,,ii  #aai? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #dbcc  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,m>* #bf1 #bjbf,mr4    
,w>n] 7= himself1 ,mrs4 ,blackburn1     
,mrs4 ,hyde-,smi?1 & ,mr4 ,tub]ville7   
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read     
twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on       
,f9ance  ,a ,,bill  ,to am5d title      
,,xviii ( ! ,social ,security ,act to   
codify ! ,m$ic>e l[-wage index hospital 
policy4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may  
be cit$ z ! ,save ,/ruggl+ ,hospitals   
,act4  #b4 ,codification ( ! ,m$ic>e    
l[-wage index hospital policy ,section  
#ahhf7;d77#c77;,e7 ( ! ,social ,security
 ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4                    
#acieww7d77#c77;,e77 is am5d$-- 7#a7 9  
clause 7i71 9 ! fir/ s5t5ce1 by /rik+ or
 7iv7 & ins]t+ 1 7iv71 or 7v72 &  7#b7  
by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new clause3   
7v7 ,area wage index adju/m5t = l[-wage 
hospitals  7,i7 ,9 g5]al ,= dis*>ges    
occurr+ on or aft] ,octob] #a1 #bjai1 ! 
area wage index applicable "u ?is       
subp>agraph = a fiscal ye> to a hospital

 ) an area wage index 7det]m9$ )\t reg>d
 to ?is clause7 bel[ ! #be? p]c5tile    
area wage index %all be increas$ by  ( !
 diff]5ce betwe5 ! o!rwise applicable   
f9al area wage index = su* fiscal ye> = 
su* hospital & ! #be? p]c5tile area wage
 index = su* fiscal ye> across all      
hospitals4  7,,ii7 ,budget neutrality   
,pursuant to ! f\r? s5t5ce ( clause 7i71
 ?is clause %all be appli$ 9 a budget   
neutral mann]4 ,any adju/m5ts made = !  
purposes ( su* application ( budget     
neutrality may n-- 7aa7 decrease ! area 
wage index applicable "u ?is subp>agraph
 to a hospital ) an area wage index     
7det]m9$ )\t reg>d to ?is clause7 bel[ !
 #ge? p]c5tile area wage index = !      
fiscal ye>2 or  7bb7 result 9 an area   
wage index applicable "u ?is subp>agraph
 to a hospital = su* fiscal ye> t is    
less ?an #ie p]c5t ( ! area wage index  
applicable "u ?is subp>agraph to su*    
hospital = ! prec$+ fiscal ye>4  4