House of Representatives Approves Additional Delay in Medicare Payment Reductions - March 23, 2010

On March 17, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Continuing Extension Act of 2010, H.R. 4851. The bill would extend through April certain health and unemployment benefits already extended through March under a bill signed by President Obama earlier this month. The House bill delays application of the 21% reduction in Medicare physician payments and extends COBRA benefits for eligible unemployed individuals until April 30. In addition, the bill narrows the definition of hospital-based physicians for purposes of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Health Information Technology incentives. Specifically, it replaces “outpatient setting” with “emergency room setting,” which should allow physicians providing care in provider-based clinics to receive the incentive payments. The House bill is intended as a stopgap measure while the House continues debating the American Workers, State and Business Relief Act of 2010, H.R. 4213, which would delay the Medicare payment reduction until September 30, 2010. NAPH has developed and is periodically updating an online chart to help hospital staff track the various “jobs” and “extenders” bills being considered by Congress.