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117TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 1838
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve rural health
clinic payments, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 11, 2021
Mr. LUETKEMEYER
(for himself, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. JACKSON, Mr.
ARRINGTON, Mr. GUEST, and Mr. LONG) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in
addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve
rural health clinic payments, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Affordable Access to
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Rural Health Care Act’’.
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SEC. 2. IMPROVING RURAL HEALTH CLINIC PAYMENTS.
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(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1833(f) of the Social Se-
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curity Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(f)) is amended—
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(1) by adding at the end the following new
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paragraphs:
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‘‘(4) EXCEPTION.—In establishing limits under
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subsection (a) on payment for rural health clinic
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services provided by rural health clinics which sub-
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mits to the Secretary a certification that the hospital
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has a binding written agreement with an outside un-
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related party for the construction or purchase of
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such rural health clinic before March 30, 2021, the
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Secretary shall—
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‘‘(A) during the first year during which
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such rural health clinic furnishes such services,
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make payments to such rural health clinic with-
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out the application of such limits; and
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‘‘(B) during any subsequent year, make
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payments in accordance with this subsection.
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‘‘(5) AUDIT.—Not later than 60 days after the
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date of the enactment of this paragraph, the Sec-
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retary shall audit the compliance with requirements
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of paragraph (4) with respect to each rural health
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clinic to which such paragraph applies. If the Sec-
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retary finds as a result of an audit under this clause
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that the applicable requirements were not met with
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respect to such rural health clinic, the rural health
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clinic shall receive payments under this subsection
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notwithstanding such paragraph.’’.
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(b) UTILIZATION OF MEDICARE ENROLLMENT AP-
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PLICATION FORM.—The Secretary of Health and Human
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Services shall utilize Form CMS 855A (or any successor
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Medicare Enrollment Application form) to review the eligi-
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bility of rural health clinics (as defined in section
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1861(aa)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
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1395x(aa)(2))) to receive payments pursuant to the mid-
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build exception described in section 1833(f)(4) of such Act
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(42 U.S.C. 1935l(f)(4)).
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(c) REPORT.—Not later than 120 days after the date
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of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and
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Human Services shall submit to Congress a report on the
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findings of the audit described in paragraph (5) of section
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1833(f) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1935l(f)).
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