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The Tea Party is back in business! (2 Viewers)

In summation

Todd Andrews still running that unfunny Kook shtick?

Jim11 still running the stupid conservative shtick?

Tim posting news articles at least twice a day and make sure everyone in his path knows his opinion over and over and over again?

.. Do I have it down or do I need to read through the last 1000 posts?

 
My problem with suggesting that Obama should be more pro-active is this: I really have no idea what he could offer that would possibly satisfy the Republicans. At first I thought he should offer removing the medical device tax, because a lot of Dems are against that too (including Harry Reid). But there's two problems: the first is, unlike jon mx, I'm not convinced that if he offered it Boehner would accept it. Second and more importantly, it's stll too big a concession to give the Republicans in exchange for not shutting down the government and raising the debt ceiling. Obama can't give ANYTHING of value, otherwise this will keep happening over and over. The most he could do is promise to consider it AFTER the Republicans agree to live up to their responsibilities.

So while I can say that Obama should be more pro-active, I don't know how. He's trapped. He can't give in to these demands.

 
In summation

Todd Andrews still running that unfunny Kook shtick?

Jim11 still running the stupid conservative shtick?

Tim posting news articles at least twice a day and make sure everyone in his path knows his opinion over and over and over again?

.. Do I have it down or do I need to read through the last 1000 posts?
:lol:

About right. Though I'm trying to limit the articles to only those that offer something new. (The best article of the day, by David Frum, I didn't post.)

I think your criticism is dead on about my opinion though. I admit I let these people goad me, and so I end up repeating myself. I'm going to try and stop doing that.

 
In summation

Todd Andrews still running that unfunny Kook shtick?

Jim11 still running the stupid conservative shtick?

Tim posting news articles at least twice a day and make sure everyone in his path knows his opinion over and over and over again?

.. Do I have it down or do I need to read through the last 1000 posts?
:lol: About right. Though I'm trying to limit the articles to only those that offer something new. (The best article of the day, by David Frum, I didn't post.)

I think your criticism is dead on about my opinion though. I admit I let these people goad me, and so I end up repeating myself. I'm going to try and stop doing that.
Lol

Could be worse.... You could be Jim 11, tommygunz, Jojo or Todd Andrews.

 
In summation

Todd Andrews still running that unfunny Kook shtick?

Jim11 still running the stupid conservative shtick?

Tim posting news articles at least twice a day and make sure everyone in his path knows his opinion over and over and over again?

.. Do I have it down or do I need to read through the last 1000 posts?
:lol: About right. Though I'm trying to limit the articles to only those that offer something new. (The best article of the day, by David Frum, I didn't post.)

I think your criticism is dead on about my opinion though. I admit I let these people goad me, and so I end up repeating myself. I'm going to try and stop doing that.
Lol

Could be worse.... You could be Jim 11, tommygunz, Jojo or Todd Andrews.
Don't put tommy in that group. He's partisan, but he's a reasonable guy.

 
In summation

Todd Andrews still running that unfunny Kook shtick?

Jim11 still running the stupid conservative shtick?

Tim posting news articles at least twice a day and make sure everyone in his path knows his opinion over and over and over again?

.. Do I have it down or do I need to read through the last 1000 posts?
:lol: About right. Though I'm trying to limit the articles to only those that offer something new. (The best article of the day, by David Frum, I didn't post.)

I think your criticism is dead on about my opinion though. I admit I let these people goad me, and so I end up repeating myself. I'm going to try and stop doing that.
LolCould be worse.... You could be Jim 11, tommygunz, Jojo or Todd Andrews.
Don't put tommy in that group. He's partisan, but he's a reasonable guy.
He's about as ridiculous an non partisan as tommyboyA stupid blind partisan who has worst prediction skills than lhucks, which is really hard to beat. You have to be a truly dumb dude.

 
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Are you talking about the ACA? Since when is passing a bill when you hold the majority of the House and Senate a crappy process?
When you don't #######g read it before you pass it?
This seems like a weird criticism. When's the last time a law was passed that was actually read by members of Congress? Sometime before World War II?

I'd like to revise the lawmaking process so that politicians do read the bills they're voting on, but singling out Obamacare on this issue seems odd.

 
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The reason people don't read these bills all the way through is because there are differences from state to state. For example, if the ACA contradicts existing laws in Louisiana, then you might need 400 pages of stuff dealing with these contradictions alone and how they are resolved. Is the Senator from Hawaii really required to read those 400 pages, or 50 pages dealing with an exemption for a multinational based in Florida? Hardly.

 
The reason people don't read these bills all the way through is because there are differences from state to state. For example, if the ACA contradicts existing laws in Louisiana, then you might need 400 pages of stuff dealing with these contradictions alone and how they are resolved. Is the Senator from Hawaii really required to read those 400 pages, or 50 pages dealing with an exemption for a multinational based in Florida? Hardly.
Please provide a link confirming this is the reason.

 
I seriously might not vote GOP for awhile after this debacle. What a ####show. It reflects so poorly on the entire party in the eyes of independents. How the GOP leadership can't see this is simply baffling to me.

 
The reason people don't read these bills all the way through is because there are differences from state to state. For example, if the ACA contradicts existing laws in Louisiana, then you might need 400 pages of stuff dealing with these contradictions alone and how they are resolved. Is the Senator from Hawaii really required to read those 400 pages, or 50 pages dealing with an exemption for a multinational based in Florida? Hardly.
Please provide a link confirming this is the reason.
Yeah, that doesn't seem right. Federal law trumps state law. So there's no need for Federal law to be written to deal with any contradictions.

 
The reason people don't read these bills all the way through is because there are differences from state to state. For example, if the ACA contradicts existing laws in Louisiana, then you might need 400 pages of stuff dealing with these contradictions alone and how they are resolved. Is the Senator from Hawaii really required to read those 400 pages, or 50 pages dealing with an exemption for a multinational based in Florida? Hardly.
Please provide a link confirming this is the reason.
Don't have one, and I'm not about to look for one now. It was the reason given by Al Gore during his debate with Ross Perot over Nafta- over 20 years ago now! It seemed plausible to me then, and still does. (What I can't remember is whether or not it the explanation was given during the actual debate, or by a pundit afterwards. But I always remembered that explanation.)

 
The reason people don't read these bills all the way through is because there are differences from state to state. For example, if the ACA contradicts existing laws in Louisiana, then you might need 400 pages of stuff dealing with these contradictions alone and how they are resolved. Is the Senator from Hawaii really required to read those 400 pages, or 50 pages dealing with an exemption for a multinational based in Florida? Hardly.
Please provide a link confirming this is the reason.
Yeah, that doesn't seem right. Federal law trumps state law. So there's no need for Federal law to be written to deal with any contradictions.
Yah, sorry Tim, that doesn't have anything to do with why they aren't read. They aren't read because they are hundreds of pages and they are legal documents. They are too busy making phone calls, going to lunch/dinner, doing funding parties, preparing for elections, oh, and meeting with all the special interests and even a few constituents to be able to spend the time it would take to read and understand every word of these laws as written.

 
The reason people don't read these bills all the way through is because there are differences from state to state. For example, if the ACA contradicts existing laws in Louisiana, then you might need 400 pages of stuff dealing with these contradictions alone and how they are resolved. Is the Senator from Hawaii really required to read those 400 pages, or 50 pages dealing with an exemption for a multinational based in Florida? Hardly.
Please provide a link confirming this is the reason.
Yeah, that doesn't seem right. Federal law trumps state law. So there's no need for Federal law to be written to deal with any contradictions.
That's the whole point. Federal law trumps state law, so when the bill is written, a bunch of companies contact the delegation from Delaware and say, "We don't like this part. You need to put in exemptions for our state." So then the Senators and congressmen contact the Presidents people and demand, "We need these changes written into the bill for Delaware if you want our support." And so forth. Suddenly there's 300 pages added to the bill just dealing with Delaware.

 
The reason people don't read these bills all the way through is because there are differences from state to state. For example, if the ACA contradicts existing laws in Louisiana, then you might need 400 pages of stuff dealing with these contradictions alone and how they are resolved. Is the Senator from Hawaii really required to read those 400 pages, or 50 pages dealing with an exemption for a multinational based in Florida? Hardly.
Please provide a link confirming this is the reason.
Yeah, that doesn't seem right. Federal law trumps state law. So there's no need for Federal law to be written to deal with any contradictions.
Yah, sorry Tim, that doesn't have anything to do with why they aren't read. They aren't read because they are hundreds of pages and they are legal documents. They are too busy making phone calls, going to lunch/dinner, doing funding parties, preparing for elections, oh, and meeting with all the special interests and even a few constituents to be able to spend the time it would take to read and understand every word of these laws as written.
In case you wonder, here is the table of contents of the ACA. There isn't anything about states differences in there (that I saw, although I got tired of reading and started skimmed after the first page). And you are welcome that I put it in a spoiler tag...just the TOC are pretty long.

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

TITLE I--QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE FOR ALL AMERICANS

Subtitle A--Immediate Improvements in Health Care Coverage for All

Americans

Sec. 1001. Amendments to the Public Health Service Act.

``PART A--Individual and Group Market Reforms

``subpart ii--improving coverage

``Sec. 2711. No lifetime or annual limits.

``Sec. 2712. Prohibition on rescissions.

``Sec. 2713. Coverage of preventive health services.

``Sec. 2714. Extension of dependent coverage.

``Sec. 2715. Development and utilization of uniform explanation

of coverage documents and standardized

definitions.

``Sec. 2716. Prohibition of discrimination based on salary.

``Sec. 2717. Ensuring the quality of care.

``Sec. 2718. Bringing down the cost of health care coverage.

``Sec. 2719. Appeals process.

Sec. 1002. Health insurance consumer information.

Sec. 1003. Ensuring that consumers get value for their dollars.

Sec. 1004. Effective dates.

Subtitle B--Immediate Actions to Preserve and Expand Coverage

Sec. 1101. Immediate access to insurance for uninsured individuals with

a preexisting condition.

Sec. 1102. Reinsurance for early retirees.

Sec. 1103. Immediate information that allows consumers to identify

affordable coverage options.

Sec. 1104. Administrative simplification.

Sec. 1105. Effective date.

Subtitle C--Quality Health Insurance Coverage for All Americans

PART I--Health Insurance Market Reforms

Sec. 1201. Amendment to the Public Health Service Act.

``subpart i--general reform

``Sec. 2704. Prohibition of preexisting condition exclusions or

other discrimination based on health status.

``Sec. 2701. Fair health insurance premiums.

``Sec. 2702. Guaranteed availability of coverage.

[[Page 124 STAT. 120]]

``Sec. 2703. Guaranteed renewability of coverage.

``Sec. 2705. Prohibiting discrimination against individual

participants and beneficiaries based on

health status.

``Sec. 2706. Non-discrimination in health care.

``Sec. 2707. Comprehensive health insurance coverage.

``Sec. 2708. Prohibition on excessive waiting periods.

PART II--Other Provisions

Sec. 1251. Preservation of right to maintain existing coverage.

Sec. 1252. Rating reforms must apply uniformly to all health insurance

issuers and group health plans.

Sec. 1253. Effective dates.

Subtitle D--Available Coverage Choices for All Americans

PART I--Establishment of Qualified Health Plans

Sec. 1301. Qualified health plan defined.

Sec. 1302. Essential health benefits requirements.

Sec. 1303. Special rules.

Sec. 1304. Related definitions.

PART II--Consumer Choices and Insurance Competition Through Health

Benefit Exchanges

Sec. 1311. Affordable choices of health benefit plans.

Sec. 1312. Consumer choice.

Sec. 1313. Financial integrity.

