Title: Improving Seniors Access to Quality Benefits Act
Policy area: Health

Summary:
This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to report on how the inclusion of quality percentage increases affects certain payment calculations under Medicare Advantage.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4952 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4952

To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a study 
    and submit a report on the effects of the inclusion of quality 
increases in the determination of blended benchmark amounts under part 
                       C of the Medicare program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 6, 2018

  Mr. Kelly of Pennsylvania (for himself and Mr. Kind) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, 
 and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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 direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a study 
    and submit a report on the effects of the inclusion of quality 
increases in the determination of blended benchmark amounts under part 
                       C of the Medicare program.

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

SECTION 1. DETERMINATION OF BLENDED BENCHMARK AMOUNT STUDY.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the 
inclusion of quality increases in the determination of blended 
benchmark amounts under section 1853(n)(4) of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1395w-23(n)(4)) undermines the goal of delivering high-
quality care under the Medicare program under title XVIII of such Act.
    (b) Study and Report.--Not later than one year after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, 
in consultation with relevant stakeholders, shall conduct a study and 
submit to Congress a report on the effects of the inclusion of quality 
percentage increases under section 1853(n)(5) of such Act in the 
determination of blended benchmark amounts under section 1853(n)(4) of 
such Act. Such study and report shall include an analysis of the 
following:
            (1) The authority of the Secretary to remove such increases 
        from the determination of such amounts.
            (2) The effects of including such increases in the 
        determination of such amounts on Medicare Advantage 
        organizations (including the effects on any contracts entered 
        into by such organizations).
            (3) The financial impact of including such increases in the 
        determination of such amounts by county.
            (4) The effects of including such increases in the 
        determination of such amounts on individuals enrolled in a plan 
        under part C of title XVIII of such Act.
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