1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the “COVID-19 Hospice Respite Care Relief Act of 2020”.
COVID-19 Hospice Respite Care Relief Act of 2020
A BILL
To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to provide the Secretary of Health and Human Services with the authority to temporarily modify certain Medicare requirements for hospice care during the COVID public health emergency.
2. Secretarial authority to temporarily modify certain Medicare requirements for hospice care during the COVID public health emergency
Authority— The first sentence of section 1135(b) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b–5(b)) is amended—
in paragraph (7), by striking “and” at the end;
in paragraph (8), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and
by inserting after paragraph (8) the following new paragraph:
“(9) the limitations under section 1861(dd)(1)(G) that respite care—
“(A) may only be provided in an inpatient setting; and
“(B) may not be provided consecutively for more than five days (except that the Secretary may not increase the number of consecutive days to more than 15 days).”
Emergency period— Section 1135(g)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b–5(g)(1)(B)) is amended, in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking “subsection (b)(8)” and inserting “paragraphs (8) and (9) of subsection (b)”.
Implementation— Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Health and Human Services may implement the amendments made by this section by interim final rule, program instruction, or otherwise.