,,ib ,union ,calendar ,no4 #cef #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #cgbi ,report ,no4 #aae-dha1 ,part ,i ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,september #aa1 #bjag ,mr4 ,nunes 7for himself and ,ms4 ,sewell of ,alabama7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,ways and ,means1 and in addition to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,december #ba1 #bjag ,additional sponsors3 ,mr4 ,curbelo of ,florida1 ,ms4 ,jenkins of ,kansas1 and ,mr4 ,peterson ,december #ba1 #bjag ,reported from the ,committee on ,ways and ,means with an amendment ,strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic ,december #ba1 #bjag ,the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce discharged2 committed to the ,committee of the ,whole ,house on the ,state of the ,union and ordered to be printed ,for text of introduced bill1 see copy of bill as introduced on ,september #aa1 #bjag ,a ,,bill ,to amend titles ,,xi and ,,xviii of the ,social ,security ,act to facilitate provider and supplier cost reporting of ambulance services under the ,medicare program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,comprehensive ,operations1 ,sustainability1 and ,transport ,act of #bjag4 #b4 ,ground ambulance services cost reporting requirement 7a7 ,in general ,section #aaba of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acbj;a7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a7-- 7,a7 by striking ,for the purposes of and inserting ,subject to subsection 7d71 for the purposes of2 7,b7 by inserting suppliers of ground ambulance services1 after health maintenance organizations12 and 7,c7 in the matter following paragraph 7#e71 by adding the following new sentence3 ,not later than ,december #ca1 #bjai1 the ,secretary shall modify the uniform reporting system for providers of services with respect to ambulance services to ensure that such system contains information similar 7as determined by the ,secretary7 to information required under the uniform reporting system for suppliers of ground ambulance services42 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following new subsection3 7d7 ,in the case of a supplier of ground ambulance services that furnishes such services for fewer than #bj individuals entitled to benefits under part ,a of title ,,xviii and enrolled under part ,b of such title in a cost reporting period 7as defined by the ,secretary71 the ,secretary may modify the requirements for inclusion of any information specified in subsection 7a7 in reports made in accordance with the uniform reporting systems established under this section with respect to such services4 4 7b7 ,suspension of payment for ground ambulance services2 deeming certain payments overpayments ,section #ahcd7l7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciem7l77 is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#ag7 ,requirement to submit cost report and authority to suspend payments and deem certain payments overpayments for ground ambulance services 7,a7 ,in general ,with respect to ground ambulance services furnished by a supplier of such services during cost reporting periods 7as defined in subparagraph 7,i77 beginning on or after ,january #a1 #bjbj1 such supplier shall make reports to the ,secretary of information described in section #aaba7;a7 in accordance with the uniform reporting system established under such section for such suppliers and1 as may be required by the ,secretary1 of any of the information described in subparagraph 7,b74 7,b7 ,additional information ,the ,secretary may1 with respect to a supplier of ground ambulance services1 require the following information 7to be reported to the extent practicable under the uniform reporting system established under section #aaba7;a7 for such suppliers73 7i7 ,whether the supplier is part of an emergency services department1 a governmental organization1 or another type of entity 7as described by the ,secretary74 7ii7 ,the number of hours in a week during which the supplier is available for furnishing ground ambulance services4 7iii7 ,the average number of volunteer hours a week used by the supplier4 7,c7 ,suspension of payment ,subject to subparagraph 7,e71 in the case that the ,secretary determines that a supplier of ground ambulance services has not made to the ,secretary a timely report described in subparagraph 7,a7 with respect to a cost reporting period beginning on or after ,january #a1 #bjbj1 and before ,january #a1 #bjbb1 the ,secretary may suspend payments made under this subsection1 in whole or in part1 to such supplier until the ,secretary finds that such supplier has made such a report4 7,d7 ,deeming certain payments overpayments ,subject to subparagraphs 7,e7 and 7,f71 in the case that the ,secretary determines that a supplier of ground ambulance services has not made to the ,secretary a complete1 accurate1 and timely report described in subparagraph 7,a7 with respect to a cost reporting period beginning on or after ,january #a1 #bjbb1 the ,secretary may deem payments made under this subsection to such supplier for such period to be overpayments and recoup such overpayments4 7,e7 ,hardship delay ,the ,secretary shall establish a process whereby a supplier of ground ambulance services may request a delay in making a report described in subparagraph 7,a7 with respect to a cost reporting period for reason of significant hardship 7as determined by the ,secretary74 7,f7 ,authority to modify cost reporting elements and enforcement ,not earlier than ,january #a1 #bjbc1 the ,secretary may provide that subparagraph 7,d7 no longer applies to ground ambulance services suppliers or a category of such suppliers after-- 7i7 taking into account the recommendation of the ,medicare ,payment ,advisory ,commission in the most recent report available to the ,secretary submitted under section #c of the ,comprehensive ,operations1 ,sustainability1 and ,transport ,act of #bjag regarding whether cost reports made by suppliers or a category of suppliers 7as specified for purposes of the report submitted under such section7 should be required or modified2 and 7ii7 undertaking notice and comment rulemaking4 7,g7 ,audit of cost reports ,the ,secretary shall audit reports described in subparagraph 7,a7 made with respect to cost reporting periods beginning on or after ,january #a1 #bjba4 7,h7 ,appeals ,the ,secretary shall establish a process whereby a supplier of ground ambulance services may appeal a determination described in subparagraph 7,c7 or 7,d7 made with respect to a cost report required to be made by such supplier under subparagraph 7,a74 7,i7 ,definition ,in this paragraph1 the term cost reporting period means1 with respect to a year1 the #ab-month period beginning on ,january #a of such year4 4 7c7 ,stakeholder feedback 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services shall implement the provisions of this section1 including the amendments made by this section1 through notice and comment rulemaking and seek input from stakeholders4 7#b7 ,nonapplication of ,paperwork ,reduction ,act ,chapter #ce of title #dd1 ,united ,states ,code1 shall not apply with respect to-- 7,a7 the development and implementation of the uniform reporting system required under section #aaba7;a7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acbj;a7a77 for suppliers of ground ambulance services and reports required to be made under section #ahcd7l77#ag7 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciem7l77#ag772 and 7,b7 the modification of the uniform reporting systems under such section #aaba7;a7 of such ,act for providers of such services and reports required to be made under section #ahfa7v77#a77;,f7 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciex7v77#a77;,f774 7d7 ,implementation resources 7#a7 ,in general ,there are hereby appropriated to the ,secretary from the ,federal ,hospital ,insurance ,trust ,fund under section #ahag of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acie;i7 #h1jjj1jjj and from the ,federal ,supplementary ,medical ,insurance ,trust ,fund under section #ahda of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciet7 #ib1jjj1jjj 7of which not less than #aj1jjj1jjj shall be used to fulfill the auditing requirement under section #ahcd7l77#ag77;,g7 of such ,act1 as added by subsection 7b7 of this section7 to carry out the provisions of this section1 including the amendments made by this section1 to remain available through ,december #ca1 #bjbb4 7#b7 ,funding for employees ,the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services shall provide for the transfer to the ,centers for ,medicare ,medicaid ,services ,program ,management ,account1 from the ,federal ,supplementary ,medical ,insurance ,trust ,fund under section #ahda of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciet71 of such sums as may be necessary in order to directly hire no more than #b full-time employees to carry out the provisions of this section1 including the amendments made by this section4 7e7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 a cost report made by a supplier of ground ambulance services with respect to a cost reporting period beginning before ,january #a1 #bjbb1 may not contain complete and accurate information on ground ambulance services furnished during such a period by the supplier2 and 7#b7 the ,secretary should take into account only the timeliness of such a report made with respect to such a period when determining whether to suspend payments to a supplier under section #ahcd7l7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciem7l774 #c4 ,ground ambulance services cost reporting study 7a7 ,in general ,not later than ,march #ae1 #bjbb1 and as determined necessary by the ,medicare ,payment ,advisory ,commission thereafter1 such ,commission shall assess and submit to ,congress a report on cost reports carried out in accordance with sections #aaba7;a7 and #ahcd7l7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acbj;a7a71 #aciem7l771 the adequacy of payments for such services made under section #ahcd7l7 of such ,act1 and the extent to which state mandates may create geographic variations in the cost of providing such services4 7b7 ,contents ,the report described in subsection 7a7 shall contain the following3 7#a7 ,an analysis of cost report data submitted in accordance with such sections4 7#b7 ,an analysis of any burden on providers and suppliers of such services associated with reporting such data4 7#c7 ,a recommendation on whether or not cost reports of ambulance services made by suppliers or a category of suppliers 7as specified by the ,secretary7 of such services1 or the ground ambulance portion of cost reports made by providers of such services1 should be required or modified1 taking into account the analyses described in paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b74 #d4 ,extension of ground ambulance services extenders and pay-for ,section #ahcd7l7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db4 ,u4,s4,c4 #aciem7l77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#ab77;,a71 by striking #bjah and inserting #bjbc2 7#b7 in paragraph 7#ac77;,a71 by striking #bjah each place it appears and inserting #bjbc2 and 7#c7 in paragraph 7#ae71 by striking on or after ,october #a1 #bjac and inserting during the period beginning on ,october #a1 #bjac1 and ending on ,september #cj1 #bjah1 and by #cb percent for such services furnished on or after ,october #a1 #bjah4 ,december #ba1 #bjag ,reported from the ,committee on ,ways and ,means with an amendment,december #ba1 #bjag,the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce discharged2 committed to the ,committee of the ,whole ,house on the ,state of the ,union and ordered to be printed