A bill to prohibit the implementation of policies to prohibit States from providing quality health coverage to children in need under the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

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.

Client expense: $100,000 · 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), SENATE, White House Office

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). 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 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 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.

Legislation regarding Medicare and Medicaid Reimbursement issues which include provisions to expand access, improve services, stabilize payments to hospitals and other providers under Medicaid, Medicare, and/or SCHIP by addressing reimbursement, parity, quality, self-referral, workforce, payment issues, rehabilitation hospitals, long term care hospitals, rural hospitals and various regulations. 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 2606, 340B Drug Expansion Act of 2007, to revise and expand the drug discount program under that section to improve the provision of discounts on drug purchases for certain safety net providers. S 355, Social Security and Medicare Solvency Commission Act, to create a permanent, 15-member commission to make recommendations on how best to save the entitlement programs HR 4105; the Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor Program Moratorium Act of 2007 that would enact a one-year, nationwide moratorium on the Recovery Audit Contract (RAC) program. H Con Res 312/S Con Res 70, fiscal year (FY)2009 budget resolutions, Medicare and Medicaid reductions HR 5480/S 2662, Medicare Funding Warning Response Act, various provisions S 2785, Save Medicare Act physician payment, exceptions process for therapy caps, direct billing by independent labs for pathology services, cost-based payment for rural lab services, and provisions allowing certain hospitals to be eligible for wage index reclassification. S. 3101; Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers physician payment, exceptions process for therapy caps, direct billing by independent labs for pathology services, cost-based payment for rural lab services, and provisions allowing certain hospitals to be eligible for wage index HR 6331, Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act physician payment, exceptions process for therapy caps, direct billing by independent labs for pathology services, cost-based payment for rural lab services, and provisions allowing certain hospitals to be eligible for wage index HR 6252/S3144, would delay for 18 months the Medicare competitive bidding program for durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies. self-referral HR 1424; Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act provision banning the growth of physician-owned specialty hospitals workforce, HR3043/S1710; Labor, HHS Appropriations bill; nursing education, national health service corp, rural health programs, childrens hospitals GME, S 543/HR 1459, Preserving Patient Access to Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospitals Act of 2007"; to extend the 60 percent compliance threshold used to determine whether a hospital or unit of a hospital is an inpatient rehabilitation facility under the Medicare program. HR 3162, "Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act" payment: HR 2206, U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act supplemental appropriations bill (HR 2206) contained moratorium on medicaid regulations regarding capping payment to public providers and GME HR 1480/1741/S 787, to place a two-year moratorium on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services implementation of medicaid regulations regarding capping payment to public providers and GME funding from Section 1011 of the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA), HR 1293, Access to Medicare Imaging Act stop the reduction Medicare reimbursements for some medical imaging services 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 HR 552/S 329, The Pulmonary and Cardiac Rehabilitation Act of 2007 to provide for coverage of items and services under a cardiac rehabilitation program and a pulmonary rehabilitation program. HR 3533/S2460, "Public & Teaching Hospital Preservation Act" to extend a moratorium prohibiting CMS from implementing the Medicaid proposed rule that would limit Medicaid payments to public hospitals and narrow the definition of government provider and eliminate Medicaid GME HR 3668, TMA, Abstinence Education, and QI Programs Extension Act includes provision which would mitigate the impact of the behavioral offset in the FY08 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) final rule S 2499; Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act Permanently freezes the inpatient rehabilitation services compliance threshold at 60 percent, Extends for six months the work geographic index floor, for six months the provision that allows independent laboratories to continue to bill Medicare directly for the technical component of certain physician pathology services, Provides reasonable cost reimbursement for clinical lab tests performed by certain small rural hospitals, Section 508 hospitals quality S 1226, Children's Health Care Quality Act would allow the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to fund evidence-based demonstrations to improve hospital care for children. HR 1666, Health Care Price Transparency Promotion Act which would build on existing state efforts to report hospital pricing data and require insurers to disclose estimated out-of-pocket costs to consumers S 465; Advance Directives Improvement and Education Act of 2007" to improve access to information about healthcare options and legal rights for care near the end of life rehabilitation hospitals, S543/HR 1459, Preserving Patient Access to Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospitals Act of 2007"; to extend the 60 percent compliance threshold used to determine whether a hospital or unit of a hospital is an inpatient rehabilitation facility under the Medicare program S 2499; Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act Permanently freezes the inpatient rehabilitation services compliance threshold at 60 percent, rural hospitals, S 1605/HR 2860, Health Care Access and Rural Equity Act (H-CARE) S 1595, Critical Access Hospital Flexibility Act CAHs would gain flexibility to respond to daily and seasonal fluctuations in patient load S 2499;; Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act Extends for six months the work geographic index floor, for six months the provision that allows independent laboratories to continue to bill Medicare directly for the technical component of certain physician pathology services, Provides reasonable cost reimbursement for clinical lab tests performed by certain small rural hospitals long term care hospitals: HR 562/S338, Medicare Long-Term Care Hospital Improvement establishing facility and patient criteria for long-term care hospitals and related improvements under the Medicare Program. S 2499; Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act Provides regulatory relief for three years to ensure continued access to current long-term care hospital services, while also imposing a limited moratorium on the development of new, long-term care facilities. Medicaid, HR 2512, Reducing Coverage Gaps for Kids Act To amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act to prohibit States from requiring eligibility determinations for children for benefits under the Medicaid Program and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) more frequently than once every year. HR 2147, Healthy Kids Act to amend titles XXI and XIX of the Social Security Act to extend the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and streamline enrollment under SCHIP and Medicaid and to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for a healthy savings tax credit for purchase of children's health coverage. HR1111, Kids Come First Act to ensure that every uninsured child in America has health insurance coverage, HR 1878, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to permit States, at their option, to require certain individuals to present satisfactory documentary evidence of proof of citizenship or nationality for purposes of eligibility for Medicaid HR 3533/S2460 "Public & Teaching Hospital Preservation Act" to extend a moratorium prohibiting CMS from implementing the Medicaid proposed rule that would limit Medicaid payments to public hospitals and narrow the definition of government provider and eliminate Medicaid GME HR 5613, Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net Act, temporary, one-year moratorium on seven Medicaid regulations S 2819, Economic Recovery in Health Care Act to implement a one-year moratorium on proposed regulatory changes to Medicaid and the State Childrens Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), and to provide states in need with federal relief HR 2462, the supplemental funding bill for Iraq and Afghanistan provision to place a temporary, one-year moratorium on seven Medicaid regulations, including the rules to limit Medicaid payments to public hospitals and to eliminate Government Medical Education (GME). SCHIP: S 1224, that would reauthorize the State Childrens Health Insurance Program and expand it to allow additional coverage to six million children within 10 years S 895/HR 1535, HR 3162, "Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act" HR 976 in the Senate, Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act S. 1893, the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 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) S 2499 the bill extends SCHIP through March 31, 2009, and provides adequate funding to states to maintain their current enrollment through that date. HR 3533, "Public & Teaching Hospital Preservation Act" to extend a moratorium prohibiting CMS from implementing the Medicaid proposed rule that would limit Medicaid payments to public hospitals and narrow the definition of government provider and eliminate Medicaid GME regulations including, but not limited to, provisions of PL 106-554, Consolidated Appropriations Act, provisions related to critical access hospitals, inpatient hospital services Direct Graduate Medical Education, Hospital Outpatient Services, Skilled Nursing Facilities, State Children's Health Insurance Program PL 108-173, Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act, provisions related to rural hospitals, inpatient hospital services, skilled nursing facilities, hospice care, hospital outpatient departments, health care quality PL 109-171; Deficit Reduction Act, provisions related to rehabilitation hospitals, medicaid DSH payment, medicare-dependent hospitals, gainsharing, Medicaid, SHCHIP the FY08 IPPS proposed rule, proposed Medicaid rule (CMS 2258-P), the Recovery Audit Contract (RAC) demonstration.

Legislation regarding Medicare and Medicaid Reimbursement issues which include provisions to expand access, improve services, stabilize payments to hospitals and other providers under Medicaid, Medicare, and/or SCHIP by addressing reimbursement, parity, quality, self-referral, workforce, payment issues, rehabilitation hospitals, long term care hospitals, rural hospitals and various regulations. 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 2606, 340B Drug Expansion Act of 2007, to revise and expand the drug discount program under that section to improve the provision of discounts on drug purchases for certain safety net providers. S 355, Social Security and Medicare Solvency Commission Act, to create a permanent, 15-member commission to make recommendations on how best to save the entitlement programs HR 4105; the Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor Program Moratorium Act of 2007 that would enact a one-year, nationwide moratorium on the Recovery Audit Contract (RAC) program. H Con Res 312/S Con Res 70, fiscal year (FY)2009 budget resolutions, Medicare and Medicaid reductions HR 5480/S 2662, Medicare Funding Warning Response Act, various provisions self-referral HR 1424; Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act provision banning the growth of physician-owned specialty hospitals workforce, HR3043/S1710; Labor, HHS Appropriations bill; nursing education, national health service corp, rural health programs, childrens hospitals GME, S 543/HR 1459, Preserving Patient Access to Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospitals Act of 2007"; to extend the 60 percent compliance threshold used to determine whether a hospital or unit of a hospital is an inpatient rehabilitation facility under the Medicare program. HR 3162, "Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act" payment: HR 2206, U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act supplemental appropriations bill (HR 2206) contained moratorium on medicaid regulations regarding capping payment to public providers and GME HR 1480/1741/S 787, to place a two-year moratorium on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services implementation of medicaid regulations regarding capping payment to public providers and GME funding from Section 1011 of the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA), HR 1293, Access to Medicare Imaging Act stop the reduction Medicare reimbursements for some medical imaging services 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 HR 552/S 329, The Pulmonary and Cardiac Rehabilitation Act of 2007 to provide for coverage of items and services under a cardiac rehabilitation program and a pulmonary rehabilitation program. HR 3533/S2460, "Public & Teaching Hospital Preservation Act" to extend a moratorium prohibiting CMS from implementing the Medicaid proposed rule that would limit Medicaid payments to public hospitals and narrow the definition of government provider and eliminate Medicaid GME HR 3668, TMA, Abstinence Education, and QI Programs Extension Act includes provision which would mitigate the impact of the behavioral offset in the FY08 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) final rule S 2499; Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act Permanently freezes the inpatient rehabilitation services compliance threshold at 60 percent, Extends for six months the work geographic index floor, for six months the provision that allows independent laboratories to continue to bill Medicare directly for the technical component of certain physician pathology services, Provides reasonable cost reimbursement for clinical lab tests performed by certain small rural hospitals, Section 508 hospitals quality S 1226, Children's Health Care Quality Act would allow the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to fund evidence-based demonstrations to improve hospital care for children. HR 1666, Health Care Price Transparency Promotion Act which would build on existing state efforts to report hospital pricing data and require insurers to disclose estimated out-of-pocket costs to consumers S 465; Advance Directives Improvement and Education Act of 2007" to improve access to information about healthcare options and legal rights for care near the end of life rehabilitation hospitals, S543/HR 1459, Preserving Patient Access to Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospitals Act of 2007"; to extend the 60 percent compliance threshold used to determine whether a hospital or unit of a hospital is an inpatient rehabilitation facility under the Medicare program S 2499; Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act Permanently freezes the inpatient rehabilitation services compliance threshold at 60 percent, rural hospitals, S 1605/HR 2860, Health Care Access and Rural Equity Act (H-CARE) S 1595, Critical Access Hospital Flexibility Act CAHs would gain flexibility to respond to daily and seasonal fluctuations in patient load S 2499;; Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act Extends for six months the work geographic index floor, for six months the provision that allows independent laboratories to continue to bill Medicare directly for the technical component of certain physician pathology services, Provides reasonable cost reimbursement for clinical lab tests performed by certain small rural hospitals long term care hospitals: HR 562/S338 Medicare Long-Term Care Hospital Improvement establishing facility and patient criteria for long-term care hospitals and related improvements under the Medicare Program. S 2499; Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act Provides regulatory relief for three years to ensure continued access to current long-term care hospital services, while also imposing a limited moratorium on the development of new, long-term care facilities. Medicaid, HR 2512, Reducing Coverage Gaps for Kids Act To amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act to prohibit States from requiring eligibility determinations for children for benefits under the Medicaid Program and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) more frequently than once every year. HR 2147, Healthy Kids Act to amend titles XXI and XIX of the Social Security Act to extend the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and streamline enrollment under SCHIP and Medicaid and to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for a healthy savings tax credit for purchase of children's health coverage. HR1111, Kids Come First Act to ensure that every uninsured child in America has health insurance coverage, HR 1878, To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to permit States, at their option, to require certain individuals to present satisfactory documentary evidence of proof of citizenship or nationality for purposes of eligibility for Medicaid HR 3533/S2460 "Public & Teaching Hospital Preservation Act" to extend a moratorium prohibiting CMS from implementing the Medicaid proposed rule that would limit Medicaid payments to public hospitals and narrow the definition of government provider and eliminate Medicaid GME HR 5613, Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net Act, temporary, one-year moratorium on seven Medicaid regulations SCHIP: S 1224, that would reauthorize the State Childrens Health Insurance Program and expand it to allow additional coverage to six million children within 10 years S 895/HR 1535, HR 3162, "Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act" HR 976 in the Senate, Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act S. 1893, the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 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) S 2499 the bill extends SCHIP through March 31, 2009, and provides adequate funding to states to maintain their current enrollment through that date. HR 3533, "Public & Teaching Hospital Preservation Act" to extend a moratorium prohibiting CMS from implementing the Medicaid proposed rule that would limit Medicaid payments to public hospitals and narrow the definition of government provider and eliminate Medicaid GME regulations including, but not limited to, provisions of PL 106-554, Consolidated Appropriations Act, provisions related to critical access hospitals, inpatient hospital services Direct Graduate Medical Education, Hospital Outpatient Services, Skilled Nursing Facilities, State Children's Health Insurance Program PL 108-173, Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act, provisions related to rural hospitals, inpatient hospital services, skilled nursing facilities, hospice care, hospital outpatient departments, health care quality PL 109-171; Deficit Reduction Act, provisions related to rehabilitation hospitals, medicaid DSH payment, medicare-dependent hospitals, gainsharing, Medicaid, SHCHIP the FY08 IPPS proposed rule, proposed Medicaid rule (CMS 2258-P), the Recovery Audit Contract (RAC) demonstration.

