To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to phase in the update to the area wage index used to determine the amount of payment made to a hospital under part A of the medicare program for the operating costs of inpatient hospital services for inpatient hospital discharges occurring during fiscal year 1991, and for other purposes.

Phases in, by FY 1992, an update to the area wage index used in determining Medicare (title XVIII of the Social Security Act) payments to hospitals for wage-related costs in different areas. Requires the next survey of hospital wage-related costs to be conducted by FY 1993.

 
HR 5097 IH
101st CONGRESS
2d Session
 H. R. 5097
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to phase in the update
to the area wage index used to determine the amount of payment made to a
hospital under part A of the medicare program for the operating costs of
inpatient hospital services for inpatient hospital discharges occurring
during fiscal year 1991, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 20, 1990
Mr. DONNELLY (for himself and Mr. PICKLE) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to phase in the update
to the area wage index used to determine the amount of payment made to a
hospital under part A of the medicare program for the operating costs of
inpatient hospital services for inpatient hospital discharges occurring
during fiscal year 1991, and for other purposes.
  Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
  States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. PHASE IN OF UPDATE TO AREA WAGE INDEX FOR MEDICARE INPATIENT
HOSPITAL DISCHARGES IN FISCAL YEAR 1991.
  Subject to the last sentence of section 1886(d)(3)(E) of the Social Security
  Act, for purposes of determining the amount of payment made to a hospital
  under part A of title XVIII of the Social Security Act for the operating
  costs of inpatient hospital services, the Secretary of Health and Human
  Services, in adjusting such amount under section 1886(d)(3)(E) of such Act
  to reflect the relative hospital wage level in the geographic area of the
  hospital compared to the national average hospital wage level, shall--
  (1) for discharges occurring during fiscal year 1991, apply a combined
  area wage index consisting of--
  (A) 75 percent of the area wage index determined by using the survey of
  the 1988 wages and wage-related costs of hospitals in the United States
  conducted under such section, and
  (B) 25 percent of the area wage index applicable to the hospital for
  discharges occurring during fiscal year 1990, as determined by using the
  survey of the 1984 wages and wage-related costs of hospitals in the United
  States conducted under such section; and
  (2) for discharges occurring during fiscal year 1992, apply the area wage
  index otherwise applicable to the hospital under such section for discharges
  occurring during such fiscal year.
SEC. 2. REQUIRING NEXT WAGE INDEX SURVEY TO BE CONDUCTED BY OCTOBER 1, 1992.
  Section 1886(d)(3)(E) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(3)(E))
  is amended by striking `October 1, 1993' and inserting `October 1, 1992'.