PART III--State Flexibility Relating to Exchanges

Sec. 1321. State flexibility in operation and enforcement of Exchanges

and related requirements.

Sec. 1322. Federal program to assist establishment and operation of

nonprofit, member-run health insurance issuers.

Sec. 1323. Community health insurance option.

Sec. 1324. Level playing field.

PART IV--State Flexibility to Establish Alternative Programs

Sec. 1331. State flexibility to establish basic health programs for low-

income individuals not eligible for Medicaid.

Sec. 1332. Waiver for State innovation.

Sec. 1333. Provisions relating to offering of plans in more than one

State.

PART V--Reinsurance and Risk Adjustment

Sec. 1341. Transitional reinsurance program for individual and small

group markets in each State.

Sec. 1342. Establishment of risk corridors for plans in individual and

small group markets.

Sec. 1343. Risk adjustment.

Subtitle E--Affordable Coverage Choices for All Americans

PART I--Premium Tax Credits and Cost-sharing Reductions

subpart a--premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions

Sec. 1401. Refundable tax credit providing premium assistance for

coverage under a qualified health plan.

Sec. 1402. Reduced cost-sharing for individuals enrolling in qualified

health plans.

subpart b--eligibility determinations

Sec. 1411. Procedures for determining eligibility for Exchange

participation, premium tax credits and reduced cost-sharing,

and individual responsibility exemptions.

Sec. 1412. Advance determination and payment of premium tax credits and

cost-sharing reductions.

Sec. 1413. Streamlining of procedures for enrollment through an exchange

and State Medicaid, CHIP, and health subsidy programs.

Sec. 1414. Disclosures to carry out eligibility requirements for certain

programs.

Sec. 1415. Premium tax credit and cost-sharing reduction payments

disregarded for Federal and Federally-assisted programs.

PART II--Small Business Tax Credit

Sec. 1421. Credit for employee health insurance expenses of small

businesses.

[[Page 124 STAT. 121]]

Subtitle F--Shared Responsibility for Health Care

PART I--Individual Responsibility

Sec. 1501. Requirement to maintain minimum essential coverage.

Sec. 1502. Reporting of health insurance coverage.

PART II--Employer Responsibilities

Sec. 1511. Automatic enrollment for employees of large employers.

Sec. 1512. Employer requirement to inform employees of coverage options.

Sec. 1513. Shared responsibility for employers.

Sec. 1514. Reporting of employer health insurance coverage.

Sec. 1515. Offering of Exchange-participating qualified health plans

through cafeteria plans.

Subtitle G--Miscellaneous Provisions

Sec. 1551. Definitions.

Sec. 1552. Transparency in government.

Sec. 1553. Prohibition against discrimination on assisted suicide.

Sec. 1554. Access to therapies.

Sec. 1555. Freedom not to participate in Federal health insurance

programs.

Sec. 1556. Equity for certain eligible survivors.

Sec. 1557. Nondiscrimination.

Sec. 1558. Protections for employees.

Sec. 1559. Oversight.

Sec. 1560. Rules of construction.

Sec. 1561. Health information technology enrollment standards and

protocols.

Sec. 1562. Conforming amendments.

Sec. 1563. Sense of the Senate promoting fiscal responsibility.

TITLE II--ROLE OF PUBLIC PROGRAMS

Subtitle A--Improved Access to Medicaid

Sec. 2001. Medicaid coverage for the lowest income populations.

Sec. 2002. Income eligibility for nonelderly determined using modified

gross income.

Sec. 2003. Requirement to offer premium assistance for employer-

sponsored insurance.

Sec. 2004. Medicaid coverage for former foster care children.

Sec. 2005. Payments to territories.

Sec. 2006. Special adjustment to FMAP determination for certain States

recovering from a major disaster.

Sec. 2007. Medicaid Improvement Fund rescission.

Subtitle B--Enhanced Support for the Children's Health Insurance Program

Sec. 2101. Additional federal financial participation for CHIP.

Sec. 2102. Technical corrections.

Subtitle C--Medicaid and CHIP Enrollment Simplification

Sec. 2201. Enrollment Simplification and coordination with State Health

Insurance Exchanges.

Sec. 2202. Permitting hospitals to make presumptive eligibility

determinations for all Medicaid eligible populations.

Subtitle D--Improvements to Medicaid Services

Sec. 2301. Coverage for freestanding birth center services.

Sec. 2302. Concurrent care for children.

Sec. 2303. State eligibility option for family planning services.

Sec. 2304. Clarification of definition of medical assistance.

Subtitle E--New Options for States to Provide Long-Term Services and

Supports

Sec. 2401. Community First Choice Option.

Sec. 2402. Removal of barriers to providing home and community-based

services.

Sec. 2403. Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration.

Sec. 2404. Protection for recipients of home and community-based

services against spousal impoverishment.

Sec. 2405. Funding to expand State Aging and Disability Resource

Centers.

Sec. 2406. Sense of the Senate regarding long-term care.

Subtitle F--Medicaid Prescription Drug Coverage

Sec. 2501. Prescription drug rebates.

[[Page 124 STAT. 122]]

Sec. 2502. Elimination of exclusion of coverage of certain drugs.

Sec. 2503. Providing adequate pharmacy reimbursement.

Subtitle G--Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) Payments

Sec. 2551. Disproportionate share hospital payments.

Subtitle H--Improved Coordination for Dual Eligible Beneficiaries

Sec. 2601. 5-year period for demonstration projects.

Sec. 2602. Providing Federal coverage and payment coordination for dual

eligible beneficiaries.

Subtitle I--Improving the Quality of Medicaid for Patients and Providers

Sec. 2701. Adult health quality measures.

Sec. 2702. Payment Adjustment for Health Care-Acquired Conditions.

Sec. 2703. State option to provide health homes for enrollees with

chronic conditions.

Sec. 2704. Demonstration project to evaluate integrated care around a

hospitalization.

Sec. 2705. Medicaid Global Payment System Demonstration Project.

Sec. 2706. Pediatric Accountable Care Organization Demonstration

Project.

Sec. 2707. Medicaid emergency psychiatric demonstration project.

Subtitle J--Improvements to the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access

Commission (MACPAC)

Sec. 2801. MACPAC assessment of policies affecting all Medicaid

beneficiaries.

Subtitle K--Protections for American Indians and Alaska Natives

Sec. 2901. Special rules relating to Indians.

Sec. 2902. Elimination of sunset for reimbursement for all medicare part

B services furnished by certain indian hospitals and clinics.

Subtitle L--Maternal and Child Health Services

Sec. 2951. Maternal, infant, and early childhood home visiting programs.

Sec. 2952. Support, education, and research for postpartum depression.

Sec. 2953. Personal responsibility education.

Sec. 2954. Restoration of funding for abstinence education.

Sec. 2955. Inclusion of information about the importance of having a

health care power of attorney in transition planning for

children aging out of foster care and independent living

programs.

TITLE III--IMPROVING THE QUALITY AND EFFICIENCY OF HEALTH CARE

Subtitle A--Transforming the Health Care Delivery System

PART I--Linking Payment to Quality Outcomes Under the Medicare Program

Sec. 3001. Hospital Value-Based purchasing program.

Sec. 3002. Improvements to the physician quality reporting system.

Sec. 3003. Improvements to the physician feedback program.

Sec. 3004. Quality reporting for long-term care hospitals, inpatient

rehabilitation hospitals, and hospice programs.

Sec. 3005. Quality reporting for PPS-exempt cancer hospitals.

Sec. 3006. Plans for a Value-Based purchasing program for skilled

nursing facilities and home health agencies.

Sec. 3007. Value-based payment modifier under the physician fee

schedule.

Sec. 3008. Payment adjustment for conditions acquired in hospitals.

PART II--National Strategy to Improve Health Care Quality

Sec. 3011. National strategy.

Sec. 3012. Interagency Working Group on Health Care Quality.

Sec. 3013. Quality measure development.

Sec. 3014. Quality measurement.

Sec. 3015. Data collection; public reporting.

PART III--Encouraging Development of New Patient Care Models

Sec. 3021. Establishment of Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation

within CMS.

Sec. 3022. Medicare shared savings program.

Sec. 3023. National pilot program on payment bundling.

Sec. 3024. Independence at home demonstration program.

Sec. 3025. Hospital readmissions reduction program.

[[Page 124 STAT. 123]]

Sec. 3026. Community-Based Care Transitions Program.

Sec. 3027. Extension of gainsharing demonstration.

Subtitle B--Improving Medicare for Patients and Providers

PART I--Ensuring Beneficiary Access to Physician Care and Other Services

Sec. 3101. Increase in the physician payment update.

Sec. 3102. Extension of the work geographic index floor and revisions to

the practice expense geographic adjustment under the Medicare

physician fee schedule.

Sec. 3103. Extension of exceptions process for Medicare therapy caps.

Sec. 3104. Extension of payment for technical component of certain

physician pathology services.

Sec. 3105. Extension of ambulance add-ons.

Sec. 3106. Extension of certain payment rules for long-term care

hospital services and of moratorium on the establishment of

certain hospitals and facilities.

Sec. 3107. Extension of physician fee schedule mental health add-on.

Sec. 3108. Permitting physician assistants to order post-Hospital

extended care services.

Sec. 3109. Exemption of certain pharmacies from accreditation

requirements.

Sec. 3110. Part B special enrollment period for disabled TRICARE

beneficiaries.

Sec. 3111. Payment for bone density tests.

Sec. 3112. Revision to the Medicare Improvement Fund.

Sec. 3113. Treatment of certain complex diagnostic laboratory tests.

Sec. 3114. Improved access for certified nurse-midwife services.

PART II--Rural Protections

Sec. 3121. Extension of outpatient hold harmless provision.

Sec. 3122. Extension of Medicare reasonable costs payments for certain

clinical diagnostic laboratory tests furnished to hospital

patients in certain rural areas.

Sec. 3123. Extension of the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration

Program.

Sec. 3124. Extension of the Medicare-dependent hospital (MDH) program.

Sec. 3125. Temporary improvements to the Medicare inpatient hospital

payment adjustment for low-volume hospitals.

Sec. 3126. Improvements to the demonstration project on community health

integration models in certain rural counties.

Sec. 3127. MedPAC study on adequacy of Medicare payments for health care

providers serving in rural areas.

Sec. 3128. Technical correction related to critical access hospital

services.

Sec. 3129. Extension of and revisions to Medicare rural hospital

flexibility program.

PART III--Improving Payment Accuracy

Sec. 3131. Payment adjustments for home health care.

Sec. 3132. Hospice reform.

Sec. 3133. Improvement to medicare disproportionate share hospital (DSH)

payments.

Sec. 3134. Misvalued codes under the physician fee schedule.

Sec. 3135. Modification of equipment utilization factor for advanced

imaging services.

Sec. 3136. Revision of payment for power-driven wheelchairs.

Sec. 3137. Hospital wage index improvement.

Sec. 3138. Treatment of certain cancer hospitals.

Sec. 3139. Payment for biosimilar biological products.

Sec. 3140. Medicare hospice concurrent care demonstration program.

Sec. 3141. Application of budget neutrality on a national basis in the

calculation of the Medicare hospital wage index floor.

Sec. 3142. HHS study on urban Medicare-dependent hospitals.

Sec. 3143. Protecting home health benefits.

Subtitle C--Provisions Relating to Part C

Sec. 3201. Medicare Advantage payment.

Sec. 3202. Benefit protection and simplification.

Sec. 3203. Application of coding intensity adjustment during MA payment

transition.

Sec. 3204. Simplification of annual beneficiary election periods.

Sec. 3205. Extension for specialized MA plans for special needs

individuals.

