Border Health Care Relief Act of 2008

Medicare inpatient and outpatient hospital payments; Medicaid payments; H.R. 1177 and S. 2381 Sole Community Hospital Preservation Act of 2007, all provisions to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend and improve protections for sole community hospitals under the Medicare Program; H.R. 2159 and S. 630 Rural Health Services Preservation Act of 2007, all provisions to amend part C of title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for a minimum payment rate by Medicare Advantage organizations for services furnished by a critical access hospital and a rural health clinic under the Medicare Program; H.R. 1105 and S. 458 Physician Pathology Services Continuity Act of 2007, all provisions to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the treatment of certain physician pathology services under the Medicare Program; H.R. 2050 Medicaid Emergency Psychiatric Care Act of 2007, all provisions to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to permit States to obtain reimbursement under the Medicaid Program for care or services required under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act that are provided in a nonpublicly owned or operated institution for mental diseases; H.R. 2860 Health Care Access and Rural Equity (H-CARE) Act of 2007, all provisions related to TITLE I--MEDICARE HOSPITAL SERVICES, including Sec. 101. Fairness in the Medicare disproportionate share hospital (DSH) adjustment for rural hospitals, Sec. 102. Treatment of Medicare hospital reclassifications, Sec. 103. Critical access hospital improvements, Sec. 104. Rebasing for sole community hospitals, Sec. 105. Establishment of rural community hospital (RCH) program and Sec. 106. Hold harmless through 2012 for small rural hospitals and sole community hospitals under the prospective payment system for hospital outpatient department services under the Medicare program; S. 1277 Critical Access to Clinical Lab Services Act of 2007, all provisions to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to clarify the treatment of payment under the Medicare program for clinical laboratory tests furnished by critical access hospitals; H.R. 3057 Medicare Long-Term Patient Safety and Improvement Act of 2007, all provisions related to the steps to develop and implement criteria to differentiate long-term care hospitals from other post-acute care settings; H.R. 3453 The Community Clinical Laboratory Fairness in Competition Act of 2007, all provisions related to the Medicare competitive bidding demonstration project for clinical laboratory services; H.R. 5613 Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008, all provisions to extend certain moratoria and impose additional moratoria on certain Medicaid regulations through April 1, 2009; S. 2819 Economic Recovery in Health Care Act,to enact moratoria on the Medicaid and CHIP regulations issued by the Administration over the last year and to provide targeted state fiscal relief; H.R. 4105 Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor Program Moratorium Act of 2007, all provisions relating to impose a moratorium on the use of recovery audit contractors under the Medicare Integrity Program; S. 1605 Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2007 all provisions To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect and preserve access of Medicare beneficiaries in rural areas to health care providers under the Medicare program, and for other purposes; H.R. 615 Puerto Rico Medicare Reimbursement Act 2005, all provisions to increase of the Federal share of Medicare beneficiaries to 100% reimbursement for inpatient services; H.R. 5901Eliminating Disparities in Breast Cancer Treatment Act of 2008, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate contributing factors to disparities in breast cancer treatment through the development of a uniform set of consensus-based breast cancer treatment performance measures for a 6-year quality reporting system and value-based purchasing system under the Medicare Program; H.R. 5721Strengthening the Safety Net Act of 2008, to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide for a DSH redistribution pool from unexpended Medicaid DSH allotments in order to increase Medicaid DSH allotments for low DSH States and to provide grants for health access networks serving the uninsured; H.R. 2642 Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2008, Title V Medicaid Provisions, all sections related to Medicaid Rules Moratorium, banning physician self-referral and August 17th directive (contained in domestic spending amendment); Section 1011 (MMA, P.L. 108-173) Medicare Modernization Act, two year extension; H.R. 5998 Protecting Children's Health Coverage Act of 2008, to nullify any effectiveness of the August 17, 2007, State health official letter issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; H.R. 5953 and S. 2962 MediFair Act of 2008, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the provision of items and services provided to Medicare beneficiaries residing in rural areas; S. 3116 Outpatient Mental Health Modernization Act of 2008, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to stabilize and modernize the provision of partial hospitalization services under the Medicare program, and for other purposes; S. 3118 Preserving Access to Medicare Act of 2008, to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to preserve beneficiary access to care by preventing a reduction in the Medicare physician fee schedule, to improve the quality of care by advancing value based purchasing, electronic health records, and electronic prescribing, and to maintain and improve access to care in rural areas, and for other purposes; H.R. 6212 and S. 3101 Medicare Efficiency and Development of Improvement of Care and Services Act (MEDICS Act) of 2008 and H.R. 6331 Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008, to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to extend expiring provisions under the Medicare Program, to improve beneficiary access to preventive and mental health services, to enhance low-income benefit programs, and to maintain access to care in rural areas, including pharmacy access, and for other purposes; H.R. 6091Save Medicare Act of 2008, to amend title XVIII of the Security Act to preserve access to physicians' services under the Medicare Program; S. 3164 Seniors and Taxpayers Obligation Protection Act of 2008, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to reduce fraud under the Medicare program; H.R. 6912 and S. 3300 Rural Hospital Assistance Act of 2008, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for temporary improvements to the Medicare inpatient hospital payment adjustment for low-volume hospitals and to provide for the use of the non-wage adjusted PPS rate under the Medicare-dependent hospital (MDH) program, and for other purposes; S. 3327 Empowered at Home Act of 2008, to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to improve the State plan amendment option for providing home and community-based services under the Medicaid program, and for other purposes; H.R. 6394 Border Health Care Relief Act of 2008, to amend the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 to extend Federal reimbursement of emergency health services furnished to undocumented aliens, and for other purposes; S. 3367, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to revise the timeframe for recognition of certain designations in certifying rural health clinics under the Medicare program; S. 3656 and H.R. 7241 Preserving Access to Healthcare (PATH) Act of 2008, a bill to preserve access to healthcare under the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The sections related to the Medicare indirect medical education adjustment factor and the delay in implementation of Medicaid outpatient hospital services regulation; S. 1595 Critical Access Hospital Flexibility Act of 2007, all provisions to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide flexibility in the manner in which beds are counted for purposes of determining whether a hospital may be designated as a critical access hospital under the Medicare program; S. 2853, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the cap on disproportionate share adjustment percentages for certain rural hospitals; H. R. 7067 Quality FIRST (From Incentives, Reporting, Standards, and Technology) Act of 2008, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand the development of quality measures for inpatient hospital services, to implement a performance-based payment methodology for the provision of such services under the Medicare Program; H. R. 6966 and S. 3582 Safeguarding Our Hospitals' Futures Act of 2008, all provisions to require continued application of budget neutrality on a national basis in calculation of the Medicare urban hospital wage floor.

