Extension of Certain Medicare Hospital Payment Provisions

Extension of Certain Medicare Hospital Payment Provisions Sec. 115. (a) Extension of Area Wage Index.—For purposes of determining the amount of payment made to a hospital under part A of title XVIII of the Social Security Act for the operating costs of inpatient hospital services for discharges occurring on or after October 1, 1990, and on or before October 20, 1990, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in adjusting such amount under section 1886(d)(3)(E) of such Act to reflect the relative hospital wage level in the geographic area of the hospital compared to the national average hospital wage index, shall apply the area wage index applicable to such hospital as of September 30, 1990. (b) Extension of Regional Floor on Standardized Amounts.— (1) Section 1886(d)(1)(A)(iii) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(1)(A)(iii)) is amended by striking “September 30, 1990,” and inserting “October 20,1990, ”. (2) The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall make any adjustments resulting from the amendment made by paragraph (1) in the amount of the payments made to hospitals under section 1886(d) of the Social Security Act in a fiscal year for the operating costs of inpatient hospital services in a manner that ensures that the aggregate payments under such section are not greater or less than those that would have been made in the year without such adjustments.