Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act

Bill: 118-hr-2474
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-25]
Introduced: 2023-04-03
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Health personnel

Health programs administration and funding

Medicare
Latest action: action_date: 2024-12-17
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-04-03
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act</b></p> <p>This bill modifies certain adjustments to payment amounts under the Medicare physician fee schedule.</p> <p>Payment amounts under the Medicare physician fee schedule are based on a service's relative value, a conversion factor, and a geographic adjustment factor. Current law provides for separate conversion factors for physicians that are qualifying participants in advanced alternative payment models (also known as qualifying APM participants) and for other physicians beginning in 2026, with an annual update of 0.75% and 0.25%, respectively.</p> <p>The bill replaces the separate conversion factors for qualifying APM participants and other physicians with a single conversion factor and provides for an update that is equal to the annual percentage increase in the Medicare Economic Index, beginning in 2024. (The Medicare Economic Index is a specialized index that is generally used to determine allowed charges for physician services based on annual price changes.)</p>

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2474 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 3, 2023 Mr. Ruiz (for himself, Mr. Bucshon , Mr. Bera , and Mrs. Miller-Meeks ) 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 provide for an update to a single conversion factor under the Medicare physician fee schedule that is based on the Medicare economic index.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act . 2. Transition to an update to a single conversion factor under the Medicare physician fee schedule based on the Medicare economic index (a) In general Section 1848(d) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395w–4(d) ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (19)— (A) in the header, by striking 2025 and inserting 2023 ; and (B) by striking 2025 and inserting 2023 ; and (2) by amending paragraph (20) to read as follows: (20) Update for 2024 and subsequent years The update to the single conversion factor established in paragraph (1)(C) for 2024 and each subsequent year shall be equal to the Secretary’s estimate of the percentage increase in the MEI (as defined in section 1842(i)(3)) for the year. . (b) Conforming amendment To provide for a single conversion factor after 2025 Section 1848(d)(1)(A) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395w–4(d)(1)(A) ) is amended— (1) by striking and ending with 2025 ; and (2) by striking There shall be two separate conversion factors and all that follows through the end of the subparagraph.