Client expense: $4,910,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Justice, Dept of (DOJ), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Social Security Administration (SSA)

Legislation to expand health care coverage and access including provisions contained bills in which would offer Medicare, Medicaid and/or SCHIP to more children, create parity in coverage of mental health benefits, foster reform at the state level, stabilize trauma care, prevent healthcare acquired infections, ensure hospital preparedness, expand the use of health information technology, provide funding for Ryan White programs, increase and stabilize the healthcare workforce. HR 2357; MediKids Health Insurance Act of 2007"; to create a new federal healthcare program to provide comprehensive health benefits to children S 1218 /HR 2034, Medicare for All Act; expanding the Medicare program to those under age 65. S 1169; State-Based Health Care Reform Act; to create a five-year pilot program in several states to develop coverage plans for the uninsured HR 1424; Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act require group health plans to provide comparable treatment limits and beneficiary cost sharing for medical and mental health benefits. HR 1663, Medicare Mental Health Modernization Act to provide mental health parity in private health insurance and Medicare, and improves coverage for cost-effective and community-based mental health treatment services for seniors and people with disabilities S 895/HR 1535; Children's Health First Act allow states to expand children's health coverage to families up to 400 percent of the Federal poverty level HR 1308S/764, Legal Immigrant Children's Health Improvement Act to permit states the option of coverage of legal immigrants under the Medicaid Program and the State Children's Health Insurance Program S 558, Mental Health Parity Act of 2007 would preserve state laws that are more comprehensive while creating parity in health plans offering mental health coverage by equating financial requirements and treatment limitations for mental health benefits with medical and surgical benefits. S 325/HR 506, Health Partnership Act would provide grants to individual states, groups of states, and portions of states to test various health reform strategies HR1111, Kids Come First Act to ensure that every uninsured child in America has health insurance coverage, HR 3162, "Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act" HR 976 in the Senate, Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act S 2049, The Better Health for America's Children Act," to block a new policy to limit states' ability to enroll children in the State Children's Health Insurance Program S 2152, Kids First Actalternative SCHIP bill that would restrict coverage to individuals younger than age 19 in low-income families HR 3963; Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act revised bill to extend and expand the State Childrens Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) HR 2055 Improving Children's Access to Health Care Act, to improve children's access to health care coverage under the Medicaid Program and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). HR 5268: To provide for a temporary increase of the Federal medical assistance percentage under the Medicaid Program HR 3221: Housing and Economic Recovery Act provision that would allow federal home loan banks to issue letters of credit for tax-exempt hospital bonds. HR 7110: Job Creation and Unemployment Relief Act: Title III, temporary increase in Medicaid matching rate Legislation to expand health care coverage and access including provisions which would stabilize medical emergency reimbursement, HR 882, Access to Emergency Services Act that would increase by 10 percent Medicare reimbursements to physicians who provide care in emergency departments (EDs) or post-stabilization care related to emergency medical conditions in other areas of hospitals S 657, A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to add requirements regarding trauma care HR 6394: Border Health Care Relief Act of 2008 Amends the MPDIMA to extend Sec. 1011 through FY2012 for federal reimbursement of emergency health services furnished to undocumented aliens Legislation to expand health care coverage and access including provisions to ensure patient safety, H.J.RES. 20, Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2007 provision annual fit-testing of respirators for occupational exposure to tuberculosis. S 2278/HR 4214 Community and Healthcare-Associated Infections Reduction Act to improve the prevention, detection, and treatment of community and healthcare-associated infections Legislation to expand health care coverage and access including provisions to ensure emergency preparedness, HR 727, Trauma Care Systems Planning and Development Act of 2007 would authorize an additional $46 million