HR 4803 — Acupuncture for Our Seniors Act of 2021

(a) Amounts Except as provided in section 1395mm of this title, and subject to the succeeding provisions of this section, there shall be paid from the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund, in the case of each individual who is covered under the insurance program established by this part and incurs expenses for services with respect to which benefits are payable under this part, amounts equal to— (1) in the case of services described in section 1395k(a)(1) of this title—80 percent of the reasonable charges for the services; except that (A) an organization which provides medical and other health services (or arranges for their availability) on a prepayment basis (and either is sponsored by a union or employer, or does not provide, or arrange for the provision of, any inpatient hospital services) may elect to be paid 80 percent of the reasonable cost of services for which payment may be made under this part on behalf of individuals enrolled in such organization in lieu of 80 percent of the reasonable charges for such services if the organization undertakes to charge such individuals no more than 20 percent of such reasonable cost plus any amounts payable by them as a result of subsection (b), (B) with respect to items and services described in section 1395x(s)(10)(A) of this title, the amounts paid shall be 100 percent of the reasonable charges for such items and services, (C) with respect to expenses incurred for those physicians’ services for which payment may be made under this part that are described in section 1395y(a)(4) of this title, the amounts paid shall be subject to such limitations as may be prescribed by regulations, (D) with respect to clinical diagnostic laboratory tests for which payment is made under this part (i)(I) on the basis of a fee schedule under subsection (h)(1) (for tests furnished before January 1, 2017) or subsection (d)(1) or (aa) of section 1395m of this title, the amount paid shall be equal to 80 percent (or 100 percent, in the case of such tests for which payment is made on an assignment-related basis) of the lesser of the amount determined under such fee schedule, the limitation amount for that test determined under subsection (h)(4)(B), or the amount of the charges billed for the tests, or (II) under section 1395m–1 of this title (for tests furnished on or after January 1, 2017), the amount paid shall be equal to 80 percent (or 100 percent, in the case of such tests for which payment is made on an assignment-related basis) of the lesser of the amount determined under such section or the amount of the charges billed for the tests, or (ii) for tests furnished before January 1, 2017, on the basis of a negotiated rate established under subsection (h)(6), the amount paid shall be equal to 100 percent of such negotiated rate,,1 (E) with respect to services furnished to individuals who have been determined to have end stage renal disease, the amounts paid shall be determined subject to the provisions of section 1395rr of this title, (F) with respect to clinical social worker services under section 1395x(s)(2)(N) of this title, the amounts paid shall be 80 percent of the lesser of (i) the actual charge for the services or (ii) 75 percent of the amount determined for payment of a psychologist under clause (L), (G) with respect to facility services furnished in connection with a surgical procedure specified pursuant to subsection (i)(1)(A) and furnished to an individual in an ambulatory surgical center described in such subsection, for services furnished beginning with the implementation date of a revised payment system for such services in such facilities specified in subsection (i)(2)(D), the amounts paid, subject to subsection (i)(9), shall be 80 percent of the lesser of the actual charge for the services or the amount determined by the Secretary under such revised payment system, (H) with respect to services of a certified registered nurse anesthetist under section 1395x(s)(11) of th...

