SAMANTHA BURCH

Health Reform Implementation -The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform. HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations - Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. Realignment - educate policymakers on the driving factors, benefits and implications of hospital realignment. ICD-10 -- discussions of effects of possible delay in implementation of the new ICD-10 coding system. H.R.776 -- Stark Administrative Simplification Act of 2015 -- supports legislation that would allows for simplified single civil monetary penalty as an alternative sanction to those already established for compensation arrangements between a physician (or an immediate family member) and a person or entity that is in violation of the limitation on certain physician referrals (Stark Law) solely due to technical noncompliance. It also requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to accept the voluntary disclosure of a technically non-complaint compensation arrangement by a person or entity in violation of the Stark Law under certain circumstances. CyberSecurity - H.R. 1731 - legislation to create infrastructure for government and private industry to share cyber threat information; advocate for passage and reasonable approach to new data security mandates. Advocate for sufficient government resources to support hospital preparedness and response to Ebola and/or other pandemics. Advocated for improvements to the HIPAA research provisions in the 21st Century Cures draft legislation. Telemedicine Reforms - 21st Century Cures Initiative -- Support programs to encourage and properly reimburse telemedicine. Budgets - H.CON.RES.27 / S.CON.RES.11 - House/Senate Resolutions to Establish the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2016 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2017 through 2025. Support measures to reform the liability system: limit non-economic damages to $250,000; reform joint and several liability; cap attorneys fees; and allow periodic payments for future award payments. Support "Standard of Care Protection Act" - H.R. 2 -- Support language to prevent any expansion of health care from leading to new legal standards of care in state medical liability lawsuits. By clarifying that payment rules, new guidelines, standards and other provision of federal health care statutes are not intended to define the applicable standard of care or duty of care in a medical liability lawsuit, such language hopefully would ensure that clinical best practices represent a medical guideline and not a legal standard.

Health Reform Implementation -The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform. HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations - Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. Realignment - educate policymakers on the driving factors, benefits and implications of hospital realignment. ICD-10 -- discussions of effects of possible delay in implementation of the new ICD-10 coding system. H.R.776 -- Stark Administrative Simplification Act of 2015 -- supports legislation that would allows for simplified single civil monetary penalty as an alternative sanction to those already established for compensation arrangements between a physician (or an immediate family member) and a person or entity that is in violation of the limitation on certain physician referrals (Stark Law) solely due to technical noncompliance. It also requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to accept the voluntary disclosure of a technically non-complaint compensation arrangement by a person or entity in violation of the Stark Law under certain circumstances. CyberSecurity - H.R. 1731 - legislation to create infrastructure for government and private industry to share cyber threat information; advocate for passage and reasonable approach to new data security mandates. Advocate for sufficient government resources to support hospital preparedness and response to Ebola and/or other pandemics. Advocated for improvements to the HIPAA research provisions in the 21st Century Cures draft legislation. Telemedicine Reforms - 21st Century Cures Initiative -- Support programs to encourage and properly reimburse telemedicine. Budgets - H.CON.RES.27 / S.CON.RES.11 - House/Senate Resolutions to Establish the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2016 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2017 through 2025. Support measures to reform the liability system: limit non-economic damages to $250,000; reform joint and several liability; cap attorneys fees; and allow periodic payments for future award payments. Support "Standard of Care Protection Act" - H.R. 2 -- Support language to prevent any expansion of health care from leading to new legal standards of care in state medical liability lawsuits. By clarifying that payment rules, new guidelines, standards and other provision of federal health care statutes are not intended to define the applicable standard of care or duty of care in a medical liability lawsuit, such language hopefully would ensure that clinical best practices represent a medical guideline and not a legal standard.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions the "PACE Act of 2015", H.R. 2513 -- 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments - Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S.332, "Rural Hospital Access Act of 2015" and H.R. 663, "Rural Hospital Access Act of 2015." Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital Support H.R. 2, "Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015" repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare and CHIP reauthorization. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester and oppose Medicare sequester increase and extension as an offset to the TAA and other trade legislation. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R. 2156, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2015" supports legislation to improve Medicare audits and provided comments to Senate Finance Committee to improve draft legislation. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status, and other modifications to the policy. National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. Meaningful Use - Advocate for reasonable Stage 3 meaningful use requirements as part of the EHR Incentive Program. Provided advocacy comments regarding a House Ways and Means discussion draft, the Hospital Improvements for Payment Act of 2014 concerning hospital payment, self-referral, quality, accreditation and data release issue. Worked to restore funding for AHRQ and CMMI in the House Labor-HHS Appropriations Bill, H.R. 3020. Chronic Care -- provided comments and policy suggestions on Senate Finance Committee efforts to improve chronic care outcomes and treatments.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions the "PACE Act of 2015", H.R. 2513 -- 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments - Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S.332, "Rural Hospital Access Act of 2015" and H.R. 663, "Rural Hospital Access Act of 2015." Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital Support H.R. 2, "Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015" repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare and CHIP reauthorization. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester and oppose Medicare sequester increase and extension as an offset to the TAA and other trade legislation. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R. 2156, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2015" supports legislation to improve Medicare audits and provided comments to Senate Finance Committee to improve draft legislation. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status, and other modifications to the policy. National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. Meaningful Use - Advocate for reasonable Stage 3 meaningful use requirements as part of the EHR Incentive Program. Provided advocacy comments regarding a House Ways and Means discussion draft, the Hospital Improvements for Payment Act of 2014 concerning hospital payment, self-referral, quality, accreditation and data release issue. Worked to restore funding for AHRQ and CMMI in the House Labor-HHS Appropriations Bill, H.R. 3020. Chronic Care -- provided comments and policy suggestions on Senate Finance Committee efforts to improve chronic care outcomes and treatments.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions the "PACE Act of 2015", H.R. 2513 -- 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments - Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S.332, "Rural Hospital Access Act of 2015" and H.R. 663, "Rural Hospital Access Act of 2015." Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital Support H.R. 2, "Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015" repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare and CHIP reauthorization. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester and oppose Medicare sequester increase and extension as an offset to the TAA and other trade legislation. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R. 2156, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2015" supports legislation to improve Medicare audits and provided comments to Senate Finance Committee to improve draft legislation. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status, and other modifications to the policy. National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. Meaningful Use - Advocate for reasonable Stage 3 meaningful use requirements as part of the EHR Incentive Program. Provided advocacy comments regarding a House Ways and Means discussion draft, the Hospital Improvements for Payment Act of 2014 concerning hospital payment, self-referral, quality, accreditation and data release issue. Worked to restore funding for AHRQ and CMMI in the House Labor-HHS Appropriations Bill, H.R. 3020. Chronic Care -- provided comments and policy suggestions on Senate Finance Committee efforts to improve chronic care outcomes and treatments.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions the "PACE Act of 2015", H.R. 2513 -- 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments - Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S.332, "Rural Hospital Access Act of 2015" and H.R. 663, "Rural Hospital Access Act of 2015." Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital Support H.R. 2, "Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015" repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare and CHIP reauthorization. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester and oppose Medicare sequester increase and extension as an offset to the TAA and other trade legislation. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R. 2156, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2015" supports legislation to improve Medicare audits and provided comments to Senate Finance Committee to improve draft legislation. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status, and other modifications to the policy. National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. Meaningful Use - Advocate for reasonable Stage 3 meaningful use requirements as part of the EHR Incentive Program. Provided advocacy comments regarding a House Ways and Means discussion draft, the Hospital Improvements for Payment Act of 2014 concerning hospital payment, self-referral, quality, accreditation and data release issue. Worked to restore funding for AHRQ and CMMI in the House Labor-HHS Appropriations Bill, H.R. 3020. Chronic Care -- provided comments and policy suggestions on Senate Finance Committee efforts to improve chronic care outcomes and treatments.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions the "PACE Act of 2015", H.R. 2513 -- 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments - Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S.332, "Rural Hospital Access Act of 2015" and H.R. 663, "Rural Hospital Access Act of 2015." Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital Support H.R. 2, "Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015" repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare and CHIP reauthorization. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester and oppose Medicare sequester increase and extension as an offset to the TAA and other trade legislation. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R. 2156, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2015" supports legislation to improve Medicare audits and provided comments to Senate Finance Committee to improve draft legislation. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status, and other modifications to the policy. National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. Meaningful Use - Advocate for reasonable Stage 3 meaningful use requirements as part of the EHR Incentive Program. Provided advocacy comments regarding a House Ways and Means discussion draft, the Hospital Improvements for Payment Act of 2014 concerning hospital payment, self-referral, quality, accreditation and data release issue. Worked to restore funding for AHRQ and CMMI in the House Labor-HHS Appropriations Bill, H.R. 3020. Chronic Care -- provided comments and policy suggestions on Senate Finance Committee efforts to improve chronic care outcomes and treatments.