between fiscal years 2008 and 2012 in spending for rural medical centers that treat patients during times of national crisis HJ Res. 20, Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2007, extending program to provide funds for hospital preparedness S Con Res 21/H Con Res 99, Budget resolution -- extending program to provide funds for hospital preparedness HR 3043; Labor, HHS Appropriations bill, provide funds for hospital preparedness Legislation to expand health care coverage and access including provisions to promote the use of health information technology: S 1418, Wired for Health Care Quality Act HR3043/S1710, Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), Education, and Related Agencies FY 08, funding for HIT programs HR 1467, 10,000 Trained by 2010 Act, award competitive grants for basic research on innovative approaches to improve health care information systems HR 2406, Healthcare Information Technology Enterprise Integration,guidelines and mechanisms to promote the integration of the healthcare information enterprise. S 1408, Health Information Technology Act, would provide tax incentives and resources to offset the costs of investing in new health information technology. HJ Res. 20, Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2007, extending program to provide funds for HIT S Con Res 21/H Con Res 99, Budget resolution -- extending program to provide funds for HIT HR 3043, Labor, HHS Appropriations bill, provide funds for HIT HR 2764; omnibus appropriations bill for FY2008 provide funds for HIT HR 6357 : Protecting Records, Optimizing Treatment, and Easing Communication through Healthcare Technology Act of 2008 or the PRO(TECH)T Act, Legislation to expand health care coverage and access including provisions funding HIV/AIDS programs: HJ Res. 20, Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2007, extending program to provide funds for Ryan White programs S Con Res 21/H Con Res 99, Budget resolution -- extending program to provide funds for Ryan White programs HR3043/S1710, FY 2008 Labor HHS Appropriations Bill, funding for Ryan White programs HR 2764; omnibus appropriations bill for FY2008, funding for Ryan White programs Legislation to expand health care coverage and access including provisions to ensure sufficient workforce within in the healthcare sector S 1604, Nursing Education and Quality of Health Care Act, increases the nurse workforce in rural areas, expands nursing school faculty, and develops initiatives to integrate patient safety practices into nursing education HR 2122, Safe Nursing and Patient Care Act of 2007", limiting the number of mandatory overtime hours a nurse may be required to work S 1639, Comprehensive Immigration Reform, the point-based system for visas, to give nurses special consideration under the point system HR800/S1041, Employee Free Choice Act, require the NLRB to certify a bargaining representative if a majority of the bargaining unit employees have authorized designation of the representative (card-check) HR 2123, Nurse Staffing Standards for Patient Safety and Quality Care Act, to establish direct care registered nurse-to-patient staffing ratio requirements in hospitals HR 378, Nurse and Patient Safety & Protection Act direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard to reduce injuries to patients, direct-care registered nurses, and other health care providers by establishing a safe patient handling standard. HR 1644, Re-Empowerment of Skilled and Professional Employees and Construction Tradesworkers (RESPECT) Act, to amend the National Labor Relations Act to clarify the definition of "supervisor" S446, Nurse Education, Expansion, and Development (NEED) Act, grants based on the number of nursing students enrolled to hire and retain new nursing faculty S 718, The Patient-Focused Critical Care Enhancement Act, provision study the impact of differences in staffing, organization, size, and structure of intensive care units on access, quality, and efficiency of care HJ Res. 20, Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2007, extending program to provide funds for Nursing Education programs, , national health service corp HR 677, Nursing School Capacity Act authorize IOM study to identify constraints encountered by schools of nursing in admitting and graduating sufficient number of nurses S1577, Patient Safety and Abuse Prevention Act screening of direct patient access employees HR3043/S1710; Labor, HHS Appropriations bill; nursing education, national health service corp. S 588/HR 1093, Resident Physician Shortage Act, to expand the number of physician training positions in 24 states with shortages HR 5924, The Emergency Nurse Supply Relief Act, which would address the retrogression backlog of visas for internationally-educated nurses who have been hired by U.S. hospitals but are not able to come here because of the unavailability of an employment-based (EB) visa.

Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement issues, reversal of CMS regulations; speciality hospital moratorium; S. 558 and H.R. 1421, H.R. 6983: Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008; H.R. 6331 Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act of 2008; H.R. 6357 and H.R. 6898 Health Information Technology; H.R. 2583 - Physician Workforce Enhancement Act of 2008; H.R. 6394 Border Health Care Relief Act.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $90,000

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Economic Recovery in Health Care Act of 2008 (S. 2819) Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor Program Moratorium Act of 2007 (H.R. 4105) Preserving Access To Healthcare Act (PATH Act) (H.R. 7241/S. 3656) Public and Teaching Hospital Preservation Act (H.R. 3533) Section 1011 of the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA) (H.R. 6394) To provide for a temporary increase of the Federal medical assistance percentage under the Medicaid Program, and for other purposes. (H.R. 7110/S. 3604) 340B Program Improvement and Integrity Act of 2007 (H.R. 2606)

Client expense: $12,500 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Monitor legislation pertaining to healthcare: HR 5174, S 6304, HR 6331, HR 6357, HR 6394

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $20,000

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Medicare inpatient and outpatient hospital payments; Medicaid payments; H.R. 1177 and S. 2381 Sole Community Hospital Preservation Act of 2007, all provisions to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend and improve protections for sole community hospitals under the Medicare Program; H.R. 2159 and S. 630 Rural Health Services Preservation Act of 2007, all provisions to amend part C of title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for a minimum payment rate by Medicare Advantage organizations for services furnished by a critical access hospital and a rural health clinic under the Medicare Program; H.R. 1105 and S. 458 Physician Pathology Services Continuity Act of 2007, all provisions to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the treatment of certain physician pathology services under the Medicare Program; H.R. 2050 Medicaid Emergency Psychiatric Care Act of 2007, all provisions to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to permit States to obtain reimbursement under the Medicaid Program for care or services required under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act that are provided in a nonpublicly owned or operated institution for mental diseases; H.R. 2860 Health Care Access and Rural Equity (H-CARE) Act of 2007, all provisions related to TITLE I--MEDICARE HOSPITAL SERVICES, including Sec. 101. Fairness in the Medicare disproportionate share hospital (DSH) adjustment for rural hospitals, Sec. 102. Treatment of Medicare hospital reclassifications, Sec. 103. Critical access hospital improvements, Sec. 104. Rebasing for sole community hospitals, Sec. 105. Establishment of rural community hospital (RCH) program and Sec. 106. Hold harmless through 2012 for small rural hospitals and sole community hospitals under the prospective payment system for hospital outpatient department services under the Medicare program; S. 1277 Critical Access to Clinical Lab Services Act of 2007, all provisions to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to clarify the treatment of payment under the Medicare program for clinical laboratory tests furnished by critical access hospitals; H.R. 3057 Medicare Long-Term Patient Safety and Improvement Act of 2007, all provisions related to the steps to develop and implement criteria to differentiate long-term care hospitals from other post-acute care settings; H.R. 3453 The Community Clinical Laboratory Fairness in Competition Act of 2007, all provisions related to the Medicare competitive bidding demonstration project for clinical laboratory services; H.R. 5613 Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008, all provisions to extend certain moratoria and impose additional moratoria on certain Medicaid regulations through April 1, 2009; S. 2819 Economic Recovery in Health Care Act,to enact moratoria on the Medicaid and CHIP regulations issued by the Administration over the last year and to provide targeted state fiscal relief; H.R. 4105 Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor Program Moratorium Act of 2007, all provisions relating to impose a moratorium on the use of recovery audit contractors under the Medicare Integrity Program; S. 1605 Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2007 all provisions To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect and preserve access of Medicare beneficiaries in rural areas to health care providers under the Medicare program, and for other purposes; H.R. 615 Puerto Rico Medicare Reimbursement Act 2005, all provisions to increase of the Federal share of Medicare beneficiaries to 100% reimbursement for inpatient services; H.R. 5901Eliminating Disparities in Breast Cancer Treatment Act of 2008, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate contributing factors to disparities in breast cancer treatment through the development of a uniform set of consensus-based breast cancer treatment performance measures for a 6-year quality reporting system and value-based purchasing system under the Medicare Program; H.R. 5721Strengthening the Safety Net Act of 2008, to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide for a DSH redistribution pool from unexpended Medicaid DSH allotments in order to increase Medicaid DSH allotments for low DSH States and to provide grants for health access networks serving the uninsured; H.R. 2642 Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2008, Title V Medicaid Provisions, all sections related to Medicaid Rules Moratorium, banning physician self-referral and August 17th directive (contained in domestic spending amendment); Section 1011 (MMA, P.L. 108-173) Medicare Modernization Act, two year extension; H.R. 5998 Protecting Children's Health Coverage Act of 2008, to nullify any effectiveness of the August 17, 2007, State health official letter issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; H.R. 5953 and S. 2962 MediFair Act of 2008, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the provision of items and services provided to Medicare beneficiaries residing in rural areas; S. 3116 Outpatient Mental Health Modernization Act of 2008, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to stabilize and modernize the provision of partial hospitalization services under the Medicare program, and for other purposes; S. 3118 Preserving Access to Medicare Act of 2008, to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to preserve beneficiary access to care by preventing a reduction in the Medicare physician fee schedule, to improve the quality of care by advancing value based purchasing, electronic health records, and electronic prescribing, and to maintain and improve access to care in rural areas, and for other purposes; H.R. 6212 and S. 3101 Medicare Efficiency and Development of Improvement of Care and Services Act (MEDICS Act) of 2008 and H.R. 6331 Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008, to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to extend expiring provisions under the Medicare Program, to improve beneficiary access to preventive and mental health services, to enhance low-income benefit programs, and to maintain access to care in rural areas, including pharmacy access, and for other purposes; H.R. 6091Save Medicare Act of 2008, to amend title XVIII of the Security Act to preserve access to physicians' services under the Medicare Program; S. 3164 Seniors and Taxpayers Obligation Protection Act of 2008, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to reduce fraud under the Medicare program; H.R. 6912 and S. 3300 Rural Hospital Assistance Act of 2008, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for temporary improvements to the Medicare inpatient hospital payment adjustment for low-volume hospitals and to provide for the use of the non-wage adjusted PPS rate under the Medicare-dependent hospital (MDH) program, and for other purposes; S. 3327 Empowered at Home Act of 2008, to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to improve the State plan amendment option for providing home and community-based services under the Medicaid program, and for other purposes; H.R. 6394 Border Health Care Relief Act of 2008, to amend the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 to extend Federal reimbursement of emergency health services furnished to undocumented aliens, and for other purposes; S. 3367, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to revise the timeframe for recognition of certain designations in certifying rural health clinics under the Medicare program; S. 3656 Preserving Access to Healthcare (PATH) Act of 2008, a bill to preserve access to healthcare under the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The sections related to the Medicare indirect medical education adjustment factor and the delay in implementation of Medicaid outpatient hospital services regulation; S. 1595 Critical Access Hospital Flexibility Act of 2007, all provisions to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide flexibility in the manner in which beds are counted for purposes of determining whether a hospital may be designated as a critical access hospital under the Medicare program; S. 2853, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove the cap on disproportionate share adjustment percentages for certain rural hospitals; H. R. 7067 Quality FIRST (From Incentives, Reporting, Standards, and Technology) Act of 2008, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand the development of quality measures for inpatient hospital services, to implement a performance-based payment methodology for the provision of such services under the Medicare Program; H. R. 6966 and S. 3582 Safeguarding Our Hospitals' Futures Act of 2008, all provisions to require continued application of budget neutrality on a national basis in calculation of the Medicare urban hospital wage floor.