Sec. 3206. Extension of reasonable cost contracts.

Sec. 3207. Technical correction to MA private fee-for-service plans.

Sec. 3208. Making senior housing facility demonstration permanent.

[[Page 124 STAT. 124]]

Sec. 3209. Authority to deny plan bids.

Sec. 3210. Development of new standards for certain Medigap plans.

Subtitle D--Medicare Part D Improvements for Prescription Drug Plans and

MA-PD Plans

Sec. 3301. Medicare coverage gap discount program.

Sec. 3302. Improvement in determination of Medicare part D low-income

benchmark premium.

Sec. 3303. Voluntary de minimis policy for subsidy eligible individuals

under prescription drug plans and MA-PD plans.

Sec. 3304. Special rule for widows and widowers regarding eligibility

for low-income assistance.

Sec. 3305. Improved information for subsidy eligible individuals

reassigned to prescription drug plans and MA-PD plans.

Sec. 3306. Funding outreach and assistance for low-income programs.

Sec. 3307. Improving formulary requirements for prescription drug plans

and MA-PD plans with respect to certain categories or classes

of drugs.

Sec. 3308. Reducing part D premium subsidy for high-income

beneficiaries.

Sec. 3309. Elimination of cost sharing for certain dual eligible

individuals.

Sec. 3310. Reducing wasteful dispensing of outpatient prescription drugs

in long-term care facilities under prescription drug plans

and MA-PD plans.

Sec. 3311. Improved Medicare prescription drug plan and MA-PD plan

complaint system.

Sec. 3312. Uniform exceptions and appeals process for prescription drug

plans and MA-PD plans.

Sec. 3313. Office of the Inspector General studies and reports.

Sec. 3314. Including costs incurred by AIDS drug assistance programs and

Indian Health Service in providing prescription drugs toward

the annual out-of-pocket threshold under part D.

Sec. 3315. Immediate reduction in coverage gap in 2010.

Subtitle E--Ensuring Medicare Sustainability

Sec. 3401. Revision of certain market basket updates and incorporation

of productivity improvements into market basket updates that

do not already incorporate such improvements.

Sec. 3402. Temporary adjustment to the calculation of part B premiums.

Sec. 3403. Independent Medicare Advisory Board.

Subtitle F--Health Care Quality Improvements

Sec. 3501. Health care delivery system research; Quality improvement

technical assistance.

Sec. 3502. Establishing community health teams to support the patient-

centered medical home.

Sec. 3503. Medication management services in treatment of chronic

disease.

Sec. 3504. Design and implementation of regionalized systems for

emergency care.

Sec. 3505. Trauma care centers and service availability.

Sec. 3506. Program to facilitate shared decisionmaking.

Sec. 3507. Presentation of prescription drug benefit and risk

information.

Sec. 3508. Demonstration program to integrate quality improvement and

patient safety training into clinical education of health

professionals.

Sec. 3509. Improving women's health.

Sec. 3510. Patient navigator program.

Sec. 3511. Authorization of appropriations.

Subtitle G--Protecting and Improving Guaranteed Medicare Benefits

Sec. 3601. Protecting and improving guaranteed Medicare benefits.

Sec. 3602. No cuts in guaranteed benefits.

TITLE IV--PREVENTION OF CHRONIC DISEASE AND IMPROVING PUBLIC HEALTH

Subtitle A--Modernizing Disease Prevention and Public Health Systems

Sec. 4001. National Prevention, Health Promotion and Public Health

Council.

Sec. 4002. Prevention and Public Health Fund.

Sec. 4003. Clinical and community preventive services.

Sec. 4004. Education and outreach campaign regarding preventive

benefits.

Subtitle B--Increasing Access to Clinical Preventive Services

Sec. 4101. School-based health centers.

Sec. 4102. Oral healthcare prevention activities.

[[Page 124 STAT. 125]]

Sec. 4103. Medicare coverage of annual wellness visit providing a

personalized prevention plan.

Sec. 4104. Removal of barriers to preventive services in Medicare.

Sec. 4105. Evidence-based coverage of preventive services in Medicare.

Sec. 4106. Improving access to preventive services for eligible adults

in Medicaid.

Sec. 4107. Coverage of comprehensive tobacco cessation services for

pregnant women in Medicaid.

Sec. 4108. Incentives for prevention of chronic diseases in medicaid.

Subtitle C--Creating Healthier Communities

Sec. 4201. Community transformation grants.

Sec. 4202. Healthy aging, living well; evaluation of community-based

prevention and wellness programs for Medicare beneficiaries.

Sec. 4203. Removing barriers and improving access to wellness for

individuals with disabilities.

Sec. 4204. Immunizations.

Sec. 4205. Nutrition labeling of standard menu items at chain

restaurants.

Sec. 4206. Demonstration project concerning individualized wellness

plan.

Sec. 4207. Reasonable break time for nursing mothers.

Subtitle D--Support for Prevention and Public Health Innovation

Sec. 4301. Research on optimizing the delivery of public health

services.

Sec. 4302. Understanding health disparities: data collection and

analysis.

Sec. 4303. CDC and employer-based wellness programs.

Sec. 4304. Epidemiology-Laboratory Capacity Grants.

Sec. 4305. Advancing research and treatment for pain care management.

Sec. 4306. Funding for Childhood Obesity Demonstration Project.

Subtitle E--Miscellaneous Provisions

Sec. 4401. Sense of the Senate concerning CBO scoring.

Sec. 4402. Effectiveness of Federal health and wellness initiatives.

TITLE V--HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE

Subtitle A--Purpose and Definitions

Sec. 5001. Purpose.

Sec. 5002. Definitions.

Subtitle B--Innovations in the Health Care Workforce

Sec. 5101. National health care workforce commission.

Sec. 5102. State health care workforce development grants.

Sec. 5103. Health care workforce assessment.

Subtitle C--Increasing the Supply of the Health Care Workforce

Sec. 5201. Federally supported student loan funds.

Sec. 5202. Nursing student loan program.

Sec. 5203. Health care workforce loan repayment programs.

Sec. 5204. Public health workforce recruitment and retention programs.

Sec. 5205. Allied health workforce recruitment and retention programs.

Sec. 5206. Grants for State and local programs.

Sec. 5207. Funding for National Health Service Corps.

Sec. 5208. Nurse-managed health clinics.

Sec. 5209. Elimination of cap on commissioned corps.

Sec. 5210. Establishing a Ready Reserve Corps.

Subtitle D--Enhancing Health Care Workforce Education and Training

Sec. 5301. Training in family medicine, general internal medicine,

general pediatrics, and physician assistantship.

Sec. 5302. Training opportunities for direct care workers.

Sec. 5303. Training in general, pediatric, and public health dentistry.

Sec. 5304. Alternative dental health care providers demonstration

project.

Sec. 5305. Geriatric education and training; career awards;

comprehensive geriatric education.

Sec. 5306. Mental and behavioral health education and training grants.

Sec. 5307. Cultural competency, prevention, and public health and

individuals with disabilities training.

Sec. 5308. Advanced nursing education grants.

Sec. 5309. Nurse education, practice, and retention grants.

Sec. 5310. Loan repayment and scholarship program.

Sec. 5311. Nurse faculty loan program.

[[Page 124 STAT. 126]]

Sec. 5312. Authorization of appropriations for parts B through D of

title VIII.

Sec. 5313. Grants to promote the community health workforce.

Sec. 5314. Fellowship training in public health.

Sec. 5315. United States Public Health Sciences Track.

Subtitle E--Supporting the Existing Health Care Workforce

Sec. 5401. Centers of excellence.

Sec. 5402. Health care professionals training for diversity.

Sec. 5403. Interdisciplinary, community-based linkages.

Sec. 5404. Workforce diversity grants.

Sec. 5405. Primary care extension program.

Subtitle F--Strengthening Primary Care and Other Workforce Improvements

Sec. 5501. Expanding access to primary care services and general surgery

services.

Sec. 5502. Medicare Federally qualified health center improvements.

Sec. 5503. Distribution of additional residency positions.

Sec. 5504. Counting resident time in nonprovider settings.

Sec. 5505. Rules for counting resident time for didactic and scholarly

activities and other activities.

Sec. 5506. Preservation of resident cap positions from closed hospitals.

Sec. 5507. Demonstration projects To address health professions

workforce needs; extension of family-to-family health

information centers.

Sec. 5508. Increasing teaching capacity.

Sec. 5509. Graduate nurse education demonstration.

Subtitle G--Improving Access to Health Care Services

Sec. 5601. Spending for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs).

Sec. 5602. Negotiated rulemaking for development of methodology and

criteria for designating medically underserved populations

and health professions shortage areas.

Sec. 5603. Reauthorization of the Wakefield Emergency Medical Services

for Children Program.

Sec. 5604. Co-locating primary and specialty care in community-based

mental health settings.

Sec. 5605. Key National indicators.

Subtitle H--General Provisions

Sec. 5701. Reports.

TITLE VI--TRANSPARENCY AND PROGRAM INTEGRITY

Subtitle A--Physician Ownership and Other Transparency

Sec. 6001. Limitation on Medicare exception to the prohibition on

certain physician referrals for hospitals.

Sec. 6002. Transparency reports and reporting of physician ownership or

investment interests.

Sec. 6003. Disclosure requirements for in-office ancillary services

exception to the prohibition on physician self-referral for

certain imaging services.

Sec. 6004. Prescription drug sample transparency.

Sec. 6005. Pharmacy benefit managers transparency requirements.

Subtitle B--Nursing Home Transparency and Improvement

PART I--Improving Transparency of Information

Sec. 6101. Required disclosure of ownership and additional disclosable

parties information.

Sec. 6102. Accountability requirements for skilled nursing facilities

and nursing facilities.

Sec. 6103. Nursing home compare Medicare website.

Sec. 6104. Reporting of expenditures.

Sec. 6105. Standardized complaint form.

Sec. 6106. Ensuring staffing accountability.

Sec. 6107. GAO study and report on Five-Star Quality Rating System.

PART II--Targeting Enforcement

Sec. 6111. Civil money penalties.

Sec. 6112. National independent monitor demonstration project.

Sec. 6113. Notification of facility closure.

Sec. 6114. National demonstration projects on culture change and use of

information technology in nursing homes.

[[Page 124 STAT. 127]]

PART III--Improving Staff Training

Sec. 6121. Dementia and abuse prevention training.

Subtitle C--Nationwide Program for National and State Background Checks

on Direct Patient Access Employees of Long-term Care Facilities and

Providers

Sec. 6201. Nationwide program for National and State background checks

on direct patient access employees of long-term care

facilities and providers.

Subtitle D--Patient-Centered Outcomes Research

Sec. 6301. Patient-Centered Outcomes Research.

Sec. 6302. Federal coordinating council for comparative effectiveness

research.

Subtitle E--Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP Program Integrity Provisions

Sec. 6401. Provider screening and other enrollment requirements under

Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP.

Sec. 6402. Enhanced Medicare and Medicaid program integrity provisions.

Sec. 6403. Elimination of duplication between the Healthcare Integrity

and Protection Data Bank and the National Practitioner Data

Bank.

Sec. 6404. Maximum period for submission of Medicare claims reduced to

not more than 12 months.

Sec. 6405. Physicians who order items or services required to be

Medicare enrolled physicians or eligible professionals.

Sec. 6406. Requirement for physicians to provide documentation on

referrals to programs at high risk of waste and abuse.

Sec. 6407. Face to face encounter with patient required before

physicians may certify eligibility for home health services

or durable medical equipment under Medicare.

Sec. 6408. Enhanced penalties.

Sec. 6409. Medicare self-referral disclosure protocol.

