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) In general.—Section 1902(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)), as amended by sections 1631(b), 1703(a), 1729, 1753, and 1757(a), is further amended—

(1) in paragraph (77); by striking at the end “and”;

(2) in paragraph (78), by striking the period at the end and inserting “and”; and

(3) by inserting after paragraph (78) the following new paragraph:

“(79) provide that any agent, clearinghouse, or other alternate payee that submits claims on behalf of a health care provider must register with the State and the Secretary in a form and manner specified by the Secretary under section 1866(j)(1)(D).”.

(b) Denial of payment.—Section 1903(i) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396b(i)), as amended by section 1751, is amended—

(1) by striking “or” at the end of paragraph (24);

(2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (25) and inserting “; or”; and

(3) by inserting after paragraph (25) the following new paragraph:

“(26) with respect to any amount paid to a billing agent, clearinghouse, or other alternate payee that is not registered with the State and the Secretary as required under section 1902(a)(79).”.

(c) Effective date.—Except as provided in section 1790, the amendments made by this section shall apply to claims submitted on or after January 1, 2012, without regard to whether or not final regulations to carry out such amendments have been promulgated by such date.