H.R. 5721, Strengthening the Safety Net Act of 2008; H.R. 7219, Protecting Hospital Outpatient and Community Clinic Services Act of 2008; H.R. 1781 and S. 739, Children's Dental Health Improvement Act of 2007; H.R. 7110 and S. 3604, A bill making emergency supplemental appropriations for economic recovery for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; H.R. 7067, the Quality FIRST Act; H.R. 6394, Border Health Care Relief Act of 2008; H.R. 2638, Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009; H.R. 7241 and S. 3656, Preserving Access to Healthcare (PATH) Act of 2008; H.R. 5268; H.R. 6444, Enhanced Health Care Value for All Act of 2007; H.R. 676, United States National Health Insurance Act; H.R. 6898, Health-e Information Technology Act of 2008

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $30,000

Legislation to expand health care coverage and access including provisions contained bills in which would offer Medicare, Medicaid and/or SCHIP to more children, create parity in coverage of mental health benefits, foster reform at the state level, stabilize trauma care, prevent healthcare acquired infections, ensure hospital preparedness, expand the use of health information technology, provide funding for Ryan White programs, increase and stabilize the healthcare workforce HR 2357; MediKids Health Insurance Act of 2007"; to create a new federal healthcare program to provide comprehensive health benefits to children S 1218 /HR 2034, Medicare for All Act; expanding the Medicare program to those under age 65. S 1169; State-Based Health Care Reform Act; to create a five-year pilot program in several states to develop coverage plans for the uninsured HR 1424; Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act require group health plans to provide comparable treatment limits and beneficiary cost sharing for medical and mental health benefits. HR 1663, Medicare Mental Health Modernization Act to provide mental health parity in private health insurance and Medicare, and improves coverage for cost-effective and community-based mental health treatment services for seniors and people with disabilities S 895/HR 1535; Children's Health First Act allow states to expand children's health coverage to families up to 400 percent of the Federal poverty level HR 1308S/764, Legal Immigrant Children's Health Improvement Act to permit states the option of coverage of legal immigrants under the Medicaid Program and the State Children's Health Insurance Program S 558, Mental Health Parity Act of 2007 would preserve state laws that are more comprehensive while creating parity in health plans offering mental health coverage by equating financial requirements and treatment limitations for mental health benefits with medical and surgical benefits. S 325/HR 506, Health Partnership Act would provide grants to individual states, groups of states, and portions of states to test various health reform strategies HR1111, Kids Come First Act to ensure that every uninsured child in America has health insurance coverage, HR 3162, "Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act" HR 976 in the Senate, Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act S 2049, The Better Health for America's Children Act," to block a new policy to limit states' ability to enroll children in the State Children's Health Insurance Program S 2152, Kids First Actalternative SCHIP bill that would restrict coverage to individuals younger than age 19 in low-income families HR 3963; Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act revised bill to extend and expand the State Childrens Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) HR 2055 Improving Children's Access to Health Care Act, to improve children's access to health care coverage under the Medicaid Program and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). HR 5268: To provide for a temporary increase of the Federal medical assistance percentage under the Medicaid Program HR 3221: Housing and Economic Recovery Act provision that would allow federal home loan banks to issue letters of credit for tax-exempt hospital bonds. HR 7110: Job Creation and Unemployment Relief Act: Title III, temporary increase in Medicaid matching rate Legislation to expand health care coverage and access including provisions which would stabilize medical emergency reimbursement, HR 882, Access to Emergency Services Act that would increase by 10 percent Medicare reimbursements to physicians who provide care in emergency departments (EDs) or post-stabilization care related to emergency medical conditions in other areas of hospitals S 657, A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to add requirements regarding trauma care HR 6394: Border Health Care Relief Act of 2008 Amends the MPDIMA to extend Sec. 1011 through FY2012 for federal reimbursement of emergency health services furnished to undocumented aliens Legislation to expand health care coverage and access including provisions to ensure patient safety, H.J.RES. 20, Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2007 provision annual fit-testing of respirators for occupational exposure to tuberculosis. S 2278/HR 4214 Community and Healthcare-Associated Infections Reduction Act to improve the