P.L. 97–248, Approved September 3, 1982 (96 Stat. 324)

Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982

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ELIMINATION OF PRIVATE ROOM SUBSIDY

Sec. 111. [42 U.S.C. 1395x note] (a)  The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall, pursuant to section 1861(v)(2) of the Social Security Act, not allow as a reasonable cost the estimated amount by which the costs incurred by a hospital or skilled nursing facility for nonmedically necessary private accommodations for medicare beneficiaries exceeds the costs which would have been incurred by such hospital or facility for semiprivate accommodations.

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Sec. 114. [42 U.S.C. 1395mm note] 

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(c)  *  *  *

(2)(A)  In the case of an eligible organization which has in effect an existing cost contract (as defined in paragraph (3)(A)) on the initial effective date, the organization may receive payment under a new risk-sharing contract with respect to a current, nonrisk medicare enrollee (as defined in subparagraph (C)) only to the extent that the organization enrolls, for each such enrollee, two new medicare enrollees (as defined in subparagraph (D)). The selection of those current nonrisk medicare enrollees with respect to whom payment may be so received under a new risk-sharing contract shall be made in a nonbiased manner.

(B)  Subparagraph (A) shall not be construed to prevent an eligible organization from providing for enrollment, on a basis described in subsection (a)(6) of section 1876 of the Social Security Act (as amended by this Act, other than under a reasonable cost reimbursement contract), of current, nonrisk medicare enrollees and from providing such enrollees with some or all of the additional benefits described in section 1876(g)(2) of the Social Security Act (as amended by this Act), but (except as provided in subparagraph (A))—

(i)  payment to the organization with respect to such enrollees shall only be made in accordance with the terms of a reasonable cost reimbursement contract, and

(ii)  no payment may be made under section 1876 of such Act with respect to such enrollees for any such additional benefits.

Individuals enrolled with the organization under this subparagraph shall be considered to be individuals enrolled with the organization for the purpose of meeting the requirement of section 1876(g)(2) of the Social Security Act (as amended by this Act).

(C)  For purposes of this paragraph, the term “current, nonrisk medicare enrollee” means, with respect to an organization, an individual who on the initial effective date—

(i)  is enrolled with that organization under an existing cost contract, and

(ii)  is entitled to benefits under part A and enrolled under part B, or enrolled in part B, of title XVIII of the Social Security Act.

(D)  For purposes of this paragraph, the term “new medicare enrollee” means, with respect to an organization, an individual who—

(i)  is enrolled with the organization after the date the organization first enters into a new risk-sharing contract,

(ii)  at the time of such enrollment is entitled to benefits under part A, or enrolled in part B, of title XVIII of the Social Security Act, and

(iii)  was not enrolled with the organization at the time the individual became entitled to benefits under part A, or to enroll in part B, of such title.

(E)  The preceding provisions of this paragraph shall not to [349] apply to payments made for current, nonrisk medicare enrollees for months beginning with April 1987.

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(d)  The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall conduct a study of the additional benefits selected by eligible organizations pursuant to section 1876(g)(2) of the Social Security Act, as amended by subsection (a) of this section. The Secretary shall report to the Congress within 24 months of the initial effective date (as defined in subsection (c)(4)) with respect to the findings and conclusions made as a result of such study.

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PROHIBITION OF PAYMENT FOR INEFFECTIVE DRUGS

Sec. 115. 

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(b) [42 U.S.C. 1395y note]  No provision of law limiting the use of funds for purposes of enforcing or implementing section 1862(c) or section 1903(i)(5) of the Social Security Act, section 2103 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, or any rule or regulation issued pursuant to any such section (including any provision contained in, or incorporated by reference into, any appropriation Act or resolution making continuing appropriations) shall apply to any period after September 30, 1982, unless such provision of law is enacted after the date of the enactment of this Act and specifically states that such provision is to supersede this section.

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AUDIT AND MEDICAL CLAIMS REVIEW

Sec. 118. [42 U.S.C. 1395h note]  In addition to any funds otherwise provided for payments to intermediaries and carriers under agreements entered into under sections 1816 and 1842 of the Social Security Act, there are transferred from the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Fund in such proportions as the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines to be appropriate, an additional $45,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1983, 1984, and 1985, and $105,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1986, 1987, and 1988 for payments to such intermediaries and carriers under such agreements to be used exclusively for purposes of carrying out provider cost audits, of reviewing medical necessity, and of recovering third-party liability payments, consistent with the provisions of sections 1816 and 1842 of the Social Security Act.