Health Reform Implementation -The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform. HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations - Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. Realignment - educate policymakers on the driving factors, benefits and implications of hospital realignment. ICD-10 -- discussions of effects of possible delay in implementation of the new ICD-10 coding system. H.R.776 -- Stark Administrative Simplification Act of 2015 -- supports legislation that would allows for simplified single civil monetary penalty as an alternative sanction to those already established for compensation arrangements between a physician (or an immediate family member) and a person or entity that is in violation of the limitation on certain physician referrals (Stark Law) solely due to technical noncompliance. It also requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to accept the voluntary disclosure of a technically non-complaint compensation arrangement by a person or entity in violation of the Stark Law under certain circumstances. CyberSecurity - H.R. 1731 - legislation to create infrastructure for government and private industry to share cyber threat information; advocate for passage and reasonable approach to new data security mandates. Advocate for sufficient government resources to support hospital preparedness and response to Ebola and/or other pandemics. Advocated for improvements to the HIPAA research provisions in the 21st Century Cures draft legislation. Telemedicine Reforms - 21st Century Cures Initiative -- Support programs to encourage and properly reimburse telemedicine. Budgets - H.CON.RES.27 / S.CON.RES.11 - House/Senate Resolutions to Establish the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2016 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2017 through 2025. Support measures to reform the liability system: limit non-economic damages to $250,000; reform joint and several liability; cap attorneys fees; and allow periodic payments for future award payments. Support "Standard of Care Protection Act" - H.R. 2 -- Support language to prevent any expansion of health care from leading to new legal standards of care in state medical liability lawsuits. By clarifying that payment rules, new guidelines, standards and other provision of federal health care statutes are not intended to define the applicable standard of care or duty of care in a medical liability lawsuit, such language hopefully would ensure that clinical best practices represent a medical guideline and not a legal standard.

Health Reform Implementation -The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform. HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations - Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. Realignment - educate policymakers on the driving factors, benefits and implications of hospital realignment. ICD-10 -- discussions of effects of possible delay in implementation of the new ICD-10 coding system. H.R.776 -- Stark Administrative Simplification Act of 2015 -- supports legislation that would allows for simplified single civil monetary penalty as an alternative sanction to those already established for compensation arrangements between a physician (or an immediate family member) and a person or entity that is in violation of the limitation on certain physician referrals (Stark Law) solely due to technical noncompliance. It also requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to accept the voluntary disclosure of a technically non-complaint compensation arrangement by a person or entity in violation of the Stark Law under certain circumstances. CyberSecurity - H.R. 1731 - legislation to create infrastructure for government and private industry to share cyber threat information; advocate for passage and reasonable approach to new data security mandates. Advocate for sufficient government resources to support hospital preparedness and response to Ebola and/or other pandemics. Advocated for improvements to the HIPAA research provisions in the 21st Century Cures draft legislation. Telemedicine Reforms - 21st Century Cures Initiative -- Support programs to encourage and properly reimburse telemedicine. Budgets - H.CON.RES.27 / S.CON.RES.11 - House/Senate Resolutions to Establish the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2016 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2017 through 2025. Support measures to reform the liability system: limit non-economic damages to $250,000; reform joint and several liability; cap attorneys fees; and allow periodic payments for future award payments. Support "Standard of Care Protection Act" - H.R. 2 -- Support language to prevent any expansion of health care from leading to new legal standards of care in state medical liability lawsuits. By clarifying that payment rules, new guidelines, standards and other provision of federal health care statutes are not intended to define the applicable standard of care or duty of care in a medical liability lawsuit, such language hopefully would ensure that clinical best practices represent a medical guideline and not a legal standard.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2015 , H.R. 976 -- 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments - Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). RAC Reform - supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status, and other modifications to the policy. National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. Protecting the Integrity of Medicare Act of 2014 - Bill to combat fraud, waste and abuse in the Medicare program by streamlining processes and improving program payment accuracy. Meaningful Use - Advocate for reasonable Stage 3 meaningful use requirements as part of the EHR Incentive Program. Provided advocacy comments regarding a House Ways and Means discussion draft, the Hospital Improvements for Payment Act of 2014 concerning hospital payment, self-referral, quality, accreditation and data release issue

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions the "PACE Act of 2015", H.R. 2513 -- 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments - Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S.332, "Rural Hospital Access Act of 2015" and H.R. 663, "Rural Hospital Access Act of 2015." Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital Support H.R. 2, "Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015" repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare and CHIP reauthorization. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester and oppose Medicare sequester increase and extension as an offset to the TAA and other trade legislation. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R. 2156, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2015" supports legislation to improve Medicare audits and provided comments to Senate Finance Committee to improve draft legislation. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status, and other modifications to the policy. National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. Meaningful Use - Advocate for reasonable Stage 3 meaningful use requirements as part of the EHR Incentive Program. Provided advocacy comments regarding a House Ways and Means discussion draft, the Hospital Improvements for Payment Act of 2014 concerning hospital payment, self-referral, quality, accreditation and data release issue. Worked to restore funding for AHRQ and CMMI in the House Labor-HHS Appropriations Bill, H.R. 3020. Chronic Care -- provided comments and policy suggestions on Senate Finance Committee efforts to improve chronic care outcomes and treatments.

Health Reform Implementation -The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform. HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations - Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. Realignment - educate policymakers on the driving factors, benefits and implications of hospital realignment. ICD-10 -- discussions of effects of possible delay in implementation of the new ICD-10 coding system. H.R.776 -- Stark Administrative Simplification Act of 2015 -- supports legislation that would allows for simplified single civil monetary penalty as an alternative sanction to those already established for compensation arrangements between a physician (or an immediate family member) and a person or entity that is in violation of the limitation on certain physician referrals (Stark Law) solely due to technical noncompliance. It also requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to accept the voluntary disclosure of a technically non-complaint compensation arrangement by a person or entity in violation of the Stark Law under certain circumstances. CyberSecurity - H.R. 1731 - legislation to create infrastructure for government and private industry to share cyber threat information; advocate for passage and reasonable approach to new data security mandates. Advocate for sufficient government resources to support hospital preparedness and response to Ebola and/or other pandemics. Advocated for improvements to the HIPAA research provisions in the 21st Century Cures draft legislation. Telemedicine Reforms - 21st Century Cures Initiative -- Support programs to encourage and properly reimburse telemedicine. Budgets - H.CON.RES.27 / S.CON.RES.11 - House/Senate Resolutions to Establish the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2016 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2017 through 2025. Support measures to reform the liability system: limit non-economic damages to $250,000; reform joint and several liability; cap attorneys fees; and allow periodic payments for future award payments. Support "Standard of Care Protection Act" - H.R. 2 -- Support language to prevent any expansion of health care from leading to new legal standards of care in state medical liability lawsuits. By clarifying that payment rules, new guidelines, standards and other provision of federal health care statutes are not intended to define the applicable standard of care or duty of care in a medical liability lawsuit, such language hopefully would ensure that clinical best practices represent a medical guideline and not a legal standard.

