(a)
Freeze of payment for certain services furnished in ambulatory surgical centers— Section 1833(i)(2) of the Social Security Act (
42 U.S.C. 1395l(i)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
“(F)
“(i) With respect to a targeted procedure (as defined in clause (ii)) furnished during 2020 or a subsequent year (before 2025) to an individual in an ambulatory surgical center, the payment amount for such procedure that would otherwise be determined under the revised payment system under subparagraph (D), without application of this subparagraph, shall be equal to the payment amount for such procedure furnished in 2016.
“(ii) For purposes of clause (i), the term “targeted procedure” means a procedure to which Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System 62310 (or, for years beginning after 2016, 62321), 62311 (or, for years beginning after 2016, 62323), 62264, 64490, 64493, or G0260 (or any successor code) applies.
“(iii) This subparagraph shall not be applied in a budget-neutral manner.”
(b)
Data collection—
(1)
In general— The Comptroller General shall collect data relating to the cost differential between targeted procedures (as defined in section 1833(i)(2)(F)(ii) of the Social Security Act, as added by subsection (a)) that are performed in a hospital operating room and such procedures that are performed in an office setting within a hospital in order to determine whether such procedures are being properly coded for claims, based on setting, for payment under section 1833(i)(2)(D) of the Social Security Act (
42 U.S.C. 1395l(i)(2)(D)) and to determine if further changes are needed in the classification system for covered outpatient department services (as described in section 1833(t)(2)(A) of the Social Security Act (
42 U.S.C. 1395l(t)(2)(A)).
(2)
Report— Not later than 4 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit a report to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate containing—
(A)
a determination of whether procedures described in paragraph (1) are being properly coded for claims, based on setting, for payment under section 1833(i)(2)(D) of the Social Security Act (
42 U.S.C. 1395l(i)(2)(D)); and
(B)
recommendations on any changes the Comptroller General determines are needed in the classification system for covered outpatient department services (as described in section 1833(t)(2)(A) of the Social Security Act (
42 U.S.C. 1395l(t)(2)(A)).
(c)
Study— Not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall conduct a study and submit to Congress a report on the extent to which procedures described in section 1833(i)(2)(F)(ii) of the Social Security Act, as added by subsection (a), are effective at preventing the need for opioids for individuals furnished such procedures.