Index for HR3962: Affordable Health Care for America Act

To provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth in health care spending, and for other purposes.

Mr. Dingell (for himself, Mr. Rangel, Mr. Waxman, Mr. George Miller of California, Mr. Stark, Mr. Pallone, and Mr. Andrews) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Education and Labor, Oversight and Government Reform, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

(a) Adjustment in practice expense to reflect a presumed level of utilization.—Section 1848 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–4) is amended—

(1) in subsection (b)(4)—

(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking “subparagraph (A)” and inserting “this paragraph”; and

(B) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

“(C) ADJUSTMENT IN PRACTICE EXPENSE TO REFLECT A PRESUMED LEVEL OF UTILIZATION.—Consistent with the methodology for computing the number of practice expense relative value units under subsection (c)(2)(C)(ii) with respect to advanced diagnostic imaging services (as defined in section 1834(e)(1)(B)) furnished on or after January 1, 2011, the Secretary shall adjust such number of units so it reflects a presumed rate of utilization of imaging equipment of 75 percent.”; and

(2) in subsection (c)(2)(B)(v)), by adding at the end the following new subclause:

“(III) CHANGE IN PRESUMED UTILIZATION LEVEL OF CERTAIN ADVANCED DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING SERVICES.—Effective for fee schedules established beginning with 2011, reduced expenditures attributable to the presumed utilization of 75 percent under subsection (b)(4)(C) instead of a presumed utilization of imaging equipment of 50 percent.”.

(b) Adjustment in technical component “discount” on single-session imaging to consecutive body parts.—Section 1848 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–4) is further amended—

(1) in subsection (b)(4), by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

“(D) ADJUSTMENT IN TECHNICAL COMPONENT DISCOUNT ON SINGLE-SESSION IMAGING INVOLVING CONSECUTIVE BODY PARTS.—For services furnished on or after January 1, 2011, the Secretary shall increase the reduction in expenditures attributable to the multiple procedure payment reduction applicable to the technical component for imaging under the final rule published by the Secretary in the Federal Register on November 21, 2005 (part 405 of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations) from 25 percent to 50 percent.”; and

(2) in subsection (c)(2)(B)(v), by adding at the end the following new subclause:

“(III) ADDITIONAL REDUCED PAYMENT FOR MULTIPLE IMAGING PROCEDURES.—Effective for fee schedules established beginning with 2011, reduced expenditures attributable to the increase in the multiple procedure payment reduction from 25 percent to 50 percent as described in subsection (b)(4)(D).”.