Health Reform Implementation -The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform. HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations - Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. Realignment - educate policymakers on the driving factors, benefits and implications of hospital realignment. ICD-10 -- discussions of effects of possible delay in implementation of the new ICD-10 coding system. H.R.776 -- Stark Administrative Simplification Act of 2015 -- supports legislation that would allows for simplified single civil monetary penalty as an alternative sanction to those already established for compensation arrangements between a physician (or an immediate family member) and a person or entity that is in violation of the limitation on certain physician referrals (Stark Law) solely due to technical noncompliance. It also requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to accept the voluntary disclosure of a technically non-complaint compensation arrangement by a person or entity in violation of the Stark Law under certain circumstances. CyberSecurity - H.R. 1731 - legislation to create infrastructure for government and private industry to share cyber threat information; advocate for passage and reasonable approach to new data security mandates. Advocate for sufficient government resources to support hospital preparedness and response to Ebola and/or other pandemics. Advocated for improvements to the HIPAA research provisions in the 21st Century Cures draft legislation. Telemedicine Reforms - 21st Century Cures Initiative -- Support programs to encourage and properly reimburse telemedicine. Budgets - H.CON.RES.27 / S.CON.RES.11 - House/Senate Resolutions to Establish the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2016 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2017 through 2025. Support measures to reform the liability system: limit non-economic damages to $250,000; reform joint and several liability; cap attorneys fees; and allow periodic payments for future award payments. Support "Standard of Care Protection Act" - H.R. 2 -- Support language to prevent any expansion of health care from leading to new legal standards of care in state medical liability lawsuits. By clarifying that payment rules, new guidelines, standards and other provision of federal health care statutes are not intended to define the applicable standard of care or duty of care in a medical liability lawsuit, such language hopefully would ensure that clinical best practices represent a medical guideline and not a legal standard.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2015 , H.R. 976 -- 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments - Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). RAC Reform - supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status, and other modifications to the policy. National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. Protecting the Integrity of Medicare Act of 2014 - Bill to combat fraud, waste and abuse in the Medicare program by streamlining processes and improving program payment accuracy. Meaningful Use - Advocate for reasonable Stage 3 meaningful use requirements as part of the EHR Incentive Program. Provided advocacy comments regarding a House Ways and Means discussion draft, the Hospital Improvements for Payment Act of 2014 concerning hospital payment, self-referral, quality, accreditation and data release issue

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2015 , H.R. 976 -- 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments - Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). RAC Reform - supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status, and other modifications to the policy. National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. Protecting the Integrity of Medicare Act of 2014 - Bill to combat fraud, waste and abuse in the Medicare program by streamlining processes and improving program payment accuracy. Meaningful Use - Advocate for reasonable Stage 3 meaningful use requirements as part of the EHR Incentive Program. Provided advocacy comments regarding a House Ways and Means discussion draft, the Hospital Improvements for Payment Act of 2014 concerning hospital payment, self-referral, quality, accreditation and data release issue

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments - Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status, and other modifications to the policy. National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. H.R. 4994 and S. 2553, "IMPACT Act of 2014"- legislation intended to improve post acute care for Medicare beneficiaries by collecting and using standardized quality data; advocate to ensure stakeholder input appropriately included in measure endorsement and review. Protecting the Integrity of Medicare Act of 2014 - Bill to combat fraud, waste and abuse in the Medicare program by streamlining processes and improving program payment accuracy. Meaningful Use - Advocate for reasonable Stage 3 meaningful use requirements as part of the EHR Incentive Program. Unique Device Identifier (UDI) - Advocate against including UDI on Medicare claims. FLEX IT ACT - HR 5481 - legislation to require CMS to implement a 90-day reporting period to qualify for incentive payments under the HITECH EHR Incentive Programs; advocate for passage of the bill in the House and introduction of a companion bill in the Senate. Provided advocacy comments regarding a House Ways and Means discussion draft, the Hospital Improvements for Payment Act of 2014 concerning hospital payment, self-referral, quality, accreditation and data release issues.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight." National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. H.R. 4994 and S. 2553, "IMPACT Act of 2014" legislation intended to improve post acute care for Medicare beneficiaries by collecting and using standardized quality data; advocate to ensure stakeholder input appropriately included in measure endorsement and review.S. 2501, "Hospital Readmission Accuracy and Accountability Act of 2014" legislation intended ensure that hospitals serving low-income populations are evaluated and reimbursed fairly under the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP). The FAH provided technical input into the development of the legislation.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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. Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments - Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight." National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. H.R. 4994 and S. 2553, "IMPACT Act of 2014"- legislation intended to improve post acute care for Medicare beneficiaries by collecting and using standardized quality data; advocate to ensure stakeholder input appropriately included in measure endorsement and review. Protecting the Integrity of Medicare Act of 2014 - Bill to combat fraud, waste and abuse in the Medicare program by streamlining processes and improving program payment accuracy.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester to pay for extensions of unemployment insurance or other non-health care programs. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicare/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlement Reform package. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight." H.R. 3796, "The Comprehensive Care Payment Innovation Act" - Establishes a voluntary bundle payment model. FAH was asked to review.

Health Reform Implementation -The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform. HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations - Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act, supports legislation to prevent certain Federal health care laws from establishing health care provider standards of care in medical malpractice cases. Realignment - educate policymakers on the driving factors, benefits and implications of hospital realignment. ICD-10 -- discussions of effects of possible delay in implementation of the new ICD-10 coding system. H.R. 3776, the Stark Administrative Simplification Act - supports legislation that would create an alternative, and more appropriate, penalty structure for hospitals that inadvertently incur a technical violation of the Stark self-referral law. CyberSecurity - S. 2588 - legislation to create infrastructure for government and private industry to share cyber threat information; advocate for passage and reasonable approach to new data security mandates. ADAPT Act - HR 3742 - legislation to create incentives and pathways for the expedited development of new drug therapies; advocate for passage as legislative measure to address drug resistance while ensuring preservation of FDA standards for drug safety and efficacy. Assist in review and development of possible revisions to the HIPAA Privacy Rule to allow expanded use of protected health information for research purposes. Advocate for sufficient government resources to support hospital preparedness and response to Ebola and/or other pandemics. Advocate for clarification of hospital compliance with DEAs final rule on disposal of controlled substances, including disposal methodologies, oversight and application.

Health Reform Implementation The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform.HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. Pharmaceutical Compounding Follow implementation of enacted legislation to address pharmaceutical compounding and its impact on hospitals. H.R. 2186--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for the compounding of drug products and S. 959--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to compounding drugs. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act, supports legislation to prevent certain Federal health care laws from establishing health care provider standards of care in medical malpractice cases. Realignment educate policymakers on the driving factors, benefits and implications of hospital realignment. ICD-10 -- discussions of effects of possible delay in implementation of the new ICD-10 coding system.