Sec. 6410. Adjustments to the Medicare durable medical equipment,

prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies competitive acquisition

program.

Sec. 6411. Expansion of the Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) program.

Subtitle F--Additional Medicaid Program Integrity Provisions

Sec. 6501. Termination of provider participation under Medicaid if

terminated under Medicare or other State plan.

Sec. 6502. Medicaid exclusion from participation relating to certain

ownership, control, and management affiliations.

Sec. 6503. Billing agents, clearinghouses, or other alternate payees

required to register under Medicaid.

Sec. 6504. Requirement to report expanded set of data elements under

MMIS to detect fraud and abuse.

Sec. 6505. Prohibition on payments to institutions or entities located

outside of the United States.

Sec. 6506. Overpayments.

Sec. 6507. Mandatory State use of national correct coding initiative.

Sec. 6508. General effective date.

Subtitle G--Additional Program Integrity Provisions

Sec. 6601. Prohibition on false statements and representations.

Sec. 6602. Clarifying definition.

Sec. 6603. Development of model uniform report form.

Sec. 6604. Applicability of State law to combat fraud and abuse.

Sec. 6605. Enabling the Department of Labor to issue administrative

summary cease and desist orders and summary seizures orders

against plans that are in financially hazardous condition.

Sec. 6606. MEWA plan registration with Department of Labor.

Sec. 6607. Permitting evidentiary privilege and confidential

communications.

Subtitle H--Elder Justice Act

Sec. 6701. Short title of subtitle.

Sec. 6702. Definitions.

Sec. 6703. Elder Justice.

Subtitle I--Sense of the Senate Regarding Medical Malpractice

Sec. 6801. Sense of the Senate regarding medical malpractice.

TITLE VII--IMPROVING ACCESS TO INNOVATIVE MEDICAL THERAPIES

Subtitle A--Biologics Price Competition and Innovation

Sec. 7001. Short title.

[[Page 124 STAT. 128]]

Sec. 7002. Approval pathway for biosimilar biological products.

Sec. 7003. Savings.

Subtitle B--More Affordable Medicines for Children and Underserved

Communities

Sec. 7101. Expanded participation in 340B program.

Sec. 7102. Improvements to 340B program integrity.

Sec. 7103. GAO study to make recommendations on improving the 340B

program.

TITLE VIII--CLASS ACT

Sec. 8001. Short title of title.

Sec. 8002. Establishment of national voluntary insurance program for

purchasing community living assistance services and support.

TITLE IX--REVENUE PROVISIONS

Subtitle A--Revenue Offset Provisions

Sec. 9001. Excise tax on high cost employer-sponsored health coverage.

Sec. 9002. Inclusion of cost of employer-sponsored health coverage on W-

2.

Sec. 9003. Distributions for medicine qualified only if for prescribed

drug or insulin.

Sec. 9004. Increase in additional tax on distributions from HSAs and

Archer MSAs not used for qualified medical expenses.

Sec. 9005. Limitation on health flexible spending arrangements under

cafeteria plans.

Sec. 9006. Expansion of information reporting requirements.

Sec. 9007. Additional requirements for charitable hospitals.

Sec. 9008. Imposition of annual fee on branded prescription

pharmaceutical manufacturers and importers.

Sec. 9009. Imposition of annual fee on medical device manufacturers and

importers.

Sec. 9010. Imposition of annual fee on health insurance providers.

Sec. 9011. Study and report of effect on veterans health care.

Sec. 9012. Elimination of deduction for expenses allocable to Medicare

Part D subsidy.

Sec. 9013. Modification of itemized deduction for medical expenses.

Sec. 9014. Limitation on excessive remuneration paid by certain health

insurance providers.

Sec. 9015. Additional hospital insurance tax on high-income taxpayers.

Sec. 9016. Modification of section 833 treatment of certain health

organizations.

Sec. 9017. Excise tax on elective cosmetic medical procedures.

Subtitle B--Other Provisions

Sec. 9021. Exclusion of health benefits provided by Indian tribal

governments.

Sec. 9022. Establishment of simple cafeteria plans for small businesses.

Sec. 9023. Qualifying therapeutic discovery project credit.

TITLE X--STRENGTHENING QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE FOR ALL AMERICANS

Subtitle A--Provisions Relating to Title I

Sec. 10101. Amendments to subtitle A.

Sec. 10102. Amendments to subtitle B.

Sec. 10103. Amendments to subtitle C.

Sec. 10104. Amendments to subtitle D.

Sec. 10105. Amendments to subtitle E.

Sec. 10106. Amendments to subtitle F.

Sec. 10107. Amendments to subtitle G.

Sec. 10108. Free choice vouchers.

Sec. 10109. Development of standards for financial and administrative

transactions.

Subtitle B--Provisions Relating to Title II

PART I--Medicaid and CHIP

Sec. 10201. Amendments to the Social Security Act and title II of this

Act.

Sec. 10202. Incentives for States to offer home and community-based

services as a long-term care alternative to nursing homes.

Sec. 10203. Extension of funding for CHIP through fiscal year 2015 and

other CHIP-related provisions.

PART II--Support for Pregnant and Parenting Teens and Women

Sec. 10211. Definitions.

[[Page 124 STAT. 129]]

Sec. 10212. Establishment of pregnancy assistance fund.

Sec. 10213. Permissible uses of Fund.

Sec. 10214. Appropriations.

PART III--Indian Health Care Improvement

Sec. 10221. Indian health care improvement.

Subtitle C--Provisions Relating to Title III

Sec. 10301. Plans for a Value-Based purchasing program for ambulatory

surgical centers.

Sec. 10302. Revision to national strategy for quality improvement in

health care.

Sec. 10303. Development of outcome measures.

Sec. 10304. Selection of efficiency measures.

Sec. 10305. Data collection; public reporting.

Sec. 10306. Improvements under the Center for Medicare and Medicaid

Innovation.

Sec. 10307. Improvements to the Medicare shared savings program.

Sec. 10308. Revisions to national pilot program on payment bundling.

Sec. 10309. Revisions to hospital readmissions reduction program.

Sec. 10310. Repeal of physician payment update.

Sec. 10311. Revisions to extension of ambulance add-ons.

Sec. 10312. Certain payment rules for long-term care hospital services

and moratorium on the establishment of certain hospitals and

facilities.

Sec. 10313. Revisions to the extension for the rural community hospital

demonstration program.

Sec. 10314. Adjustment to low-volume hospital provision.

Sec. 10315. Revisions to home health care provisions.

Sec. 10316. Medicare DSH.

Sec. 10317. Revisions to extension of section 508 hospital provisions.

Sec. 10318. Revisions to transitional extra benefits under Medicare

Advantage.

Sec. 10319. Revisions to market basket adjustments.

Sec. 10320. Expansion of the scope of, and additional improvements to,

the Independent Medicare Advisory Board.

Sec. 10321. Revision to community health teams.

Sec. 10322. Quality reporting for psychiatric hospitals.

Sec. 10323. Medicare coverage for individuals exposed to environmental

health hazards.

Sec. 10324. Protections for frontier States.

Sec. 10325. Revision to skilled nursing facility prospective payment

system.

Sec. 10326. Pilot testing pay-for-performance programs for certain

Medicare providers.

Sec. 10327. Improvements to the physician quality reporting system.

Sec. 10328. Improvement in part D medication therapy management (MTM)

programs.

Sec. 10329. Developing methodology to assess health plan value.

Sec. 10330. Modernizing computer and data systems of the Centers for

Medicare & Medicaid services to support improvements in care

delivery.

Sec. 10331. Public reporting of performance information.

Sec. 10332. Availability of medicare data for performance measurement.

Sec. 10333. Community-based collaborative care networks.

Sec. 10334. Minority health.

Sec. 10335. Technical correction to the hospital value-based purchasing

program.

Sec. 10336. GAO study and report on Medicare beneficiary access to high-

quality dialysis services.

Subtitle D--Provisions Relating to Title IV

Sec. 10401. Amendments to subtitle A.

Sec. 10402. Amendments to subtitle B.

Sec. 10403. Amendments to subtitle C.

Sec. 10404. Amendments to subtitle D.

Sec. 10405. Amendments to subtitle E.

Sec. 10406. Amendment relating to waiving coinsurance for preventive

services.

Sec. 10407. Better diabetes care.

Sec. 10408. Grants for small businesses to provide comprehensive

workplace wellness programs.

Sec. 10409. Cures Acceleration Network.

Sec. 10410. Centers of Excellence for Depression.

Sec. 10411. Programs relating to congenital heart disease.

Sec. 10412. Automated Defibrillation in Adam's Memory Act.

Sec. 10413. Young women's breast health awareness and support of young

women diagnosed with breast cancer.

Subtitle E--Provisions Relating to Title V

Sec. 10501. Amendments to the Public Health Service Act, the Social

Security Act, and title V of this Act.

[[Page 124 STAT. 130]]

Sec. 10502. Infrastructure to Expand Access to Care.

Sec. 10503. Community Health Centers and the National Health Service

Corps Fund.

Sec. 10504. Demonstration project to provide access to affordable care.

Subtitle F--Provisions Relating to Title VI

Sec. 10601. Revisions to limitation on medicare exception to the

prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals.

Sec. 10602. Clarifications to patient-centered outcomes research.

Sec. 10603. Striking provisions relating to individual provider

application fees.

Sec. 10604. Technical correction to section 6405.

Sec. 10605. Certain other providers permitted to conduct face to face

encounter for home health services.

Sec. 10606. Health care fraud enforcement.

Sec. 10607. State demonstration programs to evaluate alternatives to

current medical tort litigation.

Sec. 10608. Extension of medical malpractice coverage to free clinics.

Sec. 10609. Labeling changes.

Subtitle G--Provisions Relating to Title VIII

Sec. 10801. Provisions relating to title VIII.

Subtitle H--Provisions Relating to Title IX

Sec. 10901. Modifications to excise tax on high cost employer-sponsored

health coverage.

Sec. 10902. Inflation adjustment of limitation on health flexible

spending arrangements under cafeteria plans.

Sec. 10903. Modification of limitation on charges by charitable

hospitals.

Sec. 10904. Modification of annual fee on medical device manufacturers

and importers.

Sec. 10905. Modification of annual fee on health insurance providers.

Sec. 10906. Modifications to additional hospital insurance tax on high-

income taxpayers.

Sec. 10907. Excise tax on indoor tanning services in lieu of elective

cosmetic medical procedures.

Sec. 10908. Exclusion for assistance provided to participants in State

student loan repayment programs for certain health

professionals.

Sec. 10909. Expansion of adoption credit and adoption assistance

programs.
 
The reason people don't read these bills all the way through is because there are differences from state to state. For example, if the ACA contradicts existing laws in Louisiana, then you might need 400 pages of stuff dealing with these contradictions alone and how they are resolved. Is the Senator from Hawaii really required to read those 400 pages, or 50 pages dealing with an exemption for a multinational based in Florida? Hardly.
Please provide a link confirming this is the reason.
Yeah, that doesn't seem right. Federal law trumps state law. So there's no need for Federal law to be written to deal with any contradictions.
That's the whole point. Federal law trumps state law, so when the bill is written, a bunch of companies contact the delegation from Delaware and say, "We don't like this part. You need to put in exemptions for our state." So then the Senators and congressmen contact the Presidents people and demand, "We need these changes written into the bill for Delaware if you want our support." And so forth. Suddenly there's 300 pages added to the bill just dealing with Delaware.
:lmao:

 
The reason people don't read these bills all the way through is because there are differences from state to state. For example, if the ACA contradicts existing laws in Louisiana, then you might need 400 pages of stuff dealing with these contradictions alone and how they are resolved. Is the Senator from Hawaii really required to read those 400 pages, or 50 pages dealing with an exemption for a multinational based in Florida? Hardly.
Please provide a link confirming this is the reason.
Yeah, that doesn't seem right. Federal law trumps state law. So there's no need for Federal law to be written to deal with any contradictions.
Yah, sorry Tim, that doesn't have anything to do with why they aren't read. They aren't read because they are hundreds of pages and they are legal documents. They are too busy making phone calls, going to lunch/dinner, doing funding parties, preparing for elections, oh, and meeting with all the special interests and even a few constituents to be able to spend the time it would take to read and understand every word of these laws as written.
In case you wonder, here is the table of contents of the ACA. There isn't anything about states differences in there (that I saw, although I got tired of reading and started skimmed after the first page). And you are welcome that I put it in a spoiler tag...just the TOC are pretty long.

