#aadth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,s4   
#bgcf  ,,an ,,act  ,to improve access to
 durable medical equipment for ,medicare
 beneficiaries under the ,medicare      
program1 and for other purposes4  #a4   
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,patient ,access to ,durable        
,medical ,equipment ,act of #bjaf4  #b4 
,extension of the transition to new     
payment rates for durable medical       
equipment under the ,medicare program   
,the ,secretary of ,health and ,human   
,services shall extend the transition   
period described in clause 7i7 of       
section #dad4baj7;g77#i7 of title #db1  
,code of ,federal ,regulations1 from    
,june #cj1 #bjaf1 to ,june #cj1 #bjag   
7with the full implementation described 
in clause 7ii7 of such section applying 
to items and services furnished with    
dates of service on or after ,july #a1  
#bjag74  #c4 ,floor on bid ceiling for  
competitive acquisition for durable     
medical equipment under the ,medicare   
program ,section #ahdg7;b77#e7 of the   

,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4   
#aciew-#c7;b77#e77 is amended-- 7#a7 in 
subparagraph 7,a7-- 7,a7 by inserting 1 
subject to subparagraph 7,e71 after     
subsection 7a77#b72 and  7,b7 by        
inserting 1 subject to subparagraph     
7,e71 after ,based on such bids2 and    
7#b7 by adding at the end the following 
new subparagraph3  7,e7 ,floor on bid   
ceiling for durable medical equipment   
7i7 ,in general ,the ceiling for a bid  
submitted for applicable covered items  
may not be less than the fee schedule   
amount that would otherwise be          
determined under section #ahcd7;a71     
section #ahcd7;h71 or section #ahdb7s7  
for such items furnished on ,july #a1   
#bjaf 7determined as if section #b of   
the ,patient ,access to ,durable        
,medical ,equipment ,act of #bjaf had   
not been enacted74  7ii7 ,applicable    
covered items defined ,for purposes of  
this subparagraph1 the term applicable  
covered items means competitively priced
 items and services described in        

subsection 7a77#b7 that are furnished   
with respect to rounds of competition   
that begin on or after ,january #a1     
#bjag4  4  #d4 ,requirements in         
determining adjustments using           
information from competitive bidding    
programs  7a7 ,in general ,section      
#ahcd7;a77#a77;,g7 of the ,social       
,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4           
#aciem7a77#a77;,g77 is amended by adding
 at the end the following new sentence3 
8,in the case of items and services     
furnished on or after ,january #a1      
#bjai1 in making any adjustments under  
clause 7ii7 or 7iii7 of subparagraph    
7,f71 under subsection 7h77#a77;,h77ii71
 or under section #ahdb7s77#c77;,b71 the
 ,secretary shall--  7i7 solicit and    
take into account stakeholder input2 and
  7ii7 take into account the highest    
amount bid by a winning supplier in a   
competitive acquisition area and a      
comparison of each of the following with
 respect to non-competitive acquisition 
areas and competitive acquisition areas3

 7,i7 ,the average travel distance and  
cost associated with furnishing items   
and services in the area4  7,,ii7 ,any  
barriers to access for items and        
services in the area4  7,,iii7 ,the     
average delivery time in furnishing     
items and services in the area4  7,,iv7 
,the average volume of items and        
services furnished by suppliers in the  
area4  7,v7 ,the number of suppliers in 
the area4  4  7b7 ,conforming amendments
  7#a7 ,section #ahcd7;h77#a77;,h77ii7  
of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db      
,u4,s4,c4 #aciem7h77#a77;,h77ii77 is    
amended by striking the ,secretary and  
inserting subject to subsection         
7a77#a77;,g71 the ,secretary4  7#b7     
,section #ahdb7s77#c77;,b7 of the       
,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4   
#aciem7s77#c77;,b77 is amended by       
striking the ,secretary and inserting   
subject to section #ahcd7;a77#a77;,g71  
the ,secretary4  #e4 ,reports on the    
results of the monitoring of access of  
,medicare beneficiaries to durable      

medical equipment and of health outcomes
 ,not later than ,october #a1 #bjaf1    
,january #a1 #bjag1 ,april #a1 #bjag1   
and ,july #a1 #bjag1 the ,secretary of  
,health and ,human ,services shall      
publish on the ,internet website of the 
,centers for ,medicare  ,medicaid       
,services the results of the monitoring 
of access of ,medicare beneficiaries to 
durable medical equipment and of health 
outcomes1 as described on page #ffbbh in
 the final rule published by the ,center
 for ,medicare  ,medicaid ,services on  
,november #f1 #bjad1 and entitled       
,medicare ,program2 ,end-,stage ,renal  
,disease ,prospective ,payment ,system1 
,quality ,incentive ,program1 and       
,durable ,medical ,equipment1           
,prosthetics1 ,orthotics1 and ,supplies 
7#gi ,fed4 ,reg4 #ffabj-ffbfe74  #f4    
,revision of effective date of provision
 limiting ,federal ,medicaid            
reimbursement to ,states for durable    
medical equipment 7,,dme7 to ,medicare  
payment rates  7a7 ,in general ,section 

#aijc7;i77#bg7 of the ,social ,security 
,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acif;b7i77#bg77 is 
amended by striking ,january #a1 #bjai  
and inserting ,october #a1 #bjah4  7b7  
,effective date ,the amendment made by  
subsection 7a7 shall take effect as if  
included in the enactment of section    
#ejc of division ,o of ,public ,law     
#aad-aac4  ,passed the ,senate ,june    
#ba1 #bjaf4,secretary