Health Reform Implementation The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform.HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. Pharmaceutical Compounding Follow implementation of enacted legislation to address pharmaceutical compounding and its impact on hospitals. H.R. 2186--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for the compounding of drug products and S. 959--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to compounding drugs. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act, supports legislation to prevent certain Federal health care laws from establishing health care provider standards of care in medical malpractice cases. Realignment educate policymakers on the driving factors, benefits and implications of hospital realignment. ICD-10 -- discussions of effects of possible delay in implementation of the new ICD-10 coding system. H.R. 3776, the Stark Administrative Simplification Act supports legislation that would create an alternative, and more appropriate, penalty structure for hospitals that inadvertently incur a technical violation of the Stark self-referral law.

Health Reform Implementation -The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform. HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations - Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act, supports legislation to prevent certain Federal health care laws from establishing health care provider standards of care in medical malpractice cases. Realignment - educate policymakers on the driving factors, benefits and implications of hospital realignment. ICD-10 -- discussions of effects of possible delay in implementation of the new ICD-10 coding system. H.R. 3776, the Stark Administrative Simplification Act - supports legislation that would create an alternative, and more appropriate, penalty structure for hospitals that inadvertently incur a technical violation of the Stark self-referral law. CyberSecurity - S. 2588 - legislation to create infrastructure for government and private industry to share cyber threat information; advocate for passage and reasonable approach to new data security mandates. ADAPT Act - HR 3742 - legislation to create incentives and pathways for the expedited development of new drug therapies; advocate for passage as legislative measure to address drug resistance while ensuring preservation of FDA standards for drug safety and efficacy.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester to pay for extensions of unemployment insurance or other non-health care programs. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicare/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlement Reform package. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight." H.R. 3796, "The Comprehensive Care Payment Innovation Act" - Establishes a voluntary bundle payment model. FAH was asked to review.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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. Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments - Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight." National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. H.R. 4994 and S. 2553, "IMPACT Act of 2014"- legislation intended to improve post acute care for Medicare beneficiaries by collecting and using standardized quality data; advocate to ensure stakeholder input appropriately included in measure endorsement and review. Protecting the Integrity of Medicare Act of 2014 - Bill to combat fraud, waste and abuse in the Medicare program by streamlining processes and improving program payment accuracy.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight." National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. H.R. 4994 and S. 2553, "IMPACT Act of 2014" legislation intended to improve post acute care for Medicare beneficiaries by collecting and using standardized quality data; advocate to ensure stakeholder input appropriately included in measure endorsement and review.S. 2501, "Hospital Readmission Accuracy and Accountability Act of 2014" legislation intended ensure that hospitals serving low-income populations are evaluated and reimbursed fairly under the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP). The FAH provided technical input into the development of the legislation.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments - Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status, and other modifications to the policy. National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. H.R. 4994 and S. 2553, "IMPACT Act of 2014"- legislation intended to improve post acute care for Medicare beneficiaries by collecting and using standardized quality data; advocate to ensure stakeholder input appropriately included in measure endorsement and review. Protecting the Integrity of Medicare Act of 2014 - Bill to combat fraud, waste and abuse in the Medicare program by streamlining processes and improving program payment accuracy. Meaningful Use - Advocate for reasonable Stage 3 meaningful use requirements as part of the EHR Incentive Program. Unique Device Identifier (UDI) - Advocate against including UDI on Medicare claims. FLEX IT ACT - HR 5481 - legislation to require CMS to implement a 90-day reporting period to qualify for incentive payments under the HITECH EHR Incentive Programs; advocate for passage of the bill in the House and introduction of a companion bill in the Senate. Provided advocacy comments regarding a House Ways and Means discussion draft, the Hospital Improvements for Payment Act of 2014 concerning hospital payment, self-referral, quality, accreditation and data release issues.

Health Reform Implementation The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform.HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. Pharmaceutical Compounding Follow implementation of enacted legislation to address pharmaceutical compounding and its impact on hospitals. H.R. 2186--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for the compounding of drug products and S. 959--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to compounding drugs. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act, supports legislation to prevent certain Federal health care laws from establishing health care provider standards of care in medical malpractice cases. Realignment educate policymakers on the driving factors, benefits and implications of hospital realignment. ICD-10 -- discussions of effects of possible delay in implementation of the new ICD-10 coding system. H.R. 3776, the Stark Administrative Simplification Act supports legislation that would create an alternative, and more appropriate, penalty structure for hospitals that inadvertently incur a technical violation of the Stark self-referral law.

Health Reform Implementation The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform.HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. Pharmaceutical Compounding Follow implementation of enacted legislation to address pharmaceutical compounding and its impact on hospitals. H.R. 2186--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for the compounding of drug products and S. 959--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to compounding drugs. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act, supports legislation to prevent certain Federal health care laws from establishing health care provider standards of care in medical malpractice cases. Realignment educate policymakers on the driving factors, benefits and implications of hospital realignment. ICD-10 -- discussions of effects of possible delay in implementation of the new ICD-10 coding system.

Health Reform Implementation -The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform. HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations - Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act, supports legislation to prevent certain Federal health care laws from establishing health care provider standards of care in medical malpractice cases. Realignment - educate policymakers on the driving factors, benefits and implications of hospital realignment. ICD-10 -- discussions of effects of possible delay in implementation of the new ICD-10 coding system. H.R. 3776, the Stark Administrative Simplification Act - supports legislation that would create an alternative, and more appropriate, penalty structure for hospitals that inadvertently incur a technical violation of the Stark self-referral law. CyberSecurity - S. 2588 - legislation to create infrastructure for government and private industry to share cyber threat information; advocate for passage and reasonable approach to new data security mandates. ADAPT Act - HR 3742 - legislation to create incentives and pathways for the expedited development of new drug therapies; advocate for passage as legislative measure to address drug resistance while ensuring preservation of FDA standards for drug safety and efficacy. Assist in review and development of possible revisions to the HIPAA Privacy Rule to allow expanded use of protected health information for research purposes. Advocate for sufficient government resources to support hospital preparedness and response to Ebola and/or other pandemics. Advocate for clarification of hospital compliance with DEAs final rule on disposal of controlled substances, including disposal methodologies, oversight and application.

Health Reform Implementation -The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform. HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations - Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act, supports legislation to prevent certain Federal health care laws from establishing health care provider standards of care in medical malpractice cases. Realignment - educate policymakers on the driving factors, benefits and implications of hospital realignment. ICD-10 -- discussions of effects of possible delay in implementation of the new ICD-10 coding system. H.R. 3776, the Stark Administrative Simplification Act - supports legislation that would create an alternative, and more appropriate, penalty structure for hospitals that inadvertently incur a technical violation of the Stark self-referral law. CyberSecurity - S. 2588 - legislation to create infrastructure for government and private industry to share cyber threat information; advocate for passage and reasonable approach to new data security mandates. ADAPT Act - HR 3742 - legislation to create incentives and pathways for the expedited development of new drug therapies; advocate for passage as legislative measure to address drug resistance while ensuring preservation of FDA standards for drug safety and efficacy.