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). 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 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 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

Healthy Families Act, S. 910 Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007, H.R. 1424 Healthy Families Act, H.R. 1542 James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, H.R. 3543 Popcorn Workers Lund Disease Prevention Act of 2007, H.R. 2693 Value Driven Health Care Initiative Information Technology in Health Care Issues related to Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Healthy Americans Act, S. 334 Ban Asbestos in America Act, S. 742 Bill to Prohibit Implementation of Policies to Prohibit States from Providing Quality Health Coverage to Children (SCHIP), S. 2049 Ban Asbestos in America Act, H.R. 3285 Childrens' Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007, H.R. 3963 TRUST in Health Information Act of 2008, H.R. 5442 Issues related to Universal Health Care Reform Discussions re Hospital Quality and Physician Quality Measurement Reports

Client expense: $540,000 · Firm income: Not reported

H.R.976, "SCHIP Reauthorization"; H.R.3162, "Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act" specifically section extending Special Needs Plan Authority (moratorium on SNP Authority included in S.2499 which was signed by the President on December 2007); S.2049/HR 3555, "To prohibit the implementation of policies to prohibit States from providing quality health coverage to children in need under the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)", repeal August 17th CMS Directive; H.R.5613, "Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008", extend moratorium on certain Medicaid regulations; H.R.5140, "Economic Stimulus Act of 2008", specifically to include a temporary increase in federal Medicaid match rate; S.Con.Res.70 / H.Con.Res.312, "Setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2009 and including the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2008 and 2010 through 2013" .

Client expense: $80,000 · Firm income: Not reported

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

Reauthorization of Special Needs Plans under the Medicare Modernization Act. Removal of the moratorium on approval of new Special Needs Plans and the expansion of existing ones for 2009. Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 (Enrolled as Agreed to or Passed by Both House and Senate)[S.2499.ENR]Modification of Section 108; HR 976, SCHIP Reauthorization (vetoed by President) HR 3162, CHAMP Act, specifically section extending SNP authority (moratorium on SNP authority in S 2499 which was signed into law in 12/07) (still waiting for Senate Medicare bill) HR 5140, Economic Stimulus Act, specifically reqeusting temporary increase in federal Medicaid match rate (was not included in bill sent to President) S 2049 and HR 3555. Repeal August 17 CMS SCHIP directive HR 5613. Exend moratorium on certain Medicaid regulations S Con Res 70 and H Con Res 312. Budget of the United States, FY 2009-2013

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $40,000

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

State Children's Health Insurance Reauthorization- (S.2049, 2499, H.R.3162, H.R. 3555, H.R. 976, H.R. 3963)- General support for reauthorization and expansion to wider populations and provisions related to legal immigrant children. Hospital staffing - (H. R. 1644) - Opposed narrowing the definition of "supervisor" with respect to charge nurses.

Client expense: $100,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), SENATE