PRIVATE SECTOR REVIEW INITIATIVE

Sec. 119. [42 U.S.C. 1395cc note] (a)  The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall undertake an initiative to improve medical review by intermediaries and carriers under title XVIII of the Social Security Act and to encourage similar review efforts by private insurers and other private entities. The initiative shall include the development of specific standards for measuring the performance of such intermediaries and carriers with respect to the identification and reduction of unnecessary utilization of health services.

(b) [42 U.S.C. 1395cc note]  Where such review activity results in the denial of payment to providers of services under title XVIII of the Social Security Act, such providers shall be prohibited, in accordance with sections 1866 and 1879 of such title, from collecting any payments from beneficiaries unless otherwise provided under such title.

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MEDICARE COVERAGE OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

Sec. 121. [None Assigned]  For provisions providing certain employees of the United States and instrumentalities thereof with entitlement to hospital insurance benefits under part A of title XVIII of the Social Security Act, see section 278 of this Act.

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Sec. 122. 

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(i) [42 U.S.C. 1395b-1 note]  (1) Notwithstanding any provision of law which has the effect of restricting the time period of a hospice demonstration project in effect on July 15, 1982, pursuant to section 402(a) of the Social Security Amendments of 1967, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, upon request of the hospice involved, shall permit continuation of the project until November 1, 1983, or, if later, the date on which payments can first be made to any hospice program under the amendments made by this section.

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Sec. 141. [42 U.S.C. 1305 note]  This subtitle may be cited as the “Peer Review Improvement Act of 1982”.

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Sec. 278. 

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(d) [42 U.S.C. 426 note]  Transitional Provisions.—

(1)  In general.—For purposes of sections 226, 226A, and 1811 of the Social Security Act, in the case of any individual who performs service both during January 1983, and before January 1, 1983, which constitutes medicare qualified Federal employment (as defined in section 210(p) of such Act), the individual’s medicare qualified Federal employment (as so defined) performed before January 1, 1983, for which remuneration was paid before such date, shall be considered to be “employment” (as defined for purposes of title II of such Act), but only for the purpose of providing the individual (or another person) with entitlement to hospital insurance benefits under part A of title XVIII of such Act.

(2)  Appropriations.—There are authorized to be appropriated to the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund from time to time such sums as the Secretary of Health and Human Services deems necessary for any fiscal year, on account of—

(A)  payments made or to be made during such fiscal year from such Trust Fund with respect to individuals who are entitled to benefits under title XVIII of the Social Security Act solely by reason of paragraph (1) of this subsection,

(B)  the additional administrative expenses resulting or expected to result therefrom, and

(C)  any loss in interest to such Trust Fund resulting from the payment of those amounts,

in order to place such Trust Fund in the same position at the end of such fiscal year as it would have been in if this subsection had not been enacted.

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SHORT TITLE

Sec. 601. [26 U.S.C. 3304 note]  This subtitle may be cited as the “Federal Supplemental Compensation Act of 1982”.

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FINANCING PROVISIONS

Sec. 604. [26 U.S.C. 3304 note] (a)(1)  Funds in the extended unemployment compensation account (as established by section 905 of the Social Security Act) of the Unemployment Trust Fund shall be used for the making of payments to States having agreements entered into under this subtitle.

(2)  The Secretary shall from time to time certify to the Secretary of the Treasury for payment to each State the sums payable to such State under this subtitle. The Secretary of the Treasury, prior to audit or settlement by the General Accounting Office, shall make payments to the State in accordance with such certification, by transfers from the extended unemployment compensation account (as established by section 905 of the Social Security Act) to the account of such State in the Unemployment Trust Fund.

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(c)  There are hereby authorized to be appropriated from the general fund of the Treasury, without fiscal year limitation, such funds as may be necessary for purposes of assisting States (as provided in title III of the Social Security Act) in meeting the costs of administration of agreements under this subtitle.

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[Internal References.—SSAct §1153(a) cites the Peer Review Improvement Act of 1982. SSAct Titles III and XVIII and §§905, 1866, and 1879 headings and §1861(v), have footnotes referring to P.L. 97-248.]



[349]  As in original.