1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Rural Health Clinic Fairness Act of 2013”.
Rural Health Clinic Fairness Act of 2013
A BILL
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure the eligibility of eligible professionals practicing in rural health clinics for electronic health records and quality improvement incentives under Medicare, and for other purposes.
2. Extension of Medicare EHR incentives to eligible professionals practicing in rural health clinics
In general— Section 1848(o)(5)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w(o)(5)(A)) is amended by inserting before the period at the end the following: “and, with respect to payment years after 2013, includes rural health clinic services (as defined in section 1861(aa)(1)) furnished by an eligible professional”.
Offsetting reduction— Section 1848(o)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–4(o)(1)(B)) is amended—
in clause (ii), by striking “clauses (iii) through (v)” and inserting “the succeeding clauses”; and
by adding at the end the following new clause:
“(iv) Budget neutrality adjustment—The Secretary shall reduce the applicable amounts that would otherwise be determined under this subparagraph with respect to 2014 and each succeeding year by an amount that the Secretary estimates would ensure that estimated aggregate payments under this subsection for such year is not increased as a result of the amendment made by section 2(a) of the Rural Health Clinic Fairness Act of 2013.”
3. Extension of Medicare eRx and quality reporting incentives to rural health clinics
In general— Section 1848(m)(6)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w(m)(6)(A)) is amended by inserting before the period at the end the following: “, except that the term covered professional services shall, with respect to reporting periods for 2014 or a subsequent year, include rural health clinic services (as defined in section 1861(aa)(1)) furnished by an eligible professional”.
in subparagraph (B), by striking “For purposes” and inserting “Subject to subparagraph (C), for purposes”; and
by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
“(C) Budget neutrality adjustment—The Secretary shall reduce the applicable quality percent that would otherwise be determined under subparagraph (B) for 2014 by an amount that the Secretary estimates would ensure that estimated aggregate payments under this subsection for such year is not increased as a result of the amendment made by section 3(a) of the Rural Health Clinic Fairness Act of 2013.”