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

TITLE I--QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE FOR ALL AMERICANS

Subtitle A--Immediate Improvements in Health Care Coverage for All

Americans

Sec. 1001. Amendments to the Public Health Service Act.

``PART A--Individual and Group Market Reforms

``subpart ii--improving coverage

``Sec. 2711. No lifetime or annual limits.

``Sec. 2712. Prohibition on rescissions.

``Sec. 2713. Coverage of preventive health services.

``Sec. 2714. Extension of dependent coverage.

``Sec. 2715. Development and utilization of uniform explanation

of coverage documents and standardized

definitions.

``Sec. 2716. Prohibition of discrimination based on salary.

``Sec. 2717. Ensuring the quality of care.

``Sec. 2718. Bringing down the cost of health care coverage.

``Sec. 2719. Appeals process.

Sec. 1002. Health insurance consumer information.

Sec. 1003. Ensuring that consumers get value for their dollars.

Sec. 1004. Effective dates.

Subtitle B--Immediate Actions to Preserve and Expand Coverage

Sec. 1101. Immediate access to insurance for uninsured individuals with

a preexisting condition.

Sec. 1102. Reinsurance for early retirees.

Sec. 1103. Immediate information that allows consumers to identify

affordable coverage options.

Sec. 1104. Administrative simplification.

Sec. 1105. Effective date.

Subtitle C--Quality Health Insurance Coverage for All Americans

PART I--Health Insurance Market Reforms

Sec. 1201. Amendment to the Public Health Service Act.

``subpart i--general reform

``Sec. 2704. Prohibition of preexisting condition exclusions or

other discrimination based on health status.

``Sec. 2701. Fair health insurance premiums.

``Sec. 2702. Guaranteed availability of coverage.

[[Page 124 STAT. 120]]

``Sec. 2703. Guaranteed renewability of coverage.

``Sec. 2705. Prohibiting discrimination against individual

participants and beneficiaries based on

health status.

``Sec. 2706. Non-discrimination in health care.

``Sec. 2707. Comprehensive health insurance coverage.

``Sec. 2708. Prohibition on excessive waiting periods.

PART II--Other Provisions

Sec. 1251. Preservation of right to maintain existing coverage.

Sec. 1252. Rating reforms must apply uniformly to all health insurance

issuers and group health plans.

Sec. 1253. Effective dates.

Subtitle D--Available Coverage Choices for All Americans

PART I--Establishment of Qualified Health Plans

Sec. 1301. Qualified health plan defined.

Sec. 1302. Essential health benefits requirements.

Sec. 1303. Special rules.

Sec. 1304. Related definitions.

PART II--Consumer Choices and Insurance Competition Through Health

Benefit Exchanges

Sec. 1311. Affordable choices of health benefit plans.

Sec. 1312. Consumer choice.

Sec. 1313. Financial integrity.

PART III--State Flexibility Relating to Exchanges

Sec. 1321. State flexibility in operation and enforcement of Exchanges

and related requirements.

Sec. 1322. Federal program to assist establishment and operation of

nonprofit, member-run health insurance issuers.

Sec. 1323. Community health insurance option.

Sec. 1324. Level playing field.

PART IV--State Flexibility to Establish Alternative Programs

Sec. 1331. State flexibility to establish basic health programs for low-

income individuals not eligible for Medicaid.

Sec. 1332. Waiver for State innovation.

Sec. 1333. Provisions relating to offering of plans in more than one

State.

PART V--Reinsurance and Risk Adjustment

Sec. 1341. Transitional reinsurance program for individual and small

group markets in each State.

Sec. 1342. Establishment of risk corridors for plans in individual and

small group markets.

Sec. 1343. Risk adjustment.

Subtitle E--Affordable Coverage Choices for All Americans

PART I--Premium Tax Credits and Cost-sharing Reductions

subpart a--premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions

Sec. 1401. Refundable tax credit providing premium assistance for

coverage under a qualified health plan.

Sec. 1402. Reduced cost-sharing for individuals enrolling in qualified

health plans.

subpart b--eligibility determinations

Sec. 1411. Procedures for determining eligibility for Exchange

participation, premium tax credits and reduced cost-sharing,

and individual responsibility exemptions.

Sec. 1412. Advance determination and payment of premium tax credits and

cost-sharing reductions.

Sec. 1413. Streamlining of procedures for enrollment through an exchange

and State Medicaid, CHIP, and health subsidy programs.

Sec. 1414. Disclosures to carry out eligibility requirements for certain

programs.

Sec. 1415. Premium tax credit and cost-sharing reduction payments

disregarded for Federal and Federally-assisted programs.

PART II--Small Business Tax Credit

Sec. 1421. Credit for employee health insurance expenses of small

businesses.

[[Page 124 STAT. 121]]

Subtitle F--Shared Responsibility for Health Care

PART I--Individual Responsibility

Sec. 1501. Requirement to maintain minimum essential coverage.

Sec. 1502. Reporting of health insurance coverage.

PART II--Employer Responsibilities

Sec. 1511. Automatic enrollment for employees of large employers.

Sec. 1512. Employer requirement to inform employees of coverage options.

Sec. 1513. Shared responsibility for employers.

Sec. 1514. Reporting of employer health insurance coverage.

Sec. 1515. Offering of Exchange-participating qualified health plans

through cafeteria plans.

Subtitle G--Miscellaneous Provisions

Sec. 1551. Definitions.

Sec. 1552. Transparency in government.

Sec. 1553. Prohibition against discrimination on assisted suicide.

Sec. 1554. Access to therapies.

Sec. 1555. Freedom not to participate in Federal health insurance

programs.

Sec. 1556. Equity for certain eligible survivors.

Sec. 1557. Nondiscrimination.

Sec. 1558. Protections for employees.

Sec. 1559. Oversight.

Sec. 1560. Rules of construction.

Sec. 1561. Health information technology enrollment standards and

protocols.

Sec. 1562. Conforming amendments.

Sec. 1563. Sense of the Senate promoting fiscal responsibility.

TITLE II--ROLE OF PUBLIC PROGRAMS

Subtitle A--Improved Access to Medicaid

Sec. 2001. Medicaid coverage for the lowest income populations.

Sec. 2002. Income eligibility for nonelderly determined using modified

gross income.

Sec. 2003. Requirement to offer premium assistance for employer-

sponsored insurance.

Sec. 2004. Medicaid coverage for former foster care children.

Sec. 2005. Payments to territories.

Sec. 2006. Special adjustment to FMAP determination for certain States

recovering from a major disaster.

Sec. 2007. Medicaid Improvement Fund rescission.

Subtitle B--Enhanced Support for the Children's Health Insurance Program

Sec. 2101. Additional federal financial participation for CHIP.

Sec. 2102. Technical corrections.

Subtitle C--Medicaid and CHIP Enrollment Simplification

Sec. 2201. Enrollment Simplification and coordination with State Health

Insurance Exchanges.

Sec. 2202. Permitting hospitals to make presumptive eligibility

determinations for all Medicaid eligible populations.

Subtitle D--Improvements to Medicaid Services

Sec. 2301. Coverage for freestanding birth center services.

Sec. 2302. Concurrent care for children.

Sec. 2303. State eligibility option for family planning services.

Sec. 2304. Clarification of definition of medical assistance.

Subtitle E--New Options for States to Provide Long-Term Services and

Supports

Sec. 2401. Community First Choice Option.

Sec. 2402. Removal of barriers to providing home and community-based

services.

Sec. 2403. Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration.

Sec. 2404. Protection for recipients of home and community-based

services against spousal impoverishment.

Sec. 2405. Funding to expand State Aging and Disability Resource

Centers.

Sec. 2406. Sense of the Senate regarding long-term care.

Subtitle F--Medicaid Prescription Drug Coverage

Sec. 2501. Prescription drug rebates.

[[Page 124 STAT. 122]]

Sec. 2502. Elimination of exclusion of coverage of certain drugs.

Sec. 2503. Providing adequate pharmacy reimbursement.

Subtitle G--Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) Payments

Sec. 2551. Disproportionate share hospital payments.

Subtitle H--Improved Coordination for Dual Eligible Beneficiaries

Sec. 2601. 5-year period for demonstration projects.

Sec. 2602. Providing Federal coverage and payment coordination for dual

eligible beneficiaries.

Subtitle I--Improving the Quality of Medicaid for Patients and Providers

Sec. 2701. Adult health quality measures.

Sec. 2702. Payment Adjustment for Health Care-Acquired Conditions.

Sec. 2703. State option to provide health homes for enrollees with

chronic conditions.

Sec. 2704. Demonstration project to evaluate integrated care around a

hospitalization.

Sec. 2705. Medicaid Global Payment System Demonstration Project.

Sec. 2706. Pediatric Accountable Care Organization Demonstration

Project.

Sec. 2707. Medicaid emergency psychiatric demonstration project.

Subtitle J--Improvements to the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access

Commission (MACPAC)

Sec. 2801. MACPAC assessment of policies affecting all Medicaid

beneficiaries.

Subtitle K--Protections for American Indians and Alaska Natives

Sec. 2901. Special rules relating to Indians.

Sec. 2902. Elimination of sunset for reimbursement for all medicare part

B services furnished by certain indian hospitals and clinics.

Subtitle L--Maternal and Child Health Services

Sec. 2951. Maternal, infant, and early childhood home visiting programs.

Sec. 2952. Support, education, and research for postpartum depression.

Sec. 2953. Personal responsibility education.

Sec. 2954. Restoration of funding for abstinence education.

Sec. 2955. Inclusion of information about the importance of having a

health care power of attorney in transition planning for

children aging out of foster care and independent living

programs.

TITLE III--IMPROVING THE QUALITY AND EFFICIENCY OF HEALTH CARE

Subtitle A--Transforming the Health Care Delivery System

PART I--Linking Payment to Quality Outcomes Under the Medicare Program

Sec. 3001. Hospital Value-Based purchasing program.

Sec. 3002. Improvements to the physician quality reporting system.

Sec. 3003. Improvements to the physician feedback program.

Sec. 3004. Quality reporting for long-term care hospitals, inpatient

rehabilitation hospitals, and hospice programs.

Sec. 3005. Quality reporting for PPS-exempt cancer hospitals.

Sec. 3006. Plans for a Value-Based purchasing program for skilled

nursing facilities and home health agencies.

Sec. 3007. Value-based payment modifier under the physician fee

schedule.

Sec. 3008. Payment adjustment for conditions acquired in hospitals.

PART II--National Strategy to Improve Health Care Quality

Sec. 3011. National strategy.

Sec. 3012. Interagency Working Group on Health Care Quality.

Sec. 3013. Quality measure development.

Sec. 3014. Quality measurement.

Sec. 3015. Data collection; public reporting.

PART III--Encouraging Development of New Patient Care Models

Sec. 3021. Establishment of Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation

within CMS.

