The LTCH Access and Stability Act

Bill: 117-hr-8580
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7]
Introduced: 2022-07-28
Policy area: Health
Latest action: action_date: 2022-07-28
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Summaries:
action_date: 2022-07-28
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>The LTCH Access and Stability Act</b></p> <p>This bill waives the Medicare site-neutral payment rate for inpatient services at long-term care hospitals for an additional 12 months after the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency. The Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services must report on the effects of this waiver on hospital admissions and overall access to services, among other information.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8580 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 28, 2022 Ms. Sewell (for herself and Mr. Smith of Missouri ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means A BILL To amend the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to provide for a 12-month extension of the Medicare long-term care hospital waiver of the site-neutral IPPS payment rate.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the The LTCH Access and Stability Act . 2. Extension of Medicare long-term care hospital waiver of site-neutral IPPS payment rate (a) In general Section 3711 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395ww note) is amended— (1) in the section header, by striking during emergency period ; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection: (c) Twelve-Month continued application of waiver of site-Neutral IPPS payment rate With respect to inpatient hospital services furnished by a long-term care hospital described in section 1886(d)(1)(B)(iv) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(1)(B)(iv) ) during the 12-month period beginning on the last day of the emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1320b–5(g)(1)(B) ), the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall continue to waive subparagraph (A)(i) of section 1886(m)(6) of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395ww(m)(6) ), relating to the application of the site-neutral payment rate (and payment shall be made to a long-term care hospital without regard to such section) for a discharge, if the admission occurs during such 12-month period. . (b) Report Not later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to Congress a report on the impact of the waiver of section 1886(m)(6)(A)(i) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395ww(m)(6)(A)(i) ), relating to the application of the site-neutral payment rate, during the emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1320b–5(g)(1)(B) ) and the 12-month period following such period pursuant to section 3711(c) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395ww note), as added by subsection (a). The report shall— (1) include— (A) information on the access of Medicare beneficiaries (including those enrolled under part C of title XVIII of the Social Security Act) to long term care hospitals; (B) any noticeable trends in admissions to long term care hospitals; and (C) data related to the financial status and facility closures of long term care hospitals during the period of fiscal years 2017 through 2021; and (2) assess the role of post-acute care facilities, including long-term care hospitals, in maintaining Medicare beneficiary access to services during the COVID–19 pandemic and estimate the effect that site-neutral payment policies may have on beneficiary access during future pandemic responses.