ESTABLISHMENT OF SINGLE CONVERSION FACTOR FOR 1998.

SEC. 4501. ESTABLISHMENT OF SINGLE CONVERSION FACTOR FOR 1998. (a) In General.—Section 1848(d)(1) (42 U.S.C. 1395w–4(d)(1)) is amended— (1) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (D), and (2) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following: “(C) Special rules for 1998.—The single conversion factor for 1998 under this subsection shall be the conversion factor for primary care services for 1997, increased by the Secretary’s estimate of the weighted average of the three separate updates that would otherwise occur were it not for the enactment of chapter 1 of subtitle F of title IV of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.”. (b) Conforming Amendments.—Section 1848 (42 U.S.C. 1395w–4) is amended— (1) by striking “(or factors)” each place it appears in subsection (a)(1)(A) and (d)(1)(D)(ii) (as redesignated by subsection (a)(1)), (2) in subsection (d)(1)(A), by striking “or updates”, (3) in subsection (d)(1)(D) (as redesignated by subsection (a)(1)), by striking “(or updates)” each place it appears, and (4) in subsection (j)(1), by striking “The term” and inserting “For services furnished before January 1, 1998, the term”.