(a) In general The administration of this part shall be conducted through contracts with medicare administrative contractors under section 1395kk–1 of this title. (b) Determination of reasonable charges (1) Repealed. Pub. L. 108–173, title IX, § 911(c)(3)(A), Dec. 8, 2003, 117 Stat. 2384. (2) (A) , (B) Repealed. Pub. L. 108–173, title IX, § 911(c)(3)(B)(i), Dec. 8, 2003, 117 Stat. 2384. (C) In the case of residents of nursing facilities who receive services described in clause (i) or (ii) of section 1395x(s)(2)(K) of this title performed by a member of a team, the Secretary shall instruct medicare administrative contractors to develop mechanisms which permit routine payment under this part for up to 1.5 visits per month per resident. In the previous sentence, the term “team” refers to a physician and includes a physician assistant acting under the supervision of the physician or a nurse practitioner working in collaboration with that physician, or both. (3) The Secretary— (A) shall take such action as may be necessary to assure that, where payment under this part for a service is on a cost basis, the cost is reasonable cost (as determined under section 1395x(v) of this title); (B) shall take such action as may be necessary to assure that, where payment under this part for a service is on a charge basis, such charge will be reasonable and not higher than the charge applicable, for a comparable service and under comparable circumstances, to the policyholders and subscribers of the medicare administrative contractor, and such payment will (except as otherwise provided in section 1395gg(f) of this title) be made— (i) on the basis of an itemized bill; or (ii) on the basis of an assignment under the terms of which (I) the reasonable charge is the full charge for the service, (II) the physician or other person furnishing such service agrees not to charge (and to refund amounts already collected) for services for which payment under this subchapter is denied under section 1320c–3(a)(2) of this title by reason of a determination under section 1320c–3(a)(1)(B) of this title, and (III) the physician or other person furnishing such service agrees not to charge (and to refund amounts already collected) for such service if payment may not be made therefor by reason of the provisions of paragraph (1) of section 1395y(a) of this title, and if the individual to whom such service was furnished was without fault in incurring the expenses of such service, and if the Secretary’s determination that payment (pursuant to such assignment) was incorrect and was made subsequent to the third year following the year in which notice of such payment was sent to such individual; except that the Secretary may reduce such three-year period to not less than one year if he finds such reduction is consistent with the objectives of this subchapter (except in the case of physicians’ services and ambulance service furnished as described in section 1395y(a)(4) of this title, other than for purposes of section 1395gg(f) of this title); but (in the case of bills submitted, or requests for payment made, after March 1968) only if the bill is submitted, or a written request for payment is made in such other form as may be permitted under regulations, no later than the period ending 1 calendar year after the date of service; (C) to (E) Repealed. Pub. L. 108–173, title IX, § 911(c)(3)(C)(iv), Dec. 8, 2003, 117 Stat. 2384; (F) shall take such action as may be necessary to assure that where payment under this part for a service rendered is on a charge basis, such payment shall be determined on the basis of the charge that is determined in accordance with this section on the basis of customary and prevailing charge levels in effect at the time the service was rendered or, in the case of services rendered more than 12 months before the year in which the bill is submitted or request for payment is made, on the basis of such levels in effect for the 12-month period preceding s...

(a) Payment based on fee schedule (1) In general Effective for all physicians’ services (as defined in subsection (j)(3)) furnished under this part during a year (beginning with 1992) for which payment is otherwise made on the basis of a reasonable charge or on the basis of a fee schedule under section 1395m(b) of this title, payment under this part shall instead be based on the lesser of— (A) the actual charge for the service, or (B) subject to the succeeding provisions of this subsection, the amount determined under the fee schedule established under subsection (b) for services furnished during that year (in this subsection referred to as the “fee schedule amount”). (2) Transition to full fee schedule (A) Limiting reductions and increases to 15 percent in 1992 (i) Limit on increase In the case of a service in a fee schedule area (as defined in subsection (j)(2)) for which the adjusted historical payment basis (as defined in subparagraph (D)) is less than 85 percent of the fee schedule amount for services furnished in 1992, there shall be substituted for the fee schedule amount an amount equal to the adjusted historical payment basis plus 15 percent of the fee schedule amount otherwise established (without regard to this paragraph). (ii) Limit in reduction In the case of a service in a fee schedule area for which the adjusted historical payment basis exceeds 115 percent of the fee schedule amount for services furnished in 1992, there shall be substituted for the fee schedule amount an amount equal to the adjusted historical payment basis minus 15 percent of the fee schedule amount otherwise established (without regard to this paragraph). (B) Special rule for 1993, 1994, and 1995 If a physicians’ service in a fee schedule area is subject to the provisions of subparagraph (A) in 1992, for physicians’ services furnished in the area— (i) during 1993, there shall be substituted for the fee schedule amount an amount equal to the sum of— (I) 75 percent of the fee schedule amount determined under subparagraph (A), adjusted by the update established under subsection (d)(3) for 1993, and (II) 25 percent of the fee schedule amount determined under paragraph (1) for 1993 without regard to this paragraph; (ii) during 1994, there shall be substituted for the fee schedule amount an amount equal to the sum of— (I) 67 percent of the fee schedule amount determined under clause (i), adjusted by the update established under subsection (d)(3) for 1994 and as adjusted under subsection (c)(2)(F)(ii) and under section 13515(b) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993, and (II) 33 percent of the fee schedule amount determined under paragraph (1) for 1994 without regard to this paragraph; and (iii) during 1995, there shall be substituted for the fee schedule amount an amount equal to the sum of— (I) 50 percent of the fee schedule amount determined under clause (ii) adjusted by the update established under subsection (d)(3) for 1995, and (II) 50 percent of the fee schedule amount determined under paragraph (1) for 1995 without regard to this paragraph. (C) Special rule for anesthesia and radiology services With respect to physicians’ services which are anesthesia services, the Secretary shall provide for a transition in the same manner as a transition is provided for other services under subparagraph (B). With respect to radiology services, “109 percent” and “9 percent” shall be substituted for “115 percent” and “15 percent”, respectively, in subparagraph (A)(ii). (D) “Adjusted historical payment basis” defined (i) In general In this paragraph, the term “adjusted historical payment basis” means, with respect to a physicians’ service furnished in a fee schedule area, the weighted average prevailing charge applied in the area for the service in 1991 (as determined by the Secretary without regard to physician specialty and as adjusted to reflect payments for services with customary charges below the prevailing charge or other payment limitation...

