Supporting Health Care Providers During the COVID–19 Pandemic Act

Bill: 117-hr-6143
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8]
Introduced: 2021-12-07
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures

Budget deficits and national debt

Budget process

Cancer

Congressional oversight

Department of Health and Human Services

Health care costs and insurance

Health care coverage and access

Health care quality

Health personnel

Health programs administration and funding

Medicare

Radiation
Latest action: action_date: 2021-12-08
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-12-07
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Supporting Health Care Providers During the COVID-19 Pandemic Act</b></p> <p>This bill makes several budgetary and technical changes in relation to Medicare. </p> <p>Specifically, the bill continues to exempt Medicare from sequestration until March 31, 2022. (Sequestration is a process of automatic, usually across-the-board spending reductions under which budgetary resources are permanently cancelled to enforce specific budget policy goals.)</p> <p>The bill also temporarily extends other provisions under Medicare, including a payment increase under the physician fee schedule.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 6143 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES December 7, 2021 Ms. Schrier (for herself and Mr. Horsford ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means , and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce , and the Budget , 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 provide for certain Medicare program extensions, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Supporting Health Care Providers During the COVID–19 Pandemic Act . 2. Adjustments to Medicare sequestration reductions (a) Extension of temporary suspension through March 2022 (1) In general Section 3709(a) of division A of the CARES Act ( 2 U.S.C. 901a note) is amended— (A) in the subsection header by inserting and adjustment after suspension ; and (B) by striking December 31, 2021 and inserting March 31, 2022 . (2) Effective date The amendments made by paragraph (1) shall take effect as if enacted as part of the CARES Act ( Public Law 116–136 ). (b) Adjustments to Medicare program sequestration reduction with respect to fiscal years 2022 and 2030 Section 251A(6) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 ( 2 U.S.C. 901a(6) ) is amended— (1) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (E); and (2) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new subparagraphs: (C) Notwithstanding the 2 percent limit specified in subparagraph (A) for payments for the Medicare programs specified in section 256(d), the sequestration order of the President under such subparagraph for fiscal year 2022 shall be applied to such payments so that with respect to the period beginning on April 1, 2022, and ending on June 30, 2022, the payment reduction shall be 1.0 percent. (D) Notwithstanding the 2 percent limit specified in subparagraph (A) for payments for the Medicare programs specified in section 256(d), the sequestration order of the President under such subparagraph for fiscal year 2030 shall be applied to such payments so that— (i) with respect to the first 6 months in which such order is effective for such fiscal year, the payment reduction shall be 2.25 percent; and (ii) with respect to the second 6 months in which such order is so effective for such fiscal year, the payment reduction shall be 3 percent. . 3. Extension of support for physicians and other professionals in adjusting to Medicare payment changes (a) In general Section 1848 of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395w–4 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (c)(2)(B)(iv)(V), by striking 2021 and inserting 2021 or 2022 ; and (2) in subsection (t)— (A) in the subsection header, by striking 2021 and inserting 2021 and 2022 ; (B) in paragraph (1)— (i) by striking during 2021 and inserting during 2021 and 2022 ; and (ii) by striking for such services furnished on or after January 1, 2021, and before January 1, 2022, by 3.75 percent. and inserting for— (A) such services furnished on or after January 1, 2021, and before January 1, 2022, by 3.75 percent; and (B) such services furnished on or after January 1, 2022, and before January 1, 2023, by 3.0 percent. ; and (C) in paragraph (2)(C)— (i) in the subparagraph header, by striking 2021 and inserting 2021 and 2022 ; (ii) by inserting for services furnished in 2021 or 2022 after under this subsection ; and (iii) by inserting or 2022, respectively before the period at the end. (b) Report Section 101(c) of division N of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 ( Public Law 116–260 ) is amended— (1) in the first sentence— (A) by striking April 1, 2022 and inserting each of April 1, 2022, and April 1, 2023 ; and (B) by striking , as added by subsection (a) and inserting furnished during 2021 or 2022, respectively ; and (2) in the second sentence— (A) by striking Such report and inserting Each such report ; and (B) by inserting with respect to 2021 or 2022, as applicable after under such section . 4. Preserving patient access to critical clinical lab services (a) Revised phase-In of reductions from private payor rate implementation Section 1834A(b)(3) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395m–1(b)(3) ) is amended— (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking through 2024 and inserting through 2025 ; and (2) in subparagraph (B)— (A) in clause (ii), by striking for 2021 and inserting for each of 2021 and 2022 ; and (B) in clause (iii), by striking 2022 through 2024 and inserting 2023 through 2025 . (b) Revised Reporting Period for Reporting of Private Sector Payment Rates for Establishment of Medicare Payment Rates Section 1834A(a)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395m–1(a)(1)(B) ) is amended— (1) in clause (i), by striking December 31, 2021 and inserting December 31, 2022 ; and (2) in clause (ii)— (A) by striking January 1, 2022 and inserting January 1, 2023 ; and (B) by striking March 31, 2022 and inserting March 31, 2023 . 5. Delay to the implementation of the radiation oncology model under the Medicare program Section 133 of Division CC of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 ( Public Law 116–260 ) is amended by striking January 1, 2022 and inserting January 1, 2023 . 6. Medicare Improvement Fund Section 1898(b)(1) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395iii(b)(1) ) is amended by striking fiscal year 2021 and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting fiscal year 2021, $101,000,000. .