Rural Health Clinic Fairness Act of 2013

Bill: 113-hr-986
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Schock, Aaron [R-IL-18]
Introduced: 2013-03-06
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Health care quality

Health information and medical records

Health personnel

Health programs administration and funding

Medicare

Rural conditions and development
Latest action: action_date: 2013-03-08
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summaries:
action_date: 2013-03-06
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>Rural Health Clinic Fairness Act of 2013 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to extend Medicare: (1) electronic health record (EHR) incentives to eligible professionals practicing in rural health clinics, and (2) electronic prescribing (eRx) and quality reporting incentives to such clinics. </p> <p>Revises requirements for incentive payments to such professionals who are meaningful EHR users or who submit to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) satisfactory quality data reports. Directs the Secretary to reduce the applicable incentive payments that would otherwise be determined by a budget-neutral amount calculated according to a specified formula to ensure that estimated aggregate payments are not increased as a result of this Act. </p>

tv_txt: I 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 986 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. Short title This Act may be cited as the Rural Health Clinic Fairness Act of 2013 . 2. Extension of Medicare EHR incentives to eligible professionals practicing in rural health clinics (a) In general Section 1848(o)(5)(A) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395w(o)(5)(A) ) is amended by inserting before the period at the end the following: and, with respect to payment years after 2013, includes rural health clinic services (as defined in section 1861(aa)(1)) furnished by an eligible professional . (b) Offsetting reduction Section 1848(o)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–4(o)(1)(B)) is amended— (1) in clause (ii), by striking clauses (iii) through (v) and inserting the succeeding clauses ; and (2) by adding at the end the following new clause: (iv) Budget neutrality adjustment The Secretary shall reduce the applicable amounts that would otherwise be determined under this subparagraph with respect to 2014 and each succeeding year by an amount that the Secretary estimates would ensure that estimated aggregate payments under this subsection for such year is not increased as a result of the amendment made by section 2(a) of the Rural Health Clinic Fairness Act of 2013 . . 3. Extension of Medicare eRx and quality reporting incentives to rural health clinics (a) In general Section 1848(m)(6)(A) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395w(m)(6)(A) ) is amended by inserting before the period at the end the following: , except that the term covered professional services shall, with respect to reporting periods for 2014 or a subsequent year, include rural health clinic services (as defined in section 1861(aa)(1)) furnished by an eligible professional . (b) Offsetting reduction Section 1848(m)(1) of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395w(m)(1) ) is amended— (1) in subparagraph (B), by striking For purposes and inserting Subject to subparagraph (C), for purposes ; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (C) Budget neutrality adjustment The Secretary shall reduce the applicable quality percent that would otherwise be determined under subparagraph (B) for 2014 by an amount that the Secretary estimates would ensure that estimated aggregate payments under this subsection for such year is not increased as a result of the amendment made by section 3(a) of the Rural Health Clinic Fairness Act of 2013 . .