IMPACT ANALYSES OF MEDICARE AND MEDICAID RULES AND REGULATIONS ON SMALL RURAL HOSPITALS.

SEC. 4402. IMPACT ANALYSES OF MEDICARE AND MEDICAID RULES AND REGULATIONS ON SMALL RURAL HOSPITALS. (a) In General.— Section 1102 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1302) is amended— (1) by inserting “(a)” after “Sec. 1102.”, and (2) by adding at the end thereof the following new subsection: “(b) (1) Whenever the Secretary publishes a general notice of proposed rulemaking for any rule or regulation proposed under title XVIII, title XIX, or part B of this title that may have a significant impact on the operations of a substantial number of small rural hospitals, the Secretary shall prepare and make available for public comment an initial regulatory impact analysis. Such analysis shall describe the impact of the proposed rule or regulation on such hospitals and shall set forth, with respect to small rural hospitals, the matters required under section 603 of title 5, United States Code, to be set forth with respect to small entities. The initial regulatory impact analysis (or a summary) shall be published in the Federal Register at the time of the publication of general notice of proposed rulemaking for the rule or regulation. “(2) Whenever the Secretary promulgates a final version of a rule or regulation with respect to which an initial regulatory impact analysis is required by paragraph (1), the Secretary shall prepare a final regulatory impact analysis with respect to the final version of such rule or regulation. Such analysis shall set forth, with respect to small rural hospitals, the matters required under section 604 of title 5, United States Code, to be set forth with respect to small entities. The Secretary shall make copies of the final regulatory impact analysis available to the public and shall publish, in the Federal Register at the time of publication of the final version of the rule or regulation, a statement describing how a member of the public may obtain a copy of such analysis. “(3) If a regulatory flexibility analysis is required by chapter 6 of title 5, United States Code, for a rule or regulation to which this subsection applies, such analysis shall specifically address the impact of the rule or regulation on small rural hospitals.”. (b) Effective Date.— The amendments made by paragraph (1) shall apply to regulations proposed more than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.