Sec. 3022. Medicare shared savings program.

Sec. 3023. National pilot program on payment bundling.

Sec. 3024. Independence at home demonstration program.

Sec. 3025. Hospital readmissions reduction program.

[[Page 124 STAT. 123]]

Sec. 3026. Community-Based Care Transitions Program.

Sec. 3027. Extension of gainsharing demonstration.

Subtitle B--Improving Medicare for Patients and Providers

PART I--Ensuring Beneficiary Access to Physician Care and Other Services

Sec. 3101. Increase in the physician payment update.

Sec. 3102. Extension of the work geographic index floor and revisions to

the practice expense geographic adjustment under the Medicare

physician fee schedule.

Sec. 3103. Extension of exceptions process for Medicare therapy caps.

Sec. 3104. Extension of payment for technical component of certain

physician pathology services.

Sec. 3105. Extension of ambulance add-ons.

Sec. 3106. Extension of certain payment rules for long-term care

hospital services and of moratorium on the establishment of

certain hospitals and facilities.

Sec. 3107. Extension of physician fee schedule mental health add-on.

Sec. 3108. Permitting physician assistants to order post-Hospital

extended care services.

Sec. 3109. Exemption of certain pharmacies from accreditation

requirements.

Sec. 3110. Part B special enrollment period for disabled TRICARE

beneficiaries.

Sec. 3111. Payment for bone density tests.

Sec. 3112. Revision to the Medicare Improvement Fund.

Sec. 3113. Treatment of certain complex diagnostic laboratory tests.

Sec. 3114. Improved access for certified nurse-midwife services.

PART II--Rural Protections

Sec. 3121. Extension of outpatient hold harmless provision.

Sec. 3122. Extension of Medicare reasonable costs payments for certain

clinical diagnostic laboratory tests furnished to hospital

patients in certain rural areas.

Sec. 3123. Extension of the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration

Program.

Sec. 3124. Extension of the Medicare-dependent hospital (MDH) program.

Sec. 3125. Temporary improvements to the Medicare inpatient hospital

payment adjustment for low-volume hospitals.

Sec. 3126. Improvements to the demonstration project on community health

integration models in certain rural counties.

Sec. 3127. MedPAC study on adequacy of Medicare payments for health care

providers serving in rural areas.

Sec. 3128. Technical correction related to critical access hospital

services.

Sec. 3129. Extension of and revisions to Medicare rural hospital

flexibility program.

PART III--Improving Payment Accuracy

Sec. 3131. Payment adjustments for home health care.

Sec. 3132. Hospice reform.

Sec. 3133. Improvement to medicare disproportionate share hospital (DSH)

payments.

Sec. 3134. Misvalued codes under the physician fee schedule.

Sec. 3135. Modification of equipment utilization factor for advanced

imaging services.

Sec. 3136. Revision of payment for power-driven wheelchairs.

Sec. 3137. Hospital wage index improvement.

Sec. 3138. Treatment of certain cancer hospitals.

Sec. 3139. Payment for biosimilar biological products.

Sec. 3140. Medicare hospice concurrent care demonstration program.

Sec. 3141. Application of budget neutrality on a national basis in the

calculation of the Medicare hospital wage index floor.

Sec. 3142. HHS study on urban Medicare-dependent hospitals.

Sec. 3143. Protecting home health benefits.

Subtitle C--Provisions Relating to Part C

Sec. 3201. Medicare Advantage payment.

Sec. 3202. Benefit protection and simplification.

Sec. 3203. Application of coding intensity adjustment during MA payment

transition.

Sec. 3204. Simplification of annual beneficiary election periods.

Sec. 3205. Extension for specialized MA plans for special needs

individuals.

Sec. 3206. Extension of reasonable cost contracts.

Sec. 3207. Technical correction to MA private fee-for-service plans.

Sec. 3208. Making senior housing facility demonstration permanent.

[[Page 124 STAT. 124]]

Sec. 3209. Authority to deny plan bids.

Sec. 3210. Development of new standards for certain Medigap plans.

Subtitle D--Medicare Part D Improvements for Prescription Drug Plans and

MA-PD Plans

Sec. 3301. Medicare coverage gap discount program.

Sec. 3302. Improvement in determination of Medicare part D low-income

benchmark premium.

Sec. 3303. Voluntary de minimis policy for subsidy eligible individuals

under prescription drug plans and MA-PD plans.

Sec. 3304. Special rule for widows and widowers regarding eligibility

for low-income assistance.

Sec. 3305. Improved information for subsidy eligible individuals

reassigned to prescription drug plans and MA-PD plans.

Sec. 3306. Funding outreach and assistance for low-income programs.

Sec. 3307. Improving formulary requirements for prescription drug plans

and MA-PD plans with respect to certain categories or classes

of drugs.

Sec. 3308. Reducing part D premium subsidy for high-income

beneficiaries.

Sec. 3309. Elimination of cost sharing for certain dual eligible

individuals.

Sec. 3310. Reducing wasteful dispensing of outpatient prescription drugs

in long-term care facilities under prescription drug plans

and MA-PD plans.

Sec. 3311. Improved Medicare prescription drug plan and MA-PD plan

complaint system.

Sec. 3312. Uniform exceptions and appeals process for prescription drug

plans and MA-PD plans.

Sec. 3313. Office of the Inspector General studies and reports.

Sec. 3314. Including costs incurred by AIDS drug assistance programs and

Indian Health Service in providing prescription drugs toward

the annual out-of-pocket threshold under part D.

Sec. 3315. Immediate reduction in coverage gap in 2010.

Subtitle E--Ensuring Medicare Sustainability

Sec. 3401. Revision of certain market basket updates and incorporation

of productivity improvements into market basket updates that

do not already incorporate such improvements.

Sec. 3402. Temporary adjustment to the calculation of part B premiums.

Sec. 3403. Independent Medicare Advisory Board.

Subtitle F--Health Care Quality Improvements

Sec. 3501. Health care delivery system research; Quality improvement

technical assistance.

Sec. 3502. Establishing community health teams to support the patient-

centered medical home.

Sec. 3503. Medication management services in treatment of chronic

disease.

Sec. 3504. Design and implementation of regionalized systems for

emergency care.

Sec. 3505. Trauma care centers and service availability.

Sec. 3506. Program to facilitate shared decisionmaking.

Sec. 3507. Presentation of prescription drug benefit and risk

information.

Sec. 3508. Demonstration program to integrate quality improvement and

patient safety training into clinical education of health

professionals.

Sec. 3509. Improving women's health.

Sec. 3510. Patient navigator program.

Sec. 3511. Authorization of appropriations.

Subtitle G--Protecting and Improving Guaranteed Medicare Benefits

Sec. 3601. Protecting and improving guaranteed Medicare benefits.

Sec. 3602. No cuts in guaranteed benefits.

TITLE IV--PREVENTION OF CHRONIC DISEASE AND IMPROVING PUBLIC HEALTH

Subtitle A--Modernizing Disease Prevention and Public Health Systems

Sec. 4001. National Prevention, Health Promotion and Public Health

Council.

Sec. 4002. Prevention and Public Health Fund.

Sec. 4003. Clinical and community preventive services.

Sec. 4004. Education and outreach campaign regarding preventive

benefits.

Subtitle B--Increasing Access to Clinical Preventive Services

Sec. 4101. School-based health centers.

Sec. 4102. Oral healthcare prevention activities.

[[Page 124 STAT. 125]]

Sec. 4103. Medicare coverage of annual wellness visit providing a

personalized prevention plan.

Sec. 4104. Removal of barriers to preventive services in Medicare.

Sec. 4105. Evidence-based coverage of preventive services in Medicare.

Sec. 4106. Improving access to preventive services for eligible adults

in Medicaid.

Sec. 4107. Coverage of comprehensive tobacco cessation services for

pregnant women in Medicaid.

Sec. 4108. Incentives for prevention of chronic diseases in medicaid.

Subtitle C--Creating Healthier Communities

Sec. 4201. Community transformation grants.

Sec. 4202. Healthy aging, living well; evaluation of community-based

prevention and wellness programs for Medicare beneficiaries.

Sec. 4203. Removing barriers and improving access to wellness for

individuals with disabilities.

Sec. 4204. Immunizations.

Sec. 4205. Nutrition labeling of standard menu items at chain

restaurants.

Sec. 4206. Demonstration project concerning individualized wellness

plan.

Sec. 4207. Reasonable break time for nursing mothers.

Subtitle D--Support for Prevention and Public Health Innovation

Sec. 4301. Research on optimizing the delivery of public health

services.

Sec. 4302. Understanding health disparities: data collection and

analysis.

Sec. 4303. CDC and employer-based wellness programs.

Sec. 4304. Epidemiology-Laboratory Capacity Grants.

Sec. 4305. Advancing research and treatment for pain care management.

Sec. 4306. Funding for Childhood Obesity Demonstration Project.

Subtitle E--Miscellaneous Provisions

Sec. 4401. Sense of the Senate concerning CBO scoring.

Sec. 4402. Effectiveness of Federal health and wellness initiatives.

TITLE V--HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE

Subtitle A--Purpose and Definitions

Sec. 5001. Purpose.

Sec. 5002. Definitions.

Subtitle B--Innovations in the Health Care Workforce

Sec. 5101. National health care workforce commission.

Sec. 5102. State health care workforce development grants.

Sec. 5103. Health care workforce assessment.

Subtitle C--Increasing the Supply of the Health Care Workforce

Sec. 5201. Federally supported student loan funds.

Sec. 5202. Nursing student loan program.

Sec. 5203. Health care workforce loan repayment programs.

Sec. 5204. Public health workforce recruitment and retention programs.

Sec. 5205. Allied health workforce recruitment and retention programs.

Sec. 5206. Grants for State and local programs.

Sec. 5207. Funding for National Health Service Corps.

Sec. 5208. Nurse-managed health clinics.

Sec. 5209. Elimination of cap on commissioned corps.

Sec. 5210. Establishing a Ready Reserve Corps.

Subtitle D--Enhancing Health Care Workforce Education and Training

Sec. 5301. Training in family medicine, general internal medicine,

general pediatrics, and physician assistantship.

Sec. 5302. Training opportunities for direct care workers.

Sec. 5303. Training in general, pediatric, and public health dentistry.

Sec. 5304. Alternative dental health care providers demonstration

project.

Sec. 5305. Geriatric education and training; career awards;

comprehensive geriatric education.

Sec. 5306. Mental and behavioral health education and training grants.

Sec. 5307. Cultural competency, prevention, and public health and

individuals with disabilities training.

Sec. 5308. Advanced nursing education grants.

Sec. 5309. Nurse education, practice, and retention grants.

Sec. 5310. Loan repayment and scholarship program.

Sec. 5311. Nurse faculty loan program.

[[Page 124 STAT. 126]]

Sec. 5312. Authorization of appropriations for parts B through D of

title VIII.

Sec. 5313. Grants to promote the community health workforce.

Sec. 5314. Fellowship training in public health.

Sec. 5315. United States Public Health Sciences Track.

Subtitle E--Supporting the Existing Health Care Workforce

Sec. 5401. Centers of excellence.

Sec. 5402. Health care professionals training for diversity.

Sec. 5403. Interdisciplinary, community-based linkages.

Sec. 5404. Workforce diversity grants.

Sec. 5405. Primary care extension program.

Subtitle F--Strengthening Primary Care and Other Workforce Improvements

Sec. 5501. Expanding access to primary care services and general surgery

services.

Sec. 5502. Medicare Federally qualified health center improvements.

Sec. 5503. Distribution of additional residency positions.

Sec. 5504. Counting resident time in nonprovider settings.