Health Reform Implementation -The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform. HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations - Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act, supports legislation to prevent certain Federal health care laws from establishing health care provider standards of care in medical malpractice cases. Realignment - educate policymakers on the driving factors, benefits and implications of hospital realignment. ICD-10 -- discussions of effects of possible delay in implementation of the new ICD-10 coding system. H.R. 3776, the Stark Administrative Simplification Act - supports legislation that would create an alternative, and more appropriate, penalty structure for hospitals that inadvertently incur a technical violation of the Stark self-referral law. CyberSecurity - S. 2588 - legislation to create infrastructure for government and private industry to share cyber threat information; advocate for passage and reasonable approach to new data security mandates. ADAPT Act - HR 3742 - legislation to create incentives and pathways for the expedited development of new drug therapies; advocate for passage as legislative measure to address drug resistance while ensuring preservation of FDA standards for drug safety and efficacy. Assist in review and development of possible revisions to the HIPAA Privacy Rule to allow expanded use of protected health information for research purposes. Advocate for sufficient government resources to support hospital preparedness and response to Ebola and/or other pandemics. Advocate for clarification of hospital compliance with DEAs final rule on disposal of controlled substances, including disposal methodologies, oversight and application.

Health Reform Implementation -The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform. HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations - Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act, supports legislation to prevent certain Federal health care laws from establishing health care provider standards of care in medical malpractice cases. Realignment - educate policymakers on the driving factors, benefits and implications of hospital realignment. ICD-10 -- discussions of effects of possible delay in implementation of the new ICD-10 coding system. H.R. 3776, the Stark Administrative Simplification Act - supports legislation that would create an alternative, and more appropriate, penalty structure for hospitals that inadvertently incur a technical violation of the Stark self-referral law. CyberSecurity - S. 2588 - legislation to create infrastructure for government and private industry to share cyber threat information; advocate for passage and reasonable approach to new data security mandates. ADAPT Act - HR 3742 - legislation to create incentives and pathways for the expedited development of new drug therapies; advocate for passage as legislative measure to address drug resistance while ensuring preservation of FDA standards for drug safety and efficacy.

Health Reform Implementation The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform.HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. Pharmaceutical Compounding Follow implementation of enacted legislation to address pharmaceutical compounding and its impact on hospitals. H.R. 2186--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for the compounding of drug products and S. 959--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to compounding drugs. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act, supports legislation to prevent certain Federal health care laws from establishing health care provider standards of care in medical malpractice cases. Realignment educate policymakers on the driving factors, benefits and implications of hospital realignment. ICD-10 -- discussions of effects of possible delay in implementation of the new ICD-10 coding system. H.R. 3776, the Stark Administrative Simplification Act supports legislation that would create an alternative, and more appropriate, penalty structure for hospitals that inadvertently incur a technical violation of the Stark self-referral law.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester to pay for extensions of unemployment insurance or other non-health care programs. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicare/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlement Reform package. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight." H.R. 3796, "The Comprehensive Care Payment Innovation Act" - Establishes a voluntary bundle payment model. FAH was asked to review.

S.2450, "Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014" and H.R. 4810, "The Veteran Access to Care Act of 2014" - legislation would reform the veterans health programs and allow for expanded access to care in non-VA facilities. The FAH advocated to include a prompt payment amendment to this measure.

S.2450, "Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014" and H.R. 4810, "The Veteran Access to Care Act of 2014" legislation would reform the veterans health programs and allow for expanded access to care in non-VA facilities. The FAH advocated to include a prompt payment amendment to this measure.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight." National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. H.R. 4994 and S. 2553, "IMPACT Act of 2014" legislation intended to improve post acute care for Medicare beneficiaries by collecting and using standardized quality data; advocate to ensure stakeholder input appropriately included in measure endorsement and review.S. 2501, "Hospital Readmission Accuracy and Accountability Act of 2014" legislation intended ensure that hospitals serving low-income populations are evaluated and reimbursed fairly under the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP). The FAH provided technical input into the development of the legislation.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments - Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status, and other modifications to the policy. National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. H.R. 4994 and S. 2553, "IMPACT Act of 2014"- legislation intended to improve post acute care for Medicare beneficiaries by collecting and using standardized quality data; advocate to ensure stakeholder input appropriately included in measure endorsement and review. Protecting the Integrity of Medicare Act of 2014 - Bill to combat fraud, waste and abuse in the Medicare program by streamlining processes and improving program payment accuracy. Meaningful Use - Advocate for reasonable Stage 3 meaningful use requirements as part of the EHR Incentive Program. Unique Device Identifier (UDI) - Advocate against including UDI on Medicare claims. FLEX IT ACT - HR 5481 - legislation to require CMS to implement a 90-day reporting period to qualify for incentive payments under the HITECH EHR Incentive Programs; advocate for passage of the bill in the House and introduction of a companion bill in the Senate. Provided advocacy comments regarding a House Ways and Means discussion draft, the Hospital Improvements for Payment Act of 2014 concerning hospital payment, self-referral, quality, accreditation and data release issues.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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. Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments - Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight." National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. H.R. 4994 and S. 2553, "IMPACT Act of 2014"- legislation intended to improve post acute care for Medicare beneficiaries by collecting and using standardized quality data; advocate to ensure stakeholder input appropriately included in measure endorsement and review. Protecting the Integrity of Medicare Act of 2014 - Bill to combat fraud, waste and abuse in the Medicare program by streamlining processes and improving program payment accuracy.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments - Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status, and other modifications to the policy. National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. H.R. 4994 and S. 2553, "IMPACT Act of 2014"- legislation intended to improve post acute care for Medicare beneficiaries by collecting and using standardized quality data; advocate to ensure stakeholder input appropriately included in measure endorsement and review. Protecting the Integrity of Medicare Act of 2014 - Bill to combat fraud, waste and abuse in the Medicare program by streamlining processes and improving program payment accuracy. Meaningful Use - Advocate for reasonable Stage 3 meaningful use requirements as part of the EHR Incentive Program. Unique Device Identifier (UDI) - Advocate against including UDI on Medicare claims. FLEX IT ACT - HR 5481 - legislation to require CMS to implement a 90-day reporting period to qualify for incentive payments under the HITECH EHR Incentive Programs; advocate for passage of the bill in the House and introduction of a companion bill in the Senate. Provided advocacy comments regarding a House Ways and Means discussion draft, the Hospital Improvements for Payment Act of 2014 concerning hospital payment, self-referral, quality, accreditation and data release issues.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight." National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. H.R. 4994 and S. 2553, "IMPACT Act of 2014" legislation intended to improve post acute care for Medicare beneficiaries by collecting and using standardized quality data; advocate to ensure stakeholder input appropriately included in measure endorsement and review.S. 2501, "Hospital Readmission Accuracy and Accountability Act of 2014" legislation intended ensure that hospitals serving low-income populations are evaluated and reimbursed fairly under the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP). The FAH provided technical input into the development of the legislation.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments - Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status, and other modifications to the policy. National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. H.R. 4994 and S. 2553, "IMPACT Act of 2014"- legislation intended to improve post acute care for Medicare beneficiaries by collecting and using standardized quality data; advocate to ensure stakeholder input appropriately included in measure endorsement and review. Protecting the Integrity of Medicare Act of 2014 - Bill to combat fraud, waste and abuse in the Medicare program by streamlining processes and improving program payment accuracy. Meaningful Use - Advocate for reasonable Stage 3 meaningful use requirements as part of the EHR Incentive Program. Unique Device Identifier (UDI) - Advocate against including UDI on Medicare claims. FLEX IT ACT - HR 5481 - legislation to require CMS to implement a 90-day reporting period to qualify for incentive payments under the HITECH EHR Incentive Programs; advocate for passage of the bill in the House and introduction of a companion bill in the Senate. Provided advocacy comments regarding a House Ways and Means discussion draft, the Hospital Improvements for Payment Act of 2014 concerning hospital payment, self-referral, quality, accreditation and data release issues.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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. Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments - Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight." National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. H.R. 4994 and S. 2553, "IMPACT Act of 2014"- legislation intended to improve post acute care for Medicare beneficiaries by collecting and using standardized quality data; advocate to ensure stakeholder input appropriately included in measure endorsement and review. Protecting the Integrity of Medicare Act of 2014 - Bill to combat fraud, waste and abuse in the Medicare program by streamlining processes and improving program payment accuracy.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester to pay for extensions of unemployment insurance or other non-health care programs. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicare/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlement Reform package. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight." H.R. 3796, "The Comprehensive Care Payment Innovation Act" - Establishes a voluntary bundle payment model. FAH was asked to review.

