,,ii #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #cfca ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #f1 #bjbj,mr4 ,sasse introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,finance ,a ,,bill ,to provide relief for rural providers during the national emergency with respect to the ,coronavirus ,disease #bjai 7,,covid-#ai74 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,relief for ,rural ,providers ,during ,emergencies ,act4 #b4 ,pausing eligibility determinations under the #cdj;,b drug pricing program 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services shall1 for any cost reporting period ending in #bjbj or #bjba1 for any other cost reporting period in which the ,,covid-#ai public health emergency is in effect during all or part of such period1 and for any extended period under subsection 7b7-- 7#a7 pause the process of making any determination as to whether an entity1 that was a covered entity for the most recent cost reporting period prior to the first date on which the ,,covid-#ai public health emergency went into effect1 continues to be such a covered entity2 and 7#b7 deem any entity1 that was a covered entity for the most recent cost reporting period prior to the first date on which the ,,covid-#ai public health emergency went into effect1 as continuing to meet all requirements for being such a covered entity4 7b7 ,extension ,the ,secretary shall extend the application of paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b7 of subsection 7a7 to any cost reporting period that is not described in such subsection if necessary to ensure that no entity loses eligibility status as a covered entity for any reason related to the ,,covid-#ai public health emergency4 7c7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,covered entity ,the term covered entity has the meaning given such term in section #cdj;,b7a77#d7 of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bef;b7a77#d774 7#b7 ,,covid-#ai public health emergency ,the term ,,covid-#ai public health emergency means the public health emergency declared by the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services under section #cai of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bdg;d7 on ,january #ca1 #bjbj1 with respect to ,,covid-#ai4 #c4 ,waiver of certain requirements during national emergency ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 during any portion of the national emergency declared by the ,president under the ,national ,emergencies ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #afja et seq47 with respect to the ,coronavirus ,disease #bjai 7,,covid-#ai7 beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this ,act and ending on the earlier of the date on which such emergency declaration terminates or the date that is #ahj days after such date of enactment1 the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 waive any prior authorization requirements otherwise applicable under titles ,,xviii and ,,xix of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acie et seq41 #acif et seq47 with respect to treatment and testing for ,,covid-#ai2 7#b7 with respect to inpatient hospital services 7as defined in section #ahfa7;b7 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciex7b77-- 7,a7 waive any requirements otherwise applicable under title ,,xviii that would otherwise prevent the ,secretary from providing reimbursement for inpatient hospital services that are furnished off-site at an unlicensed facility2 and 7,b7 provide reimbursement for such services furnished at such facility at an amount equal to the payment amount determined under the hospital inpatient prospective payment system under section #ahhf7;d7 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acieww7d77 if the facility were a subsection 7d7 hospital 7as defined in paragraph 7#a77;,b7 of such section72 and 7#c7 waive the provisions of section #ahfg7;d7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acie;dd7d771 relating to enforcement of requirements with respect to examination and treatment for emergency medical conditions and women in labor1 for transfers or redirections of patients away from hospital emergency departments4 #d4 ,relief for critical access hospitals ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 during the #fj-;day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall waive the following provisions of title ,,xviii of the ,social ,security ,act3 7#a7 ,with respect to certification of critical access hospitals 7as defined in section #ahfa7mm77#a77 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciex7mm77#a771 the limitation on the number of acute care inpatient beds otherwise applicable under section #ahbj7;c77#b77;,b77iii7 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acie;i-#d7;c77#b77;,b77iii774 7#b7 ,with respect to inpatient critical access hospital services 7as defined in section #ahfa7mm77#b77 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciex7mm77#b771 the physician certification requirement under section #ahad7;a77#h7 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acie;f7a77#h774 #e4 ,relief for skilled nursing facilities 7a7 ,temporary waiver of #c-;,day hospitalization requirement for coverage of post-,hospital extended care services ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 with respect to post-hospital extended care services 7as defined in section #ahfa7;i77 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciex7i77 furnished during any portion of the national emergency declared by the ,president under the ,national ,emergencies ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #afja et seq47 with respect to the ,coronavirus ,disease #bjai 7,,covid-#ai7 beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this ,act and ending on the earlier of the date on which such emergency declaration terminates or the date that is #ahj days after such date of enactment1 the ,secretary shall waive the #c-;day hospitalization requirement for coverage of such services under such section #ahfa7;i74 7b7 ,medicare skilled nursing facility prospective payment system adjustment for covid-#ai residents during national emergency 7#a7 ,in general ,section #ahhh7;e7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acieyy7e77 is amended-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#a71 by striking and 7#ab7 and inserting 7#ab71 and 7#ac72 and 7,b7 by inserting after paragraph 7#ab7 the following new paragraph3 7#ac7 ,adjustment for residents with covid-#ai ,during any portion of the national emergency declared by the ,president under the ,national ,emergencies ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #afja et seq47 with respect to the ,coronavirus ,disease #bjai 7,,covid-#ai7 beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this paragraph and ending on the earlier of the date on which such emergency declaration terminates or the date that is #ahj days after such date of enactment1 in the case of a resident who has a principal or secondary diagnosis of ,,covid-#ai1 the per diem amount of payment otherwise applicable shall be increased by #ae percent to reflect increased costs associated with such residents4 4 7#b7 ,implementation ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 the ,secretary may implement the amendments made by this subsection by program instruction or otherwise4 #f4 ,ensuring rural providers are included in ,,cares 7a7 ,in general ,the third paragraph in the matter under the heading public health and social services emergency fund 7including transfer of funds7 under the heading ,office ,of ,the ,secretary under the heading ,,department ,,of ,,health ,,and ,,human ,,services of division ,b of the ,,cares ,act 7,public ,law #aaf-acf7 is amended-- 7#a7 in the third proviso1 by inserting 1 and includes skilled nursing facilities1 nursing facilities1 assisted living residences1 and other types of facilities that provide housing and care for seniors after as the ,secretary may specify2 and 7#b7 by inserting after the second proviso the following3 ,provided further1 ,that the ,secretary shall use at least #bj percent of the funds appropriated under this paragraph in this ,act to make payments under this paragraph to eligible health care providers located in rural areas1 as defined by the ,secretary34 7b7 ,effective date ,the amendments made by this section shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the ,,cares ,act 7,public ,law #aaf-acf74