Sec. 5505. Rules for counting resident time for didactic and scholarly

activities and other activities.

Sec. 5506. Preservation of resident cap positions from closed hospitals.

Sec. 5507. Demonstration projects To address health professions

workforce needs; extension of family-to-family health

information centers.

Sec. 5508. Increasing teaching capacity.

Sec. 5509. Graduate nurse education demonstration.

Subtitle G--Improving Access to Health Care Services

Sec. 5601. Spending for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs).

Sec. 5602. Negotiated rulemaking for development of methodology and

criteria for designating medically underserved populations

and health professions shortage areas.

Sec. 5603. Reauthorization of the Wakefield Emergency Medical Services

for Children Program.

Sec. 5604. Co-locating primary and specialty care in community-based

mental health settings.

Sec. 5605. Key National indicators.

Subtitle H--General Provisions

Sec. 5701. Reports.

TITLE VI--TRANSPARENCY AND PROGRAM INTEGRITY

Subtitle A--Physician Ownership and Other Transparency

Sec. 6001. Limitation on Medicare exception to the prohibition on

certain physician referrals for hospitals.

Sec. 6002. Transparency reports and reporting of physician ownership or

investment interests.

Sec. 6003. Disclosure requirements for in-office ancillary services

exception to the prohibition on physician self-referral for

certain imaging services.

Sec. 6004. Prescription drug sample transparency.

Sec. 6005. Pharmacy benefit managers transparency requirements.

Subtitle B--Nursing Home Transparency and Improvement

PART I--Improving Transparency of Information

Sec. 6101. Required disclosure of ownership and additional disclosable

parties information.

Sec. 6102. Accountability requirements for skilled nursing facilities

and nursing facilities.

Sec. 6103. Nursing home compare Medicare website.

Sec. 6104. Reporting of expenditures.

Sec. 6105. Standardized complaint form.

Sec. 6106. Ensuring staffing accountability.

Sec. 6107. GAO study and report on Five-Star Quality Rating System.

PART II--Targeting Enforcement

Sec. 6111. Civil money penalties.

Sec. 6112. National independent monitor demonstration project.

Sec. 6113. Notification of facility closure.

Sec. 6114. National demonstration projects on culture change and use of

information technology in nursing homes.

[[Page 124 STAT. 127]]

PART III--Improving Staff Training

Sec. 6121. Dementia and abuse prevention training.

Subtitle C--Nationwide Program for National and State Background Checks

on Direct Patient Access Employees of Long-term Care Facilities and

Providers

Sec. 6201. Nationwide program for National and State background checks

on direct patient access employees of long-term care

facilities and providers.

Subtitle D--Patient-Centered Outcomes Research

Sec. 6301. Patient-Centered Outcomes Research.

Sec. 6302. Federal coordinating council for comparative effectiveness

research.

Subtitle E--Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP Program Integrity Provisions

Sec. 6401. Provider screening and other enrollment requirements under

Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP.

Sec. 6402. Enhanced Medicare and Medicaid program integrity provisions.

Sec. 6403. Elimination of duplication between the Healthcare Integrity

and Protection Data Bank and the National Practitioner Data

Bank.

Sec. 6404. Maximum period for submission of Medicare claims reduced to

not more than 12 months.

Sec. 6405. Physicians who order items or services required to be

Medicare enrolled physicians or eligible professionals.

Sec. 6406. Requirement for physicians to provide documentation on

referrals to programs at high risk of waste and abuse.

Sec. 6407. Face to face encounter with patient required before

physicians may certify eligibility for home health services

or durable medical equipment under Medicare.

Sec. 6408. Enhanced penalties.

Sec. 6409. Medicare self-referral disclosure protocol.

Sec. 6410. Adjustments to the Medicare durable medical equipment,

prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies competitive acquisition

program.

Sec. 6411. Expansion of the Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) program.

Subtitle F--Additional Medicaid Program Integrity Provisions

Sec. 6501. Termination of provider participation under Medicaid if

terminated under Medicare or other State plan.

Sec. 6502. Medicaid exclusion from participation relating to certain

ownership, control, and management affiliations.

Sec. 6503. Billing agents, clearinghouses, or other alternate payees

required to register under Medicaid.

Sec. 6504. Requirement to report expanded set of data elements under

MMIS to detect fraud and abuse.

Sec. 6505. Prohibition on payments to institutions or entities located

outside of the United States.

Sec. 6506. Overpayments.

Sec. 6507. Mandatory State use of national correct coding initiative.

Sec. 6508. General effective date.

Subtitle G--Additional Program Integrity Provisions

Sec. 6601. Prohibition on false statements and representations.

Sec. 6602. Clarifying definition.

Sec. 6603. Development of model uniform report form.

Sec. 6604. Applicability of State law to combat fraud and abuse.

Sec. 6605. Enabling the Department of Labor to issue administrative

summary cease and desist orders and summary seizures orders

against plans that are in financially hazardous condition.

Sec. 6606. MEWA plan registration with Department of Labor.

Sec. 6607. Permitting evidentiary privilege and confidential

communications.

Subtitle H--Elder Justice Act

Sec. 6701. Short title of subtitle.

Sec. 6702. Definitions.

Sec. 6703. Elder Justice.

Subtitle I--Sense of the Senate Regarding Medical Malpractice

Sec. 6801. Sense of the Senate regarding medical malpractice.

TITLE VII--IMPROVING ACCESS TO INNOVATIVE MEDICAL THERAPIES

Subtitle A--Biologics Price Competition and Innovation

Sec. 7001. Short title.

[[Page 124 STAT. 128]]

Sec. 7002. Approval pathway for biosimilar biological products.

Sec. 7003. Savings.

Subtitle B--More Affordable Medicines for Children and Underserved

Communities

Sec. 7101. Expanded participation in 340B program.

Sec. 7102. Improvements to 340B program integrity.

Sec. 7103. GAO study to make recommendations on improving the 340B

program.

TITLE VIII--CLASS ACT

Sec. 8001. Short title of title.

Sec. 8002. Establishment of national voluntary insurance program for

purchasing community living assistance services and support.

TITLE IX--REVENUE PROVISIONS

Subtitle A--Revenue Offset Provisions

Sec. 9001. Excise tax on high cost employer-sponsored health coverage.

Sec. 9002. Inclusion of cost of employer-sponsored health coverage on W-

2.

Sec. 9003. Distributions for medicine qualified only if for prescribed

drug or insulin.

Sec. 9004. Increase in additional tax on distributions from HSAs and

Archer MSAs not used for qualified medical expenses.

Sec. 9005. Limitation on health flexible spending arrangements under

cafeteria plans.

Sec. 9006. Expansion of information reporting requirements.

Sec. 9007. Additional requirements for charitable hospitals.

Sec. 9008. Imposition of annual fee on branded prescription

pharmaceutical manufacturers and importers.

Sec. 9009. Imposition of annual fee on medical device manufacturers and

importers.

Sec. 9010. Imposition of annual fee on health insurance providers.

Sec. 9011. Study and report of effect on veterans health care.

Sec. 9012. Elimination of deduction for expenses allocable to Medicare

Part D subsidy.

Sec. 9013. Modification of itemized deduction for medical expenses.

Sec. 9014. Limitation on excessive remuneration paid by certain health

insurance providers.

Sec. 9015. Additional hospital insurance tax on high-income taxpayers.

Sec. 9016. Modification of section 833 treatment of certain health

organizations.

Sec. 9017. Excise tax on elective cosmetic medical procedures.

Subtitle B--Other Provisions

Sec. 9021. Exclusion of health benefits provided by Indian tribal

governments.

Sec. 9022. Establishment of simple cafeteria plans for small businesses.

Sec. 9023. Qualifying therapeutic discovery project credit.

TITLE X--STRENGTHENING QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE FOR ALL AMERICANS

Subtitle A--Provisions Relating to Title I

Sec. 10101. Amendments to subtitle A.

Sec. 10102. Amendments to subtitle B.

Sec. 10103. Amendments to subtitle C.

Sec. 10104. Amendments to subtitle D.

Sec. 10105. Amendments to subtitle E.

Sec. 10106. Amendments to subtitle F.

Sec. 10107. Amendments to subtitle G.

Sec. 10108. Free choice vouchers.

Sec. 10109. Development of standards for financial and administrative

transactions.

Subtitle B--Provisions Relating to Title II

PART I--Medicaid and CHIP

Sec. 10201. Amendments to the Social Security Act and title II of this

Act.

Sec. 10202. Incentives for States to offer home and community-based

services as a long-term care alternative to nursing homes.

Sec. 10203. Extension of funding for CHIP through fiscal year 2015 and

other CHIP-related provisions.

PART II--Support for Pregnant and Parenting Teens and Women

Sec. 10211. Definitions.

[[Page 124 STAT. 129]]

Sec. 10212. Establishment of pregnancy assistance fund.

Sec. 10213. Permissible uses of Fund.

Sec. 10214. Appropriations.

PART III--Indian Health Care Improvement

Sec. 10221. Indian health care improvement.

Subtitle C--Provisions Relating to Title III

Sec. 10301. Plans for a Value-Based purchasing program for ambulatory

surgical centers.

Sec. 10302. Revision to national strategy for quality improvement in

health care.

Sec. 10303. Development of outcome measures.

Sec. 10304. Selection of efficiency measures.

Sec. 10305. Data collection; public reporting.

Sec. 10306. Improvements under the Center for Medicare and Medicaid

Innovation.

Sec. 10307. Improvements to the Medicare shared savings program.

Sec. 10308. Revisions to national pilot program on payment bundling.

Sec. 10309. Revisions to hospital readmissions reduction program.

Sec. 10310. Repeal of physician payment update.

Sec. 10311. Revisions to extension of ambulance add-ons.

Sec. 10312. Certain payment rules for long-term care hospital services

and moratorium on the establishment of certain hospitals and

facilities.

Sec. 10313. Revisions to the extension for the rural community hospital

demonstration program.

Sec. 10314. Adjustment to low-volume hospital provision.

Sec. 10315. Revisions to home health care provisions.

Sec. 10316. Medicare DSH.

Sec. 10317. Revisions to extension of section 508 hospital provisions.

Sec. 10318. Revisions to transitional extra benefits under Medicare

Advantage.

Sec. 10319. Revisions to market basket adjustments.

Sec. 10320. Expansion of the scope of, and additional improvements to,

the Independent Medicare Advisory Board.

Sec. 10321. Revision to community health teams.

Sec. 10322. Quality reporting for psychiatric hospitals.

Sec. 10323. Medicare coverage for individuals exposed to environmental

health hazards.

Sec. 10324. Protections for frontier States.

Sec. 10325. Revision to skilled nursing facility prospective payment

system.

Sec. 10326. Pilot testing pay-for-performance programs for certain

Medicare providers.

Sec. 10327. Improvements to the physician quality reporting system.

Sec. 10328. Improvement in part D medication therapy management (MTM)

programs.

Sec. 10329. Developing methodology to assess health plan value.

Sec. 10330. Modernizing computer and data systems of the Centers for

Medicare & Medicaid services to support improvements in care

delivery.

Sec. 10331. Public reporting of performance information.

Sec. 10332. Availability of medicare data for performance measurement.

Sec. 10333. Community-based collaborative care networks.

Sec. 10334. Minority health.

Sec. 10335. Technical correction to the hospital value-based purchasing

program.

Sec. 10336. GAO study and report on Medicare beneficiary access to high-

quality dialysis services.

Subtitle D--Provisions Relating to Title IV

Sec. 10401. Amendments to subtitle A.

Sec. 10402. Amendments to subtitle B.

Sec. 10403. Amendments to subtitle C.

