Rural Hospital and Provider Equity (HoPE) Act of 2006

S. 2554, Affordability in the Individual Market Act, Expands the definition of what is deductible under IRS for Health Savings Accounts and the co-payment of health insurance. S. 1002, Hospital Fair Competition Act, Definition and treatment of specialty hospitals and physicians’ referral of their patients. S. 3500, Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act, Extends through 2008 the Medicare incentive payment program for physician scarcity areas. S. 3521, Stop Over Spending Act, Would cap Medicare and Medicaid expenditures. S. 3701, Catastrophic Health Care Coverage Promotion Act, Would create a pilot program to give access to health insurance to uninsured Americans and those with catastrophic health care costs. S. 2701/HR 4403, Community and Rural Medical Residency Preservation Act , Clarifies that the intent of Congress is to encourage the use of ambulatory sites with voluntary preceptors in the primary care residency programs. HR 676, US Physician Shortage Elimination Act, Additional support for medical students and residents who commit to work in underserved areas. HR 5647, Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations, Funding for Title VII Health Professions Grants; Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. HR 5856, AmeriCare Act, Would provide universal health care eligibility for all residents of the US for Medicare. HR 5866, Medicare Physician Payment Reform and Quality Improvement Act, Would repeal the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula used in calculating an annual Medicare payment rate. HR 6111, Tax Fairness & Health Care Act of 2006, Institutes a pay-for-performance system for physicians Prevents cuts to physician payment rates under Medicare. HR 8916, Patients’ Access to Physicians Act, Would specify that Medicare payment to physicians for 2007 and 2008 would be the MEI, plus one percent. No bill, Medicaid reforms, Discussions of how to reform the Medicaid program to control costs and improve quality.

Client expense: $903,802 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), SENATE

S. 1002, Hospital Fair Competition Act, Definition and treatment of specialty hospitals and physicians’ referral of their patients. S. 1418, Wired for Health Care Quality Act, Requires interoperability standards in health information technology. S. 1955, Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act, Would allow small businesses to pool their risk in plans that are not subject to state insurance regulations. S. 2510, Small Employers Health Benefits Act, Would allow small business to pool their risk in plans that are subject to state insurance regulations. S. 2554, Affordability in the Individual Market Act, Expands the definition of what is deductible under IRS for Health Savings Accounts and the co-payment of health insurance. S. 2772, Health Partnership Act, Federal grant program to assist states in expanding and improving access to quality health care. S. 3500, Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act, Extends through 2008 the Medicare incentive payment program for physician scarcity areas. S. 3701, Catastrophic Health Care Coverage Promotion Act, Would create a pilot program to give access to health insurance to uninsured Americans and those with catastrophic healthcare costs. S. 3708, Translational Research at NIH, The appropriations committee’s report on Labor/HHS encouraged research into translating basic science into practice in the physician’s office. S. 2071/HR 4403, Community and Rural Medical Residency Preservation Act, Would provide a legislative directive to CMS to resolve the issue of volunteer faculty precepting. HR 4157, Health Information Technology Promotion Act, Funding for health information technology. HR 5573, The Health Centers Renewal Act, Renews the Community Health Centers program. HR 5647, Pandemic Flu, Public health awareness & preparedness. HR 5856, AmeriCare Act, Would provide universal health care eligibility for all residents of the US for Medicare. HR 6111, Tax Fairness & Health Care Act of 2006, Institutes a pay-for-performance system for physicians Prevents cuts to physician payment rates under Medicare. No bill, Medicaid reforms, Discussions of how to reform the Medicaid program to control costs and improve quality.

recognition of licensed professional counselors under Medicare (H.R. 5324, S. 784, S. 3500, H.R. 6030)

Client expense: $60,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Defense, Dept of (DOD), Education, Dept of, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE, Transportation, Dept of (DOT)

Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, S.1932; Home Oxygen, H.R.5513; Rural Health Bill, H.R.5118, S.3500; Telehealth, H.R.4157; Budget 2007, HCR 376, SCR 83

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $120,000

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, S.1932; Home Oxygen, H.R.5513; Rural Health Bill, H.R.5118, S.3500; Telehealth, H.R.4157; Budget 2007, HCR 376, SCR 83; Labor - HHS Appropriations, H.R.5647

