H.R. 3753 (104th): Rural Health Improvement Act of 1996

Introduced:
Jun 27, 1996 (104th Congress, 1995–1996)
Sponsor:
Rep. Steven Gunderson [R-WI3]
Status:
Died (Referred to Committee)

The bill’s title was written by the bill’s sponsor. H.R. stands for House of Representatives bill.

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Status

This bill was introduced on June 27, 1996, in a previous session of Congress, but was not enacted.

Progress
Introduced Jun 27, 1996
Cosponsors
59 cosponsors (31R, 26D, 2I) (show)
Committees

House Energy and Commerce

House Ways and Means

The committee chair determines whether a bill will move past the committee stage.

Full Title

To amend the Social Security Act and the Public Health Service with respect to the health of residents of rural areas, and for other purposes.

Summary

No summaries available.

Text

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Last updated Jun 27, 1996.
56 pages

Primary Source

View on THOMAS (The Library of Congress)

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GovTrack’s Bill Summary

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Library of Congress Summary

The summary below was written by the Congressional Research Service, which is a nonpartisan division of the Library of Congress.

6/27/1996--Introduced.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Title I - Equalization of Medicare Reimbursement Rates to Health Maintenance Organizations and Competitive Medical Plans Title II: Grants to Encourage Establishment of Community Rural Health Networks Title III: Medicare Rural Primary Care Hospitals and Rural Emergency Access Care Hospitals Subtitle A: Rural Primary Care Hospital Program Subtitle B: Rural Emergency Access Care Hospitals Title IV: Incentives for Health Professionals to Practice in Rural Areas Subtitle A: National Health Service Corps Subtitle B: Primary Care Services Furnished in Shortage Areas Title V: Classification of Rural Referral Centers Title VI: Promotion of Health Centers in Rural Regions Title VII: Medicare Payment Methodologies Title VIII: Antitrust Title IX: Financing Rural Health Improvement Act of 1996
Expresses the sense of the Congress that this Act reflects the dedication of the late U.S. Representative Bill Emerson to ensuring health care access for all rural Americans.
Title I - Equalization of Medicare Reimbursement Rates to Health Maintenance Organizations and Competitive Medical Plans
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to revise provisions for payments to health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and competitive medical plans (CMPs) for the stated purpose of equalizing Medicare reimbursement rates to HMOs and CMPs.
Title II - Grants to Encourage Establishment of Community Rural Health Networks
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide grants over a three year period to eligible States for development of plans to increase access to health care services for residents of areas in the State that are designated as chronically underserved. Authorizes appropriations.
Section 202 -
Directs the HHS Secretary to make funds available to provide technical assistance and advice for certain entities seeking to establish or enhance a community rural health network in an underserved rural area. Authorizes appropriations.
Section 203 -
Directs the HHS Secretary to provide financial assistance (development grants) to eligible entities for the development and implementation of community rural health networks, giving priority to eligible entities in States with developed plans to increase the access of residents of chronically underserved areas to health care services. Authorizes appropriations.
Section 205 -
Ends Federal financing for the grant program for rural health transition under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 and a certain program for rural outreach grants.
Title III - Medicare Rural Primary Care Hospitals and Rural Emergency Access Care Hospitals
Subtitle A - Rural Primary Care Hospital Program
Replaces the Essential Access Community Hospital Program (EACH) under Medicare with the Medicare Rural Primary Care Hospital Program, while continuing payment to designated EACHs. Bases payment for inpatient and outpatient rural primary care hospital services on the reasonable costs of the hospital in providing such services. Lengthens from 72 to 96 hours the maximum period of permitted inpatient stay at a rural primary care hospital.
Subtitle B - Rural Emergency Access Care Hospitals
Provides for a new Medicare Rural Emergency Access Care Hospital program, detailing coverage and payment for services.
Title IV - Incentives for Health Professionals to Practice in Rural Areas
Subtitle A - National Health Service Corps
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exclude qualified National Health Service Corps scholarship payments and loan repayments from gross income.
Section 402 -
Requires the HHS Secretary to study and report to the Congress on the allocation of Corps members among shortage areas.
Section 403 -
Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary to give special priority to applications by community rural health networks for the assignment of Corps personnel for providing health services in or to a health professional shortage area.
Subtitle B - Primary Care Services Furnished in Shortage Areas
Amends SSA title XVIII to provide for an increase in the amount of additional Medicare payments for primary care services (currently, physicians' services) furnished in rural shortage areas, and for services that are furnished by a physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or nurse midwife that would be physicians' services if furnished by a physician. Extends such payment for former shortage areas. Requires carriers to report on services provided.
Title V - Classification of Rural Referral Centers
Amends SSA title XVIII to prohibit denial of a rural referral center's request for reclassification on the basis of comparability of wages. Provides for the continuing treatment of previously designated rural referral centers.
Title VI - Promotion of Health Centers in Rural Regions
Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the HHS Secretary, in making grants in rural areas for new or expanded services for each fiscal year, to give priority to projects that would be located in a State, or county or region of a State, that is not already serviced by an existing community health center. Requires also the Secretary to give special consideration to projects which have entered into a collaborative agreement with a community hospital meeting certain requirements.
Title VII - Medicare Payment Methodologies
Directs the HHS Secretary to establish a methodology for making payments under Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) for telemedicine services furnished on an emergency basis to rural residents.
Title VIII - Antitrust
Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) the Federal Trade Commission, in conjunction with the Department of Justice, give special consideration to antitrust guidelines affecting physician and hospital networks located in rural areas during its ongoing review of such guidelines; and (2) the completion of the Commission's review be expedited to provide relief and clarification to physicians and hospitals working to develop alternative means of providing accessible, affordable, and quality health care services to all Americans, especially those living and working in rural areas.
Title IX - Financing
Revises Medicare secondary payer requirements. Makes permanent the requirements for: (1) employer responses to fiscal intermediary or carrier inquiries about the coverage of an employee or employee's spouse under a group health plan of the employer; and (2) the prohibition against a large group health plan's taking into account that the employee or a dependent of the employee is entitled to Medicare or end stage renal disease benefits.

House Republican Conference Summary

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No summary available.

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