prevention, detection, and treatment of community and healthcare-associated infections Legislation to expand health care coverage and access including provisions to ensure emergency preparedness, HR 727, Trauma Care Systems Planning and Development Act of 2007 would authorize an additional $46 million between fiscal years 2008 and 2012 in spending for rural medical centers that treat patients during times of national crisis HJ Res. 20, Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2007, extending program to provide funds for hospital preparedness S Con Res 21/H Con Res 99, Budget resolution -- extending program to provide funds for hospital preparedness HR 3043; Labor, HHS Appropriations bill, provide funds for hospital preparedness Legislation to expand health care coverage and access including provisions to promote the use of health information technology: S 1418, Wired for Health Care Quality Act HR3043/S1710, Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), Education, and Related Agencies FY 08, funding for HIT programs HR 1467, 10,000 Trained by 2010 Act, award competitive grants for basic research on innovative approaches to improve health care information systems HR 2406, Healthcare Information Technology Enterprise Integration,guidelines and mechanisms to promote the integration of the healthcare information enterprise. S 1408, Health Information Technology Act, would provide tax incentives and resources to offset the costs of investing in new health information technology. HJ Res. 20, Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2007, extending program to provide funds for HIT S Con Res 21/H Con Res 99, Budget resolution -- extending program to provide funds for HIT HR 3043, Labor, HHS Appropriations bill, provide funds for HIT HR 2764; omnibus appropriations bill for FY2008 provide funds for HIT HR 6357 : Protecting Records, Optimizing Treatment, and Easing Communication through Healthcare Technology Act of 2008 or the PRO(TECH)T Act, Legislation to expand health care coverage and access including provisions funding HIV/AIDS programs: HJ Res. 20, Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2007, extending program to provide funds for Ryan White programs S Con Res 21/H Con Res 99, Budget resolution -- extending program to provide funds for Ryan White programs HR3043/S1710, FY 2008 Labor HHS Appropriations Bill, funding for Ryan White programs HR 2764; omnibus appropriations bill for FY2008, funding for Ryan White programs Legislation to expand health care coverage and access including provisions to ensure sufficient workforce within in the healthcare sector S 1604, Nursing Education and Quality of Health Care Act, increases the nurse workforce in rural areas, expands nursing school faculty, and develops initiatives to integrate patient safety practices into nursing education HR 2122, Safe Nursing and Patient Care Act of 2007", limiting the number of mandatory overtime hours a nurse may be required to work S 1639, Comprehensive Immigration Reform, the point-based system for visas, to give nurses special consideration under the point system HR800/S1041, Employee Free Choice Act, require the NLRB to certify a bargaining representative if a majority of the bargaining unit employees have authorized designation of the representative (card-check) HR 2123, Nurse Staffing Standards for Patient Safety and Quality Care Act, to establish direct care registered nurse-to-patient staffing ratio requirements in hospitals HR 378, Nurse and Patient Safety & Protection Act direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an occupational safety and health standard to reduce injuries to patients, direct-care registered nurses, and other health care providers by establishing a safe patient handling standard. HR 1644, Re-Empowerment of Skilled and Professional Employees and Construction Tradesworkers (RESPECT) Act, to amend the National Labor Relations Act to clarify the definition of "supervisor" S446, Nurse Education, Expansion, and Development (NEED) Act, grants based on the number of nursing students enrolled to hire and retain new nursing faculty S 718, The Patient-Focused Critical Care Enhancement Act, provision study the impact of differences in staffing, organization, size, and structure of intensive care units on access, quality, and efficiency of care HJ Res. 20, Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2007, extending program to provide funds for Nursing Education programs, , national health service corp HR 677, Nursing School Capacity Act authorize IOM study to identify constraints encountered by schools of nursing in admitting and graduating sufficient number of nurses S1577, Patient Safety and Abuse Prevention Act screening of direct patient access employees HR3043/S1710; Labor, HHS Appropriations bill; nursing education, national health service corp. S 588/HR 1093, Resident Physician Shortage Act, to expand the number of physician training positions in 24 states with shortages HR 5924, The Emergency Nurse Supply Relief Act, which would address the retrogression backlog of visas for internationally-educated nurses who have been hired by U.S. hospitals but are not able to come here because of the unavailability of an employment-based (EB) visa.

