,,ii #aahth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #dcbb ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #ad1 #bjbd,mr4 ,moran 7for himself and ,ms4 ,smith7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,finance ,a ,,bill ,to amend title ,,xviii of the ,social ,security ,act to make improvements relating to the designation of rural emergency hospitals4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,rural ,emergency ,hospital ,designation ,improvement ,act4 #b4 ,eligibility changes 7a7 ,in general ,section #ahfa7kkk77#c7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciex7kkk77#c77 is amended1 in the matter preceding subparagraph 7,a71 by striking as of and inserting at any point during the period beginning on ,january #a1 #bjae1 and ending on4 7b7 ,waiver of certain requirements ,section #ahfa7kkk77#c7 of the ,social ,security 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciex7kkk77#c71 as amended by subsection 7a71 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating subparagraphs 7,a7 and 7,b7 as clauses 7i7 and 7ii71 respectively2 7#b7 by striking described4--,a facility and inserting 8described4-- 7,a7 ,in general ,subject to subparagraph 7,b71 a facility 2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following new subparagraph3 7,b7 ,waiver ,not later than one year after the date of enactment of this subparagraph1 the ,secretary shall promulgate regulations to waive subparagraph 7,a7 with respect to facilities that operate similarly to a rural emergency hospital in order for such facilities to be eligible for conversion to a rural emergency hospital under this subsection4 4 #c4 ,distinct part units ,section #ahfa7kkk77#f7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciex7kkk77#f77 is amended-- 7#a7 in subparagraph 7,a71 by striking and at the end2 7#b7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs3 7,c7 maintain or include a unit of the facility that is a distinct part licensed as an inpatient psychiatric unit for behavioral health patients and allows for inpatient care2 7,d7 maintain or include a unit of the facility that is a distinct part licensed as an inpatient rehabilitation facility and allows for inpatient care2 and 7,e7 maintain or include a unit of the facility that is a distinct part unit licensed as an obstetric wing1 labor and delivery unit1 or obstetric emergency department4 4 #d4 ,add-on payment for diagnostic laboratory tests ,section #ahcd7x77#a7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciem7x77#a77 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking hospitals4-- and all that follows through ,in the case and inserting 8hospitals4-- 7#a7 ,in general 7,a7 ,payment for rural emergency hospital services ,in the case 2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following new subparagraph3 7,b7 ,payment for diagnostic laboratory tests ,in the case of clinical diagnostic laboratory tests and other diagnostic laboratory tests that are not covered ,,opd services 7as defined in section #ahcc7t77#a77;,b77 furnished by a rural emergency hospital 7as defined in section #ahfa7kkk77#b77 on or after ,january #a1 #bjbe1 the amount of payment for such tests shall be equal to the amount of payment that would otherwise apply under the applicable fee schedule1 increased by #e percent to reflect the higher costs incurred by such hospitals1 and shall include the application of any copayment amount determined under this part as if such increase had not occurred 4 #e4 ,swing beds ,section #ahfa7kkk77#f7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciex7kkk77#f771 as amended by section #c1 is amended-- 7#a7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by striking and at the end2 7#b7 in subparagraph 7,c71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 and2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following new subparagraph3 7,d7 may enter into an agreement described in section #ahhc4 4 #f4 ,necessary provider status for facilities that revert to critical access hospital designation ,not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services shall promulgate regulations to permit a rural emergency hospital 7as defined in section #ahfa7kkk77#b7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciex7kkk77#b777 that reverts back to its previous designation as a critical access hospital 7as defined in section #ahfa7mm77#a7 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciex7m777 to regain its status as a necessary provider of health care services pursuant to section #ahbj7;c77#b77;,b77i77,,ii7 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acie;i-#d7;c77#b77;,b77i77,,ii771 but only if the facility was designated as a necessary provider of health care services pursuant to such section prior to converting to a rural emergency hospital4 #g4 ,national ,health ,service ,corps ,site ,eligibility ,the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services1 acting through the ,administrator of the ,health ,resources and ,services ,administration1 shall promulgate regulations to deem a rural emergency hospital 7as defined in section #ahfa7kkk77#b7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciex7kkk77#b777 to be a health professional shortage area in accordance with section #ccb7;a77#a77;,c7 of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bed;e7a77#a77;,c774 #h4 ,small rural hospital improvement program grants ,section #ahbj7;g7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #db ,u4,s4,c4 #acie;i-#d7;g77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a77;,d71 by inserting or rural emergency hospitals 7as defined in section #ahfa7kkk77#b77 after critical access hospitals2 and 7#b7 in paragraph 7#c77;,a71 by inserting or rural emergency hospitals 7as defined in section #ahfa7kkk77#b77 after small rural hospitals4