http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills info@washingtonwatch.com http://www.pjdoland.com/chai/?v=0.1 http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/history/111_SN_318.html?rev=39485 <p>S. 318 would amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve access to health care under the Medicare program for beneficiaries residing in rural areas.</p> <h2 id="toc0"> Detailed Summary </h2> <p>Medicare Rural Health Access Improvement Act of 2009 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to: (1) extend Medicare flex grants; (2) revise requirements for the Medicare-dependent hospital (MDH) program; (3) revise the Medicare inpatient hospital payment adjustment for low-volume hospitals; (4) eliminate temporarily the disproportionate share hospital (DSH) adjustment cap; and (5) extend and revise the Medicare hold harmless provision under the prospective payment system (PPS) for hospital outpatient department (HOPD) services for certain hospitals.</p> <p>Revises requirements for the treatment of rural sole community hospitals and Medicare dependent, small rural hospitals under the PPS for HOPD services.</p> <p>Provides for recognition of equality of physician work in all geographic areas under the Medicare physician fee schedule.</p> <p>Revises the practice expense geographic adjustment under the Medicare physician fee schedule.</p> <p>Extends the treatment of certain physician pathology services, and increased Medicare payments for rural ground ambulance services.</p> <p>Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to set $92 as the maximum rate of payment per visit in 2010 for independent rural health clinics.</p> <p>Requires the Secretary to exempt from competitive acquisition requirements rural areas and small metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) with a population of 600,000 or less.</p> <p>Permits physician assistants to order post-hospital extended care services. Recognizes attending physician assistants as attending physicians for the purpose of serving hospice patients.</p> <p>&lt;br&gt;</p> <!--Leave in the 'summary' tags if you want the latest summary from the Congressional Research Service automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --> <h2 id="toc1"> Status of the Legislation </h2> <p>Latest Major Action: 1/26/2009: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.</p> <!-- Leave in the 'status' tags if you want the latest reported status from THOMAS automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --> <h2 id="toc2"> Points in Favor </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should pass!)<br /> <!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --> </p> <h2 id="toc3"> Points Against </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should not pass!)<br /> <!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --> </p> 39485@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/history/111_SN_318.html?rev=37687 <p>S. 318 would amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve access to health care under the Medicare program for beneficiaries residing in rural areas.</p> <h2 id="toc4"> Detailed Summary </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to provide a detailed summary of the bill!)</p> <!--Leave in the 'summary' tags if you want the latest summary from the Congressional Research Service automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --> <h2 id="toc5"> Status of the Legislation </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to update the status of the bill!)</p> <!-- Leave in the 'status' tags if you want the latest reported status from THOMAS automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --> <h2 id="toc6"> Points in Favor </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should pass!)<br /> <!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --> </p> <h2 id="toc7"> Points Against </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should not pass!)<br /> <!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --> </p> 37687@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/history/111_SN_318.html?rev=37688 <p>S. 318 would amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve access to health care under the Medicare program for beneficiaries residing in rural areas.</p> <h2 id="toc8"> Detailed Summary </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to provide a detailed summary of the bill!)</p> <!--Leave in the 'summary' tags if you want the latest summary from the Congressional Research Service automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --> <h2 id="toc9"> Status of the Legislation </h2> <p>Latest Major Action: 1/26/2009: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.</p> <!-- Leave in the 'status' tags if you want the latest reported status from THOMAS automatically to replace the text between the tags once it becomes available. --> <h2 id="toc10"> Points in Favor </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should pass!)<br /> <!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --> </p> <h2 id="toc11"> Points Against </h2> <p>(Log in to edit the wiki and be the first to show why the bill should not pass!)<br /> <!-- First editor: Go ahead and take out the sentence in parentheses, and this notice! --> </p> 37688@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/111_SN_318.html 1/26/2009: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. 42765@http://www.washingtonwatch.com Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:00:00 EST