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. 1396a(a)), as amended by sections 1631(b), 1703(a), 1729, 1753, 1757(a), 1759(a), and 1907(b), is amended—

(1) by striking “and” at the end of paragraph (79);

(2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (80) and inserting “; and”; and

(3) by inserting after paragraph (80) the following new paragraph:

“(81) provide that the State will establish and maintain laws, in accordance with the requirements of section 1921A, to require disclosure of information on hospital charges and quality and to make such information available to the public and the Secretary.”; and

(4) by inserting after section 1921 the following new section:

“Hospital price transparency

“Sec. 1921A. (a) In General.—The requirements referred to in section 1902(a)(81) are that the laws of a State must—

“(1) require reporting to the State (or its agent) by each hospital located therein, of information on,—

“(A) the charges for the most common inpatient and outpatient hospital services;

“(B) the Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement amount for such services; and

“(C) if the hospitals allows for or provides reduced charges for individuals based on financial need, the factors considered in making determinations for reductions in charges, including any formula for such determination and the contact information for the specific department of a hospital that responds to such inquiries;

“(2) provide for notice to individuals seeking or requiring such services of the availability of information on charges described in paragraph (1);

“(3) provide for timely access to such information, including at least through an Internet website, by individuals seeking or requiring such services; and

“(4) provide for timely access to information regarding the quality of care at each hospital made publicly available in accordance with section 501 of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (Public Law 108–173), section 1139A, or section 1139B.

(b) Effective Date; administration.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in paragraphs (2)(B) and section 1790, the amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect on October 1, 2010.

(2) EXISTING PROGRAMS.—

(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall establish a process by which a State with an existing program may certify to the Secretary that its program satisfies the requirements of section 1921A of the Social Security Act, as inserted by subsection (a).

(B) 2-YEAR PERIOD TO BECOME IN COMPLIANCE.—States that, as of the date of the enactment of this Act, administer hospital price transparency policies that do not meet such requirements shall have 2 years from such date to make necessary modifications to come into compliance and shall not be regarded as failing to comply with such requirements during such 2-year period.