,,ii  #aac? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #agia  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,decemb] #aj1 #bjac,mr4
 ,rockefell] introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2   
:i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to !          
,committee on ,f9ance  ,a ,,bill  ,to   
provide = ! treatm5t ( c]ta9 hospitals  
"u ! ,m$ic>e program4  #a4 ,%ort title  
,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,fair         
,competition = ,hospitals ,act ( #bjac4 
#b4 ,treatm5t ( c]ta9 hospitals  7a7    
,treatm5t  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,not)/&+ any   
o!r provision ( law1 effective =        
dis*>ges occurr+ on or aft] ,octob] #a1 
#bjad1 = purposes ( mak+ paym5ts "u     
section #ahhf7;d7 ( ! ,social ,security 
,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acieww7 to a       
hospital describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#b71 !    
wage index t applies to su* hospital "u 
su* section %all be ! highe/ wage index 
assign$ to hospitals 9 ! core-bas$      
/ati/ical area 9 :i* ! hospital is      
locat$ 7reg>dless ( :i* ,/ate ! hospital
 is locat$ 97 z a result ( ! application
 ( section #ddaj7;a7 ( ! ,balanc$       

,budget ,act ( #aiig 7#db ,u4,s4,c4     
#acieww note74  7#b7 ,hospital describ$ 
,a hospital describ$ 9 ?is p>agraph is a
 hospital-- 7,a7 t is locat$ 9 a        
core-bas$ /ati/ical area :i* is compris$
 ( c\nties f m ?an #a ,/ate2  7,b7 t is 
n locat$ 9 a core-bas$ /ati/ical area 9 
:i* #a or m hospitals are subject to !  
m9imum wage index "u p>agraph 7h77#d7 ( 
section #dab4fd ( title #db1 ,code (    
,f$]al ,regulations2 &  7,c7 t is n     
locat$ 9 a core-bas$ /ati/ical area 9   
:i* ! highe/ wage index describ$ 9      
p>agraph 7#a7 applies to hospitals      
describ$ 9 su* p>agraph "u a ,/ate      
reimbursem5t sy/em "u section           
#ahad7;b77#c7 or #ahhf7;c7 ( ! ,social  
,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4           
#acie;f7b77#c72 #acieww7c774  7b7 ,rules
 ,any increase 9 ! wage index ( a       
hospital z a result ( ! application (   
subsection 7a7 %all be treat$ z ! result
 ( a decision ( ! ,m$ic>e ,geographic   
,classification ,review ,bo>d "u        
p>agraph 7#aj7 ( section #ahhf7;d7 ( !  

,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4   
#acieww7d77 & subject to budget         
neutrality "u p>agraph 7#h77;,d7 ( su*  
section4