Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “The LTCH Access and Stability Act”.
The LTCH Access and Stability Act
A BILL
To amend the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to provide for a 12-month extension of the Medicare long-term care hospital waiver of the site-neutral IPPS payment rate.
Sec. 2 Extension of Medicare long-term care hospital waiver of site-neutral IPPS payment rate
In general— Section 3711 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww note) is amended—
in the section header, by striking “during emergency period”; and
by adding at the end the following new subsection:
“(c) Twelve-Month continued application of waiver of site-Neutral IPPS payment rate—With respect to inpatient hospital services furnished by a long-term care hospital described in section 1886(d)(1)(B)(iv) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(1)(B)(iv)) during the 12-month period beginning on the last day of the emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b–5(g)(1)(B)), the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall continue to waive subparagraph (A)(i) of section 1886(m)(6) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(m)(6)), relating to the application of the site-neutral payment rate (and payment shall be made to a long-term care hospital without regard to such section) for a discharge, if the admission occurs during such 12-month period.”
Report— Not later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to Congress a report on the impact of the waiver of section 1886(m)(6)(A)(i) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(m)(6)(A)(i)), relating to the application of the site-neutral payment rate, during the emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b–5(g)(1)(B)) and the 12-month period following such period pursuant to section 3711(c) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww note), as added by subsection (a). The report shall—
include—
information on the access of Medicare beneficiaries (including those enrolled under part C of title XVIII of the Social Security Act) to long term care hospitals;
any noticeable trends in admissions to long term care hospitals; and
data related to the financial status and facility closures of long term care hospitals during the period of fiscal years 2017 through 2021; and
assess the role of post-acute care facilities, including long-term care hospitals, in maintaining Medicare beneficiary access to services during the COVID–19 pandemic and estimate the effect that site-neutral payment policies may have on beneficiary access during future pandemic responses.