Medicare Home Health Beneficiary Protection Act of 1998
The source supplies the latest action, but no lifecycle stage.
Latest action (24 Jul 1998): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
What this bill does
This bill, the Medicare Home Health Beneficiary Protection Act of 1998, aims to modify how Medicare pays for home health services. It would place a temporary halt on implementing certain limits on payments to home health agencies and freeze existing cost limits for three years. The bill also directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to create a system for reviewing claims where a patient receives more home health visits than the regional average. If a claim is found to be inappropriate, payment could be denied, and the provider could be referred for investigation.
The legislation affects Medicare beneficiaries who receive home health services and the home health agencies that provide them. It also impacts the Department of Health and Human Services by requiring new processes for oversight and reporting on cost containment. The bill introduces changes to how payment rates are calculated under Medicare's prospective payment system for these services and temporarily reinstates a payment method called periodic interim payment for home health care.
This bill was introduced in the Senate in July 1998. Its current status is "Introduced," meaning it has not yet been passed by Congress. For it to become law, it would need to be considered, potentially amended, and passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives, and then signed by the President.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Medicare Home Health Beneficiary Protection Act of 1998 - Amends part D (Miscellaneous Provisions) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA), as amended by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA '97), to revise reasonable cost requirements with regard to the interim system of limited payments for services provided by home health agencies. Establishes a moratorium on implementation of per beneficiary limits and a three-year freeze on cost limits. Amends BBA '97 to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to: (1) establish a process for eliminating inappropriate utilization of Medicare home health services by reviewing claims in which the number of home health visits provided to a beneficiary in a year exceeds the regional average of per beneficiary annual visits; (2) if appropriate, issue a determination denying payment for such a claim, and refer the name of the claimant-provider to the HHS Inspector General for investigation; and (3) include in the annual reports to the Congress on home health cost containment any recommendations for changes to the method of payment, claims review, and scope of benefits that the Secretary determines is necessary to achieve actual outlays equal to estimated outlays under Medicare parts A (Hospital Insurance) and B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) for such services during the following fiscal year. (Sec. 4) Amends SSA title XVIII to provide for: (1) establishment of limits for calculating prospective payment rates for home health services under the payment system for such services; and (2) temporary restoration of periodic interim payment for such services.
Timeline
24 Jul 1998
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Common questions
- What does S. 2354 do?
- This bill, the Medicare Home Health Beneficiary Protection Act of 1998, aims to modify how Medicare pays for home health services. It would place a temporary halt on implementing certain limits on payments to home health agencies and freeze existing cost limits for three years. The bill also directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to create a system for reviewing claims where a patient receives more home health visits than the regional average. If a claim is found to be inappropriate, payment could be denied, and the provider could be referred for investigation. The legislation affects Medicare beneficiaries who receive home health services and the home health agencies that provide them. It also impacts the Department of Health and Human Services by requiring new processes for oversight and reporting on cost containment. The bill introduces changes to how payment rates are calculated under Medicare's prospective payment system for these services and temporarily reinstates a payment method called periodic interim payment for home health care. This bill was introduced in the Senate in July 1998. Its current status is "Introduced," meaning it has not yet been passed by Congress. For it to become law, it would need to be considered, potentially amended, and passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives, and then signed by the President.
- Has S. 2354 become law?
- The source does not supply a confirmed lifecycle stage for S. 2354. Check the latest action and official source below.
- Who sponsored S. 2354?
- S. 2354 was sponsored by Sen. Bond, Christopher S. [R-MO] (R-MO), with 14 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on S. 2354?
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (24 Jul 1998).
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