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $120,000

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

S. 1840/H.R. 3547 - Safety Net Inpatient Drug Affordability Act H.R. 2961 - Sole Community Hospital Preservation Act S. 300/H.R. 11 — Medicare Rural Home Health Payment Fairness Act H.R. 5118 — Medicare Rural Health Provider Payment Extension Act of 2006 S. 3500 — Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2006 S. 2819/H.R. 880 — The Rural Health Services Preservation Act of 2006 S. 236/H.R. 1016 — Critical Access to Clinical Lab Services Act Specialty Hospitals (physician-owned, limited-service hospitals) Medicare Inpatient Transfer Provision CMS Rules & Regulations on Public Hospitals Missouri Partnership Agreement Medicaid Funding Medicare Funding Rehabilitation Hospital Reimbursement, 75 percent rule and Medicare fiscal intermediary Local Coverage Determination issue S. 1405/H.R. 3373 - Preserving Patient Access to Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospitals Act S. 933/H.R. 2350 - Rural Community Hospital Assistance Act S. 1002 - Hospital Fair Competition Act of 2005 S. 338/H.R. 985 - Bipartisan Commission on Medicaid Act of 2005

Client expense: $204,926 · Firm income: Not reported

payment: H Con Res 95, S1356, S1932, H.CON.RES 376/S Con Res 83, HR 5574, HR 6053, S 3767; self referral, S 1002, S.3606, HR 5574; quality: S1356; rehabilitation hospitals, HR3373/S1405, S1932; rural hospitals, S933, HR1016/S2396, HR2350, S1932, HR 5118, S 3500, HR 880/S 2819, HR 4912, HR 6030; long term care hospitals: HR 6236 and Medicaid reform HR 985/S338, H Con Res. 95, and S1932. Medicare and Medicaid Reimbursement issues including workforce, HR 1222, HR 1285, S1550, H.R.4997/S 2425, HR 4997S2425; regulations including, but not limited to, provisions of PL 106-554, PL 108-173, PL 109-171

Client expense: $680,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Executive Office of the President (EOP), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), SENATE, White House Office

H.R. 5631: Making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, and for other purposes/Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2007. H.R. 5647: Making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education, and related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, and for other purposes. S 4 / S 1503 - Healthy America Act of 2005 Legislation involving: “safety net” providers; rural health issues; and rural health clinic reimbursement. HR 880 - To amend part C of title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations to pay for critical access hospital services and rural health clinic services at a rate that is at least 101 percent of the payment rate otherwise applicable under the Medicare Program S 2819 - Rural Health Services Preservation Act of 2006 S 1932 - Deficit Reduction Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 2005 HR 4241 - Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 HR 6030 - The Health Care Access and Rural Equity Act of 2006 (H-CARE) H.J.Res. 100: Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2007, and for other purposes H.J.Res. 102: Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2007, and for other purposes S 3500 - Rural Hospital and Provider Equity (HoPE) Act of 2006

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $60,000

Medicare and Medicaid Reimbursement issues including workforce, HR 1222, HR 1285, S1550, H.R.4997/S 2425; regulations including provisions of PL 108-173; payment: H Con Res 95, S1356, S1932, H.CON.RES 376/S Con Res 83; self referral, S 1002, S.3606, HR 5574; quality: S1356; rehabilitation hospitals, HR3373/S1405, S1932; rural hospitals, S933, HR1016/S2396, HR2350, S1932, HR 5118, S 3500, HR 880/S 2819, HR 4912; and Medicaid reform HR 985/S338, H Con Res. 95, and S1932.

Client expense: $360,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), President of the U.S., SENATE, White House Office

Lobbied to increase temporary and permanent Medicare reimbursement for ambulance service providers and improve Medicare reimbursement and coverage policies of ambulance services. Lobbied on legislation as follows: -- Medicare Ambulance Payment Reform and Rural Equity Act (S.1109, H.R.2014) -- Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act (S.3500) -- Medicare Rural Health Provider Payment Extension Act (H.R.5118)

Client expense: $300,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS), SENATE