CUSTOMARY CHARGES FOR PRIMARY CARE SERVICES OF NEW PHYSICIANS.

SEC. 4047. CUSTOMARY CHARGES FOR PRIMARY CARE SERVICES OF NEW PHYSICIANS. (a) In General.— Section 1842(b)(4) of the Social Security Act, as amended by section 4042(a), is further amended by adding at the end thereof the following new subparagraph: “(G) In determining the customary charges for physicians’ services (other primary care services and other than services furnished in a rural area (as defined in section 1886(d)(2)(D)) that is designated, under section 332(a)(1)(A) of the Public Health Service Act, as a health manpower shortage area) for which adequate actual charge data are not available because a physician has not yet been in practice for a sufficient period of time, the Secretary shall set a customary charge at a level no higher than 80 percent of the prevailing charge (as determined under the third and fourth sentences of paragraph (3) and under paragraph (4)) for a service.”. (b) Effective Date.— The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply to physicians who first furnish services to medicare beneficiaries after April 1, 1988.