Stark Administrative Simplification Act of 2017

H.R. 1156/S.1133 "Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2017" - Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions relating to the limitation on the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals and to transparency reports and reporting of physician ownership or investment interests. Bad Debt Payments to Hospitals - Lawmakers have proposed lowering the amount of Medicare Bad Debt payments to hospitals for Medicare beneficiaries who fail to pay their cost-sharing obligations for treatments provided by the hospital. Oppose any effort to lower such payments. H.R. 1955/S. 872 - "Rural Hospital Access Act of 2017" - Advocate for the extension of the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. Oppose any additional site neutral cuts. Sequestration - Against extending the Medicare sequester and oppose Medicare sequester increase and extension as an offset. Price Transparency - Advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. H.R. 1628 "American Health Care Act/Better Care Reconciliation Act" - Expressed significant concern with revised Senate legislation. Opposed loss of coverage. Advocated for appropriate Medicaid payment and appropriate flexibility and restoration of hospital Medicare cuts if Affordable Care Act is repealed. H.R. 3173 "Stark Administrative Simplification Act" and H.R. 3178 "Medicare Part B Improvement Act" - Discussions regarding reforms to physician self-referral law. Support access to affordable prescription drugs. Medicare DSH - Mitigate the impact of the IPPS proposed Medicare DSH redistribution in the FY18 proposed rule. Medicaid DSH - Advocate for a two year delay of the Medicaid DSH cuts. H.R. 2556/S.1016 "CONNECT for Health Act of 2017" - Support programs to encourage and properly reimburse telemedicine. Market Stabilization - Support efforts to fund Cost Sharing Reductions. Children's Health Insurance Plans (CHIP) - Support an appropriate extension of the CHIP program.