)(5)(G)) is amended— 
(1) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘, and before April 
1, 2015’’; and 
(2) in clause (ii)(II), by striking ‘‘, and before 
April 1, 2015’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) EXTENSION OF TARGET AMOUNT.—Section 
1886(b)(3)(D) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395ww(b)(3)(D)) is amended— 
(A) in the matter preceding clause (i), by 
striking ‘‘, and before April 1, 2015’’; and 
(B) in clause (iv), by striking ‘‘through fis-
cal year 2014 and the portion of fiscal year 
2015 before April 1, 2015’’ and inserting ‘‘or a 
subsequent fiscal year’’. 
(2) PERMITTING HOSPITALS TO DECLINE RE-
CLASSIFICATION.—Section 13501(e)(2) of the Omni-
bus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 
1395ww note) is amended by striking ‘‘fiscal year 
2000 through the first 2 quarters of fiscal year 
2015’’ and inserting ‘‘a subsequent fiscal year’’. 
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SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF THE INCREASED PAYMENTS UNDER 
THE 
MEDICARE 
LOW-VOLUME 
HOSPITAL 
PROGRAM. 
Section 1886(d)(12) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(12)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (B), in the matter pre-
ceding clause (i), by striking ‘‘and for discharges oc-
curring in fiscal year 2015 (beginning on April 1, 
2015), fiscal year 2016, and subsequent fiscal 
years’’; 
(2) in subparagraph (C)(i)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘fiscal years 2011 through 
2014 and fiscal year 2015 (before April 1, 
2015)’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘fis-
cal year 2011 and each subsequent year’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘or portion of fiscal year’’ 
after ‘‘during the fiscal year’’; and 
(3) in subparagraph (D)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘fiscal years 2011 through 
2014 and fiscal year 2015 (before April 1, 
2015),’’ and inserting ‘‘fiscal year 2011 and 
each subsequent fiscal year’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘or the portion of fiscal 
year’’ after ‘‘fiscal year’’. 
Æ 
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