For purposes of this subchapter— (a) Spell of illness The term “spell of illness” with respect to any individual means a period of consecutive days— (1) beginning with the first day (not included in a previous spell of illness) (A) on which such individual is furnished inpatient hospital services, inpatient critical access hospital services or extended care services, and (B) which occurs in a month for which he is entitled to benefits under part A, and (2) ending with the close of the first period of 60 consecutive days thereafter on each of which he is neither an inpatient of a hospital or critical access hospital nor an inpatient of a facility described in section 1395i–3(a)(1) of this title or subsection (y)(1). (b) Inpatient hospital services The term “inpatient hospital services” means the following items and services furnished to an inpatient of a hospital and (except as provided in paragraph (3)) by the hospital— (1) bed and board; (2) such nursing services and other related services, such use of hospital facilities, and such medical social services as are ordinarily furnished by the hospital for the care and treatment of inpatients, and such drugs, biologicals, supplies, appliances, and equipment, for use in the hospital, as are ordinarily furnished by such hospital for the care and treatment of inpatients; and (3) such other diagnostic or therapeutic items or services, furnished by the hospital or by others under arrangements with them made by the hospital, as are ordinarily furnished to inpatients either by such hospital or by others under such arrangements; excluding, however— (4) medical or surgical services provided by a physician, resident, or intern, services described by subsection (s)(2)(K), certified nurse-midwife services, qualified psychologist services, and services of a certified registered nurse anesthetist; and (5) the services of a private-duty nurse or other private-duty attendant. Paragraph (4) shall not apply to services provided in a hospital by— (6) an intern or a resident-in-training under a teaching program approved by the Council on Medical Education of the American Medical Association or, in the case of an osteopathic hospital, approved by the Committee on Hospitals of the Bureau of Professional Education of the American Osteopathic Association, or, in the case of services in a hospital or osteopathic hospital by an intern or resident-in-training in the field of dentistry, approved by the Council on Dental Education of the American Dental Association, or in the case of services in a hospital or osteopathic hospital by an intern or resident-in-training in the field of podiatry, approved by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education of the American Podiatric Medical Association; or (7) a physician where the hospital has a teaching program approved as specified in paragraph (6), if (A) the hospital elects to receive any payment due under this subchapter for reasonable costs of such services, and (B) all physicians in such hospital agree not to bill charges for professional services rendered in such hospital to individuals covered under the insurance program established by this subchapter. (c) Inpatient psychiatric hospital services The term “inpatient psychiatric hospital services” means inpatient hospital services furnished to an inpatient of a psychiatric hospital. (d) Supplier The term “supplier” means, unless the context otherwise requires, a physician or other practitioner, a facility, or other entity (other than a provider of services) that furnishes items or services under this subchapter. (e) Hospital The term “hospital” (except for purposes of sections 1395f(d), 1395f(f), and 1395n(b) of this title, subsection (a)(2) of this section, paragraph (7) of this subsection, and subsection (i) of this section) means an institution which— (1) is primarily engaged in providing, by or under the supervision of physicians, to inpatients (A) diagnostic services and therapeutic services for medical ...