Economic Recovery in Health Care Act of 2008 (S. 2819) Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor Program Moratorium Act of 2007 (H.R. 4105) Public and Teaching Hospital Preservation Act (H.R. 3533) Section 1011 of the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA) (H.R. 6394) To provide for a temporary increase of the Federal medical assistance percentage under the Medicaid Program, and for other purposes. (H.R. 7110/S. 3604) 340B Program Improvement and Integrity Act of 2007 (H.R. 2606) Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (H.R. 6331)

Client expense: $12,500 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

S. 1041/H.R. 800: Employee Free Choice Act H.R. 1527: Rural Veterans Access to Care Act H.R. 5924: Emergency Nursing Supply Relief Act H.R. 6394: Border Health Care Relief Act

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

H.R. 7110 and S. 3604, A bill making emergency supplemental appropriations for economic recovery for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes H.R. 7067, the Quality FIRST Act H.R. 6394, Border Health Care Relief Act of 2008 H.R. 2638, Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009 H.R. 5721, Strengthening the Safety Net Act of 2008 H.R. 7219, Protecting Hospital Outpatient and Community Clinic Services Act of 2008 S. 739, HR 1781 Children's Dental Health Improvement Act of 2007 S. 3656, Protecting Access to Healthcare (PATH) Act of 2008 H.R. 7241, Preserving Access to Healthcare (PATH) Act of 2008 H.R. 5268, no bill title- would increase FMAP H.R. 6444, Enhanced Health Care Value for All Act of 2007 H.R. 676, United States National Health Insurance Act H.R. 6898, Health-e Information Technology Act of 2008

Client expense: $90,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement issues, reversal of CMS regulations; speciality hospital moratorium; S. 558 and H.R. 1421, H.R. 6983: Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008; H.R. 6331 Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act of 2008; H.R. 6357 and H.R. 6898 Health Information Technology; H.R. 2583 - Physician Workforce Enhancement Act of 2008; H.R. 6394 Border Health Care Relief Act.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $90,000

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE