HOME HEALTH PAYMENTS.

SEC. 5201. HOME HEALTH PAYMENTS.(a) 2006 Update.—Section 1895(b)(3)(B)(ii) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395fff(b)(3)(B)(ii)) is amended—(1) in subclause (III), by striking “each of 2005 and 2006” and inserting “all of 2005”;(2) by striking “or” at the end of subclause (III);(3) in subclause (IV), by striking “2007 and” and by redesignating such subclause as subclause (V); and(4) by inserting after subclause (III) the following new subclause:“(IV) 2006, 0 percent; and”.(b) Applying Rural Add-On Policy for 2006.—Section 421(a) of Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (Public Law 108–173; 117 Stat. 2283) is amended by inserting “and episodes and visits beginning on or after January 1, 2006, and before January 1, 2007,” after “April 1, 2005,”.(c) Home Health Care Quality Improvement.—Section 1895(b)(3)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395fff(b)(3)(B)) is amended—(1) in clause (ii)(V), as redesignated by subsection (a)(3), by inserting “subject to clause (v),” after “subsequent year,”; and(2) by adding at the end the following new clause:“(v) Adjustment if quality data not submitted.—“(I) Adjustment.—For purposes of clause (ii)(V), for 2007 and each subsequent year, in the case of a home health agency that does not submit data to the Secretary in accordance with subclause (II) with respect to such a year, the home health 120 STAT. 47 market basket percentage increase applicable under such clause for such year shall be reduced by 2 percentage points. Such reduction shall apply only with respect to the year involved, and the Secretary shall not take into account such reduction in computing the prospective payment amount under this section for a subsequent year, and the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission shall carry out the requirements under section 5201(d) of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005.“(II) Submission of quality data.—For 2007 and each subsequent year, each home health agency shall submit to the Secretary such data that the Secretary determines are appropriate for the measurement of health care quality. Such data shall be submitted in a form and manner, and at a time, specified by the Secretary for purposes of this clause.“(III) Public availability of data submitted.—The Secretary shall establish procedures for making data submitted under subclause (II) available to the public. Such procedures shall ensure that a home health agency has the opportunity to review the data that is to be made public with respect to the agency prior to such data being made public.”.(d) MedPAC Report on Value Based Purchasing.—(1) In general.—Not later than June 1, 2007, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission shall submit to Congress a report that includes recommendations on a detailed structure of value based payment adjustments for home health services under the Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act. Such report shall include recommendations concerning the determination of thresholds, the size of such payments, sources of funds, and the relationship of payments for improvement and attainment of quality.(2) Funding.—Out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission $550,000, to carry out this subsection.