Proposed legislation would blunt area wage index changes. 
Legislation introduced in Congress will blunt the dramatic changes in Medicare payments to hospitals resulting from the area wage index update.  The legislation calls for the new index values to be phased in over the next two years instead of taking full effect on Oct. 1.  However, the legislation will not alter the fact that hospitals in some market areas will be big winners, while those in other areas will be big losers.