Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-586
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Roberts, Pat [R-KS]
Introduced: 2019-02-27
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Health care coverage and access

Health facilities and institutions

Health personnel

Hospital care

Medicare

Rural conditions and development
Latest action: action_date: 2019-02-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-02-27
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of </b><b>2019</b></p> <p>This bill repeals the 96-hour physician-certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services under Medicare. Under current law, as a condition for Medicare payment for such services, a physician must certify that a patient may reasonably be expected to be discharged or transferred to a hospital within 96 hours after admission to the critical access hospital. </p>

tv_txt: II 116th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 586 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 27, 2019 Mr. Roberts (for himself, Mr. Tester , Mr. Barrasso , Mr. Bennet , Ms. Murkowski , Ms. Baldwin , Mr. Inhofe , and Mr. Rounds ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance A BILL To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Critical Access Hospital Relief Act of 2019 . 2. Removing Medicare 96-hour physician certification requirement for inpatient critical access hospital services (a) In general Section 1814(a) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395f(a) ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (6), by adding and at the end; (2) in paragraph (7), at the end of subparagraph (E), by striking and and inserting a period; and (3) by striking paragraph (8). (b) Application The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to items and services furnished on or after January 1, 2020.