S.2450, "Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014" and H.R. 4810, "The Veteran Access to Care Act of 2014" - legislation would reform the veterans health programs and allow for expanded access to care in non-VA facilities. The FAH advocated to include a prompt payment amendment to this measure.

S.2450, "Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014" and H.R. 4810, "The Veteran Access to Care Act of 2014" legislation would reform the veterans health programs and allow for expanded access to care in non-VA facilities. The FAH advocated to include a prompt payment amendment to this measure.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight." National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. H.R. 4994 and S. 2553, "IMPACT Act of 2014" legislation intended to improve post acute care for Medicare beneficiaries by collecting and using standardized quality data; advocate to ensure stakeholder input appropriately included in measure endorsement and review.S. 2501, "Hospital Readmission Accuracy and Accountability Act of 2014" legislation intended ensure that hospitals serving low-income populations are evaluated and reimbursed fairly under the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP). The FAH provided technical input into the development of the legislation.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments - Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status, and other modifications to the policy. National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. H.R. 4994 and S. 2553, "IMPACT Act of 2014"- legislation intended to improve post acute care for Medicare beneficiaries by collecting and using standardized quality data; advocate to ensure stakeholder input appropriately included in measure endorsement and review. Protecting the Integrity of Medicare Act of 2014 - Bill to combat fraud, waste and abuse in the Medicare program by streamlining processes and improving program payment accuracy. Meaningful Use - Advocate for reasonable Stage 3 meaningful use requirements as part of the EHR Incentive Program. Unique Device Identifier (UDI) - Advocate against including UDI on Medicare claims. FLEX IT ACT - HR 5481 - legislation to require CMS to implement a 90-day reporting period to qualify for incentive payments under the HITECH EHR Incentive Programs; advocate for passage of the bill in the House and introduction of a companion bill in the Senate. Provided advocacy comments regarding a House Ways and Means discussion draft, the Hospital Improvements for Payment Act of 2014 concerning hospital payment, self-referral, quality, accreditation and data release issues.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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. Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments - Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight." National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. H.R. 4994 and S. 2553, "IMPACT Act of 2014"- legislation intended to improve post acute care for Medicare beneficiaries by collecting and using standardized quality data; advocate to ensure stakeholder input appropriately included in measure endorsement and review. Protecting the Integrity of Medicare Act of 2014 - Bill to combat fraud, waste and abuse in the Medicare program by streamlining processes and improving program payment accuracy.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight." National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. H.R. 4994 and S. 2553, "IMPACT Act of 2014" legislation intended to improve post acute care for Medicare beneficiaries by collecting and using standardized quality data; advocate to ensure stakeholder input appropriately included in measure endorsement and review.S. 2501, "Hospital Readmission Accuracy and Accountability Act of 2014" legislation intended ensure that hospitals serving low-income populations are evaluated and reimbursed fairly under the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP). The FAH provided technical input into the development of the legislation.

Health Reform Implementation -The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform. HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations - Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act, supports legislation to prevent certain Federal health care laws from establishing health care provider standards of care in medical malpractice cases. Realignment - educate policymakers on the driving factors, benefits and implications of hospital realignment. ICD-10 -- discussions of effects of possible delay in implementation of the new ICD-10 coding system. H.R. 3776, the Stark Administrative Simplification Act - supports legislation that would create an alternative, and more appropriate, penalty structure for hospitals that inadvertently incur a technical violation of the Stark self-referral law. CyberSecurity - S. 2588 - legislation to create infrastructure for government and private industry to share cyber threat information; advocate for passage and reasonable approach to new data security mandates. ADAPT Act - HR 3742 - legislation to create incentives and pathways for the expedited development of new drug therapies; advocate for passage as legislative measure to address drug resistance while ensuring preservation of FDA standards for drug safety and efficacy. Assist in review and development of possible revisions to the HIPAA Privacy Rule to allow expanded use of protected health information for research purposes. Advocate for sufficient government resources to support hospital preparedness and response to Ebola and/or other pandemics. Advocate for clarification of hospital compliance with DEAs final rule on disposal of controlled substances, including disposal methodologies, oversight and application.

Health Reform Implementation -The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform. HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations - Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act, supports legislation to prevent certain Federal health care laws from establishing health care provider standards of care in medical malpractice cases. Realignment - educate policymakers on the driving factors, benefits and implications of hospital realignment. ICD-10 -- discussions of effects of possible delay in implementation of the new ICD-10 coding system. H.R. 3776, the Stark Administrative Simplification Act - supports legislation that would create an alternative, and more appropriate, penalty structure for hospitals that inadvertently incur a technical violation of the Stark self-referral law. CyberSecurity - S. 2588 - legislation to create infrastructure for government and private industry to share cyber threat information; advocate for passage and reasonable approach to new data security mandates. ADAPT Act - HR 3742 - legislation to create incentives and pathways for the expedited development of new drug therapies; advocate for passage as legislative measure to address drug resistance while ensuring preservation of FDA standards for drug safety and efficacy.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments - Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status, and other modifications to the policy. National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. H.R. 4994 and S. 2553, "IMPACT Act of 2014"- legislation intended to improve post acute care for Medicare beneficiaries by collecting and using standardized quality data; advocate to ensure stakeholder input appropriately included in measure endorsement and review. Protecting the Integrity of Medicare Act of 2014 - Bill to combat fraud, waste and abuse in the Medicare program by streamlining processes and improving program payment accuracy. Meaningful Use - Advocate for reasonable Stage 3 meaningful use requirements as part of the EHR Incentive Program. Unique Device Identifier (UDI) - Advocate against including UDI on Medicare claims. FLEX IT ACT - HR 5481 - legislation to require CMS to implement a 90-day reporting period to qualify for incentive payments under the HITECH EHR Incentive Programs; advocate for passage of the bill in the House and introduction of a companion bill in the Senate. Provided advocacy comments regarding a House Ways and Means discussion draft, the Hospital Improvements for Payment Act of 2014 concerning hospital payment, self-referral, quality, accreditation and data release issues.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester to pay for extensions of unemployment insurance or other non-health care programs. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicare/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlement Reform package. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight." H.R. 3796, "The Comprehensive Care Payment Innovation Act" - Establishes a voluntary bundle payment model. FAH was asked to review.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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. Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments - Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight." National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. H.R. 4994 and S. 2553, "IMPACT Act of 2014"- legislation intended to improve post acute care for Medicare beneficiaries by collecting and using standardized quality data; advocate to ensure stakeholder input appropriately included in measure endorsement and review. Protecting the Integrity of Medicare Act of 2014 - Bill to combat fraud, waste and abuse in the Medicare program by streamlining processes and improving program payment accuracy.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - against extending the Medicare Sequester. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight." National Quality Forum -Advocated for inclusion of private-sector multi-stakeholder processes in development, endorsement and use of quality measures in federal payment programs under consideration. H.R. 4994 and S. 2553, "IMPACT Act of 2014" legislation intended to improve post acute care for Medicare beneficiaries by collecting and using standardized quality data; advocate to ensure stakeholder input appropriately included in measure endorsement and review.S. 2501, "Hospital Readmission Accuracy and Accountability Act of 2014" legislation intended ensure that hospitals serving low-income populations are evaluated and reimbursed fairly under the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP). The FAH provided technical input into the development of the legislation.

Health Reform Implementation The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform.HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. Pharmaceutical Compounding Follow implementation of enacted legislation to address pharmaceutical compounding and its impact on hospitals. H.R. 2186--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for the compounding of drug products and S. 959--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to compounding drugs. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act, supports legislation to prevent certain Federal health care laws from establishing health care provider standards of care in medical malpractice cases. Realignment educate policymakers on the driving factors, benefits and implications of hospital realignment. ICD-10 -- discussions of effects of possible delay in implementation of the new ICD-10 coding system. H.R. 3776, the Stark Administrative Simplification Act supports legislation that would create an alternative, and more appropriate, penalty structure for hospitals that inadvertently incur a technical violation of the Stark self-referral law.

Health Reform Implementation The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform.HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. Pharmaceutical Compounding Follow implementation of enacted legislation to address pharmaceutical compounding and its impact on hospitals. H.R. 2186--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for the compounding of drug products and S. 959--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to compounding drugs. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act, supports legislation to prevent certain Federal health care laws from establishing health care provider standards of care in medical malpractice cases. Realignment educate policymakers on the driving factors, benefits and implications of hospital realignment. ICD-10 -- discussions of effects of possible delay in implementation of the new ICD-10 coding system.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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 interestsOppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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 changes to current law impacting Medicare Documentation and Coding. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose the reduction of allowed Medicaid provider taxes in states Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Medicaid and Medicare dual-eligibles- limit the size, scope and envisioned savings from the dual-eligibles demonstrations per the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Sequestration - work to mitigate impact of Medicare sequestration on hospitals per the Budget Control Act. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicar/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlment Reform package. Advocate for the need to update and improve the Life Safety Code standards used by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in assessing patient safety in hospitals.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - work to mitigate impact of Medicare sequestration on hospitals per the Budget Control Act. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicare/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlement Reform package. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight." H.R. 3796, "The Comprehensive Care Payment Innovation Act" - Establishes a voluntary bundle payment model. FAH was asked to review.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - work to mitigate impact of Medicare sequestration on hospitals per the Budget Control Act. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicare/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlement Reform package. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight." H.R. 3796, "The Comprehensive Care Payment Innovation Act" - Establishes a voluntary bundle payment model. FAH was asked to review.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose the reduction of allowed Medicaid provider taxes in states Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Medicaid and Medicare dual-eligibles- limit the size, scope and envisioned savings from the dual-eligibles demonstrations per the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Sequestration - work to mitigate impact of Medicare sequestration on hospitals per the Budget Control Act. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicare/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlment Reform package. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare DSH - support H.R. 1920, delaying the ACA's Medicaid and Medicare DSH cuts for two years until FY 2016.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose the reduction of allowed Medicaid provider taxes in states Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Medicaid and Medicare dual-eligibles- limit the size, scope and envisioned savings from the dual-eligibles demonstrations per the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Sequestration - work to mitigate impact of Medicare sequestration on hospitals per the Budget Control Act. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicare/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlment Reform package. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare DSH - support H.R. 1920, delaying the ACA's Medicaid and Medicare DSH cuts for two years until FY 2016.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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. Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - work to mitigate impact of Medicare sequestration on hospitals per the Budget Control Act. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicare/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlement Reform package. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight." H.R. 3796, "The Comprehensive Care Payment Innovation Act" - Establishes a voluntary bundle payment model. FAH was asked to review.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - work to mitigate impact of Medicare sequestration on hospitals per the Budget Control Act. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicare/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlment Reform package. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare DSH - support H.R. 1920, delaying the ACA's Medicaid and Medicare DSH cuts for two years until FY 2016. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CSM "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight."

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - work to mitigate impact of Medicare sequestration on hospitals per the Budget Control Act. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicare/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlment Reform package. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare DSH - support H.R. 1920, delaying the ACA's Medicaid and Medicare DSH cuts for two years until FY 2016. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CSM "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight."

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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 interestsOppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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 changes to current law impacting Medicare Documentation and Coding. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose the reduction of allowed Medicaid provider taxes in states Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Medicaid and Medicare dual-eligibles- limit the size, scope and envisioned savings from the dual-eligibles demonstrations per the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Sequestration - work to mitigate impact of Medicare sequestration on hospitals per the Budget Control Act. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicar/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlment Reform package. Advocate for the need to update and improve the Life Safety Code standards used by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in assessing patient safety in hospitals.

Health Reform Implementation The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform.HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. Pharmaceutical Compounding Follow Congressional and Administration efforts to address pharmaceutical compounding and its impact on hospitals. H.R. 2186--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for the compounding of drug products and S. 959--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to compounding drugs. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act, supports legislation to prevent certain Federal health care laws from establishing health care provider standards of care in medical malpractice cases. Realignment educate policymakers on the driving factors, benefits and implications of hospital realignment.

Health Reform Implementation The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform.HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. Pharmaceutical Compounding Follow Congressional and Administration efforts to address pharmaceutical compounding and its impact on hospitals. H.R. 2186--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for the compounding of drug products and S. 959--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to compounding drugs. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act, supports legislation to prevent certain Federal health care laws from establishing health care provider standards of care in medical malpractice cases. Realignment educate policymakers on the driving factors, benefits and implications of hospital realignment.

Health Reform Implementation The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform.HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. Pharmaceutical Compounding Follow Congressional and Administration efforts to address pharmaceutical compounding and its impact on hospitals. H.R. 2186--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for the compounding of drug products and S. 959--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to compounding drugs. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act -- all provisions related to medical malpractice.

Health Reform Implementation The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform.HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. Support legislation to develop quality measures to improve the health of mothers and babies during pregnancy and immediately following. Pharmaceutical Compounding Follow Congressional and Administration efforts to address pharmaceutical compounding and its impact on hospitals. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act -- all provisions related to medical malpractice.

Health Reform Implementation The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform.HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. Support legislation to develop quality measures to improve the health of mothers and babies during pregnancy and immediately following. Pharmaceutical Compounding Follow Congressional and Administration efforts to address pharmaceutical compounding and its impact on hospitals. H.R. 2186--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for the compounding of drug products and S. 959--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to compounding drugs. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act -- all provisions related to medical malpractice.

Health Reform Implementation The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform.HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. Support legislation to develop quality measures to improve the health of mothers and babies during pregnancy and immediately following. Pharmaceutical Compounding Follow Congressional and Administration efforts to address pharmaceutical compounding and its impact on hospitals. H.R. 2186--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for the compounding of drug products and S. 959--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to compounding drugs. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act -- all provisions related to medical malpractice.

Health Reform Implementation The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform.HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. Support legislation to develop quality measures to improve the health of mothers and babies during pregnancy and immediately following. Pharmaceutical Compounding Follow Congressional and Administration efforts to address pharmaceutical compounding and its impact on hospitals. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act -- all provisions related to medical malpractice.

Health Reform Implementation The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform.HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. Pharmaceutical Compounding Follow Congressional and Administration efforts to address pharmaceutical compounding and its impact on hospitals. H.R. 2186--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for the compounding of drug products and S. 959--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to compounding drugs. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act -- all provisions related to medical malpractice.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose the reduction of allowed Medicaid provider taxes in states Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Medicaid and Medicare dual-eligibles- limit the size, scope and envisioned savings from the dual-eligibles demonstrations per the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Sequestration - work to mitigate impact of Medicare sequestration on hospitals per the Budget Control Act. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicare/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlment Reform package. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare DSH - support H.R. 1920, delaying the ACA's Medicaid and Medicare DSH cuts for two years until FY 2016.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - work to mitigate impact of Medicare sequestration on hospitals per the Budget Control Act. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicare/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlment Reform package. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare DSH - support H.R. 1920, delaying the ACA's Medicaid and Medicare DSH cuts for two years until FY 2016. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CSM "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight."

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - work to mitigate impact of Medicare sequestration on hospitals per the Budget Control Act. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicare/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlment Reform package. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare DSH - support H.R. 1920, delaying the ACA's Medicaid and Medicare DSH cuts for two years until FY 2016. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CSM "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight."

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - work to mitigate impact of Medicare sequestration on hospitals per the Budget Control Act. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicare/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlement Reform package. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight." H.R. 3796, "The Comprehensive Care Payment Innovation Act" - Establishes a voluntary bundle payment model. FAH was asked to review.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - work to mitigate impact of Medicare sequestration on hospitals per the Budget Control Act. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicare/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlement Reform package. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight." H.R. 3796, "The Comprehensive Care Payment Innovation Act" - Establishes a voluntary bundle payment model. FAH was asked to review.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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. Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - work to mitigate impact of Medicare sequestration on hospitals per the Budget Control Act. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicare/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlement Reform package. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight." H.R. 3796, "The Comprehensive Care Payment Innovation Act" - Establishes a voluntary bundle payment model. FAH was asked to review.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose the reduction of allowed Medicaid provider taxes in states Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Medicaid and Medicare dual-eligibles- limit the size, scope and envisioned savings from the dual-eligibles demonstrations per the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Sequestration - work to mitigate impact of Medicare sequestration on hospitals per the Budget Control Act. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicare/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlment Reform package. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare DSH - support H.R. 1920, delaying the ACA's Medicaid and Medicare DSH cuts for two years until FY 2016.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - work to mitigate impact of Medicare sequestration on hospitals per the Budget Control Act. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicare/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlment Reform package. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare DSH - support H.R. 1920, delaying the ACA's Medicaid and Medicare DSH cuts for two years until FY 2016. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CSM "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight."

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose the reduction of allowed Medicaid provider taxes in states Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Medicaid and Medicare dual-eligibles- limit the size, scope and envisioned savings from the dual-eligibles demonstrations per the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Sequestration - work to mitigate impact of Medicare sequestration on hospitals per the Budget Control Act. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicare/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlment Reform package. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare DSH - support H.R. 1920, delaying the ACA's Medicaid and Medicare DSH cuts for two years until FY 2016.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - work to mitigate impact of Medicare sequestration on hospitals per the Budget Control Act. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicare/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlment Reform package. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare DSH - support H.R. 1920, delaying the ACA's Medicaid and Medicare DSH cuts for two years until FY 2016. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CSM "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight."

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Oppose the reduction of allowed Medicaid provider taxes in states Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Medicaid and Medicare dual-eligibles- limit the size, scope and envisioned savings from the dual-eligibles demonstrations per the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Sequestration - work to mitigate impact of Medicare sequestration on hospitals per the Budget Control Act. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicare/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlment Reform package. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare DSH - support H.R. 1920, delaying the ACA's Medicaid and Medicare DSH cuts for two years until FY 2016.

Health Reform Implementation The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform.HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. Pharmaceutical Compounding Follow Congressional and Administration efforts to address pharmaceutical compounding and its impact on hospitals. H.R. 2186--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for the compounding of drug products and S. 959--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to compounding drugs. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act -- all provisions related to medical malpractice.

Health Reform Implementation The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform.HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. Support legislation to develop quality measures to improve the health of mothers and babies during pregnancy and immediately following. Pharmaceutical Compounding Follow Congressional and Administration efforts to address pharmaceutical compounding and its impact on hospitals. H.R. 2186--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for the compounding of drug products and S. 959--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to compounding drugs. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act -- all provisions related to medical malpractice.

Health Reform Implementation The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform.HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. Pharmaceutical Compounding Follow Congressional and Administration efforts to address pharmaceutical compounding and its impact on hospitals. H.R. 2186--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for the compounding of drug products and S. 959--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to compounding drugs. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act -- all provisions related to medical malpractice.

Health Reform Implementation The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform.HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. Pharmaceutical Compounding Follow Congressional and Administration efforts to address pharmaceutical compounding and its impact on hospitals. H.R. 2186--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for the compounding of drug products and S. 959--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to compounding drugs. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act, supports legislation to prevent certain Federal health care laws from establishing health care provider standards of care in medical malpractice cases. Realignment educate policymakers on the driving factors, benefits and implications of hospital realignment.

Health Reform Implementation The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform.HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. Pharmaceutical Compounding Follow Congressional and Administration efforts to address pharmaceutical compounding and its impact on hospitals. H.R. 2186--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for the compounding of drug products and S. 959--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to compounding drugs. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act, supports legislation to prevent certain Federal health care laws from establishing health care provider standards of care in medical malpractice cases. Realignment educate policymakers on the driving factors, benefits and implications of hospital realignment.

Health Reform Implementation The Affordable Care Act enacted comprehensive reform of the health care delivery and payments systems in the United States. Specifically, FAH is advocating on implementation issues related to delivery reform affecting hospitals and insurance reform.HITECH Act - Implementation of meaningful use and privacy and security provisions in HITECH Act of 2009. Group Purchasing Organization Regulations Monitor policy proposals that would result in additional federal regulation of Group Purchasing Organizations. Support legislation to develop quality measures to improve the health of mothers and babies during pregnancy and immediately following. Pharmaceutical Compounding Follow Congressional and Administration efforts to address pharmaceutical compounding and its impact on hospitals. H.R. 2186--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for the compounding of drug products and S. 959--To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to compounding drugs. H.R. 1473, the Standard of Care Protection Act -- all provisions related to medical malpractice.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - work to mitigate impact of Medicare sequestration on hospitals per the Budget Control Act. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicare/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlement Reform package. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight." H.R. 3796, "The Comprehensive Care Payment Innovation Act" - Establishes a voluntary bundle payment model. FAH was asked to review.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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.Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - work to mitigate impact of Medicare sequestration on hospitals per the Budget Control Act. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicare/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlement Reform package. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight." H.R. 3796, "The Comprehensive Care Payment Innovation Act" - Establishes a voluntary bundle payment model. FAH was asked to review.

Oppose efforts to repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 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. Oppose efforts to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. 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. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. Advocate for the extension the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs. S. 842, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 and H.R. 1787, the Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill 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. Support transition to revised Medicare DSH policy Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare that does not cut hospitals. Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Sequestration - work to mitigate impact of Medicare sequestration on hospitals per the Budget Control Act. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R.1250 and S. 1012, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2013" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits. Advocate for lower hospital Medicare/ Medicaid cuts in any Entitlement Reform package. Price Transparency - advocate for meaningful price transparency for consumers by ensuring they have access to out of pocket price information. Medicare IPPS- advocate for favorable IPPS and OPPS hospital reimbursement policies. CMS "2 Midnight" Policy - advocate for policy to allow for physician judgment on whether a patient should be considered inpatient or outpatient status; oppose Administration's proposed rule on "2 Midnight." H.R. 3796, "The Comprehensive Care Payment Innovation Act" - Establishes a voluntary bundle payment model. FAH was asked to review.