elimination of requirement of physician certification in case of certain hospital services

elimination of requirement of physician certification in case of certain hospital services Sec. 126. (a) Section 1814(a) of the Social Security Act (as amended by section 129(c)(5) of this Act) is amended— (1) by striking out subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2); (2) by redesignating subparagraphs (B), (C), (D), and (E) of paragraph (2) as subparagraphs (A), (B), (C), and (D), respectively; (3) by redesignating paragraphs (3), (4), (5), and (6) as paragraphs (4), (5), (6), and (7), respectively; (4) by inserting immediately after paragraph (2) the following new paragraph: “(3) with respect to inpatient hospital services (other than inpatient psychiatric hospital services and inpatient tuberculosis hospital services) which are furnished over a period of time, a physician certifies that such services are required to be given on an inpatient basis for such individual’s medical treatment, or that inpatient diagnostic study is medically required and such services are necessary for such purpose, except that (A) such certification shall be furnished only in such cases, with such frequency, and accompanied by such supporting material, appropriate to the cases involved, as may be provided by regulations, and (B) the first such certification required in accordance with clause (A) shall be furnished no later than the 20th day of such period;”; and (5) by striking out “(D), or (E)” in the last sentence and inserting in lieu thereof “or (D)”. (b) Section 1835(a)(2)(B) of such Act is amended by inserting after “medical and other health services,” the following: “except services described in subparagraphs (B) and (C) of section 1861(s)(2),”. (c) The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to services furnished after the date of the enactment or this Act.