Sec. 10404. Amendments to subtitle D.

Sec. 10405. Amendments to subtitle E.

Sec. 10406. Amendment relating to waiving coinsurance for preventive

services.

Sec. 10407. Better diabetes care.

Sec. 10408. Grants for small businesses to provide comprehensive

workplace wellness programs.

Sec. 10409. Cures Acceleration Network.

Sec. 10410. Centers of Excellence for Depression.

Sec. 10411. Programs relating to congenital heart disease.

Sec. 10412. Automated Defibrillation in Adam's Memory Act.

Sec. 10413. Young women's breast health awareness and support of young

women diagnosed with breast cancer.

Subtitle E--Provisions Relating to Title V

Sec. 10501. Amendments to the Public Health Service Act, the Social

Security Act, and title V of this Act.

[[Page 124 STAT. 130]]

Sec. 10502. Infrastructure to Expand Access to Care.

Sec. 10503. Community Health Centers and the National Health Service

Corps Fund.

Sec. 10504. Demonstration project to provide access to affordable care.

Subtitle F--Provisions Relating to Title VI

Sec. 10601. Revisions to limitation on medicare exception to the

prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals.

Sec. 10602. Clarifications to patient-centered outcomes research.

Sec. 10603. Striking provisions relating to individual provider

application fees.

Sec. 10604. Technical correction to section 6405.

Sec. 10605. Certain other providers permitted to conduct face to face

encounter for home health services.

Sec. 10606. Health care fraud enforcement.

Sec. 10607. State demonstration programs to evaluate alternatives to

current medical tort litigation.

Sec. 10608. Extension of medical malpractice coverage to free clinics.

Sec. 10609. Labeling changes.

Subtitle G--Provisions Relating to Title VIII

Sec. 10801. Provisions relating to title VIII.

Subtitle H--Provisions Relating to Title IX

Sec. 10901. Modifications to excise tax on high cost employer-sponsored

health coverage.

Sec. 10902. Inflation adjustment of limitation on health flexible

spending arrangements under cafeteria plans.

Sec. 10903. Modification of limitation on charges by charitable

hospitals.

Sec. 10904. Modification of annual fee on medical device manufacturers

and importers.

Sec. 10905. Modification of annual fee on health insurance providers.

Sec. 10906. Modifications to additional hospital insurance tax on high-

income taxpayers.

Sec. 10907. Excise tax on indoor tanning services in lieu of elective

cosmetic medical procedures.

Sec. 10908. Exclusion for assistance provided to participants in State

student loan repayment programs for certain health

professionals.

Sec. 10909. Expansion of adoption credit and adoption assistance

programs.
OK. I'll take your word for it. Like I said, when NAFTA came out there was a complaint that nobody had read it, and the explanation given was there was all these various exemptions for various companies in different states. I thought it was plausible.

 
who cares if they personally have read it. They have a staff full of lawyers, advisers, interns, and such. These are the people who do the grunt work, not political appointees. I'm sure they are more than competent enough to provide cliffs notes.

 
I seriously might not vote GOP for awhile after this debacle. What a ####show. It reflects so poorly on the entire party in the eyes of independents. How the GOP leadership can't see this is simply baffling to me.
agreed. I have been teetering on being done with the [R]'s for a while, this is probably going to cause me to drop my affiliation. Still can't be a [D] though, so I'm not sure where to go now.

 
In summation

Todd Andrews still running that unfunny Kook shtick?

Jim11 still running the stupid conservative shtick?

Tim posting news articles at least twice a day and make sure everyone in his path knows his opinion over and over and over again?

.. Do I have it down or do I need to read through the last 1000 posts?
YuO LIE!!!!!!1

 
I seriously might not vote GOP for awhile after this debacle. What a ####show. It reflects so poorly on the entire party in the eyes of independents. How the GOP leadership can't see this is simply baffling to me.
agreed. I have been teetering on being done with the [R]'s for a while, this is probably going to cause me to drop my affiliation. Still can't be a [D] though, so I'm not sure where to go now.
Max threshold>. Please see these posts.

 
I seriously might not vote GOP for awhile after this debacle. What a ####show. It reflects so poorly on the entire party in the eyes of independents. How the GOP leadership can't see this is simply baffling to me.
agreed. I have been teetering on being done with the [R]'s for a while, this is probably going to cause me to drop my affiliation. Still can't be a [D] though, so I'm not sure where to go now.
I hope this isn't the general reaction. I can't blame you guys- but- if reasonable people keep leaving the GOP, only the crazies will be left.

 
Any reason the Republican base can't move over time? The extreme right will be aged out before too long, anyway. Why is it considered an impossibility for the GOP to move toward the center? Over, say, 20 years?

 
Has Tim unpacked exactly what is going on with Democrats confronting Harry Reid today and Harry's angry reponse? I refuse to read the last 500 posts in this thread I have missed since yesterday.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/DC-Mayor-to-Speak-Out-Against-Government-Shutdown-227036531.html
The District of Columbia Democrats are probably the only Dems in the country who are not unified behind Reid and Obama- since the beginning of the shutdown, both the mayor and Eleanor Holmes Norton have demanded Obama find a way to concede. This is understandable because they're directly and immediately hurt by the shutdown.

But Republicans are harping on this to suggest a larger disunity among the Democrats, and I doubt that's true.

 
Any reason the Republican base can't move over time? The extreme right will be aged out before too long, anyway. Why is it considered an impossibility for the GOP to move toward the center? Over, say, 20 years?
Hopefully sooner. If they lose enough national elections, that's exactly what will happen.

 
if reasonable people keep leaving the GOP, only the crazies will be left.
Tim, I hate to break it to you, but many of the people that you deem as crazies are not big fans of the GOP and either want to leave or already have left that party.

Exhibit A

Exhibit B
Well, those are the people that I HOPE leave the GOP.

Actually, that's not true. They can stay They're useful as voters and for money. They just shouldn't be allowed to have a say when it really matters. Leave that to the grownups. :cool:

 
Matthias said:
The precedent of what? Negotiating over the debt limit twice?
Negotiating over it the first time is what got us here.
Actually, what got us here is the decades and decades of poor money management by our government. If we didn't have "debt" to use as a weapon in the first place, this wouldn't be happening.
Carrying debt is not necessarily poor money management.

 
Maurile Tremblay said:
MaxThreshold said:
Slapdash said:
Are you talking about the ACA? Since when is passing a bill when you hold the majority of the House and Senate a crappy process?
When you don't #######g read it before you pass it?
This seems like a weird criticism. When's the last time a law was passed that was actually read by members of Congress? Sometime before World War II?

I'd like to revise the lawmaking process so that politicians do read the bills they're voting on, but singling out Obamacare on this issue seems odd.
It was a bad Pelosi quote. How long was Obamacare debated 9-12 months? How many bills have town hall meetings preceding it?

 
Sitting Republican members of congress think their own leadership is off the deep end. Grover Norquist is bewildered. Not exactly the liberal media.

Only thing keeping the Republicans above water is the "liberal" media reporting on the Democrats refusing to pass bills to open WWII memorials.

 
Sitting Republican members of congress think their own leadership is off the deep end. Grover Norquist is bewildered. Not exactly the liberal media.

Only thing keeping the Republicans above water is the "liberal" media reporting on the Democrats refusing to pass bills to open WWII memorials.
Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, has ratcheted up his criticisms of Sen. Ted Cruz, calling the Texas tea party hero a poor political planner and demanding he apologize to fellow Republicans for his relentless push to defund Obamacare.

...

Mr. Norquist previously suggested Mr. Cruz was guilty of showboating, simply employing a political “tactic,” for which he should apologize.

...

Cruz is considered the current frontrunner of conservative POTUS possibilities.

 
I am pretty disgusted with most of the discussion here. Too many people worried about who is too blame, who looks worse in the polls. All these SOB's need to swallow their pride and do their job. There is nothing hard here....put some framework together for coming to agreement on fiscal issues and sign the resolution. Obama does not have to make a single concession on Obamacare. But he does have to come to the table and talk and stop being such a dickwad. He has to start leading and stop listening to the idiotic partisan hacks.

 
I don't see how anyone can say either side is winning or losing. They all look pretty darn bad and are doing the people no favors.

That said, Reid and Obama look pretty bad. Obama is the QB of the country and he is throwing up INT's all over the place. Granted, the whole team is sucking but who is the leader of the team? That guy is blowing it.

 
Doug B said:
Any reason the Republican base can't move over time? The extreme right will be aged out before too long, anyway. Why is it considered an impossibility for the GOP to move toward the center? Over, say, 20 years?
Why do we need two centrist parties? Wouldn't one suffice?

 
dparker713 said:
The Commish said:
Matthias said:
jonessed said:
The precedent of what? Negotiating over the debt limit twice?
Negotiating over it the first time is what got us here.
Actually, what got us here is the decades and decades of poor money management by our government. If we didn't have "debt" to use as a weapon in the first place, this wouldn't be happening.
Carrying debt is not necessarily poor money management.
I am assuming you missed the quotes around debt above?? All you need is perception in politics. Reality means very little. All that aside, the quantity of debt we have is an issue. Perhaps not as big of an issue as a lot would like to suggest, but it isn't a net positive for this country. That shouldn't be a question.

 
I see Obama is caving on the medical device tax. He'll cave on everthing else too. Here's why ... Washington especially Obama, is a big honking lazy status quo machine. That is the big weakness of Obama and the negotiation strength of the tea party (who want to disrupt Washtingtons status quo - which is good - but thats why Obama hates them). Obama will do everything to maintain the status quo for as long as possible: keep spending as usual, keep Washington politician pay and benefits as high or higher, keep racking up debt as usual, etc. Anything not status quo is a threat ... and lots of extra political stress/work ... and a debt default or whatever it is going to be called is definitely not status quo. There are all sorts of dangerous political unknowns associated with that. Obamacare is not status quo yet. When given an option between 1) maintaining the status quo as much as possible (one year delay of Obamacare, etc for debt ceiling hike) and 2) severely disrupting the status quo with a debt default, Obama chooses option 1, as close as possible to status quo, every time.

 
I see Obama is caving on the medical device tax. He'll cave on everthing else too. Here's why ... Washington especially Obama, is a big honking lazy status quo machine. That is the big weakness of Obama and the negotiation strength of the tea party (who want to disrupt Washtingtons status quo - which is good - but thats why Obama hates them). Obama will do everything to maintain the status quo for as long as possible: keep spending as usual, keep Washington politician pay and benefits as high or higher, keep racking up debt as usual, etc. Anything not status quo is a threat ... and lots of extra political stress/work ... and a debt default or whatever it is going to be called is definitely not status quo. There are all sorts of dangerous political unknowns associated with that. Obamacare is not status quo yet. When given an option between 1) maintaining the status quo as much as possible (one year delay of Obamacare, etc for debt ceiling hike) and 2) severely disrupting the status quo with a debt default, Obama chooses option 1, as close as possible to status quo, every time.
Except for that part, nice post.

 
moleculo said:
Steve Tasker said:
I seriously might not vote GOP for awhile after this debacle. What a ####show. It reflects so poorly on the entire party in the eyes of independents. How the GOP leadership can't see this is simply baffling to me.
agreed. I have been teetering on being done with the [R]'s for a while, this is probably going to cause me to drop my affiliation. Still can't be a [D] though, so I'm not sure where to go now.
I've been there for several years. Vote on the issues. Choose the lesser of two evils. And if the GOP candidate wants to continue to be an ####### nutjob kook, like here in the race for the Virginia state capital, then vote for the opposition. If they continue to lose they will change or put more reasonable candidates out there.

 
Matthias said:
I am pretty disgusted with most of the discussