Opinion ID: 768808
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Subsection 1395gg(a)

Text: 20 The Providers read sec. 1395gg(a) to vest providers with the same rights as individuals. In fact, it does quite the contrary. Subsection 1395gg(a) states: Any payment under this subchapter to any provider of services or other person with respect to any items or services furnished any individual shall be regarded as a payment to such individual. What this means is that regardless of who receives the payment in the first instance--the provider or the individual--the payment is, in legal effect, a payment to the individual. Therefore, the rights created by this section must be the individual's rights, whether or not they received their benefits from a pass-through. Consequently, we cannot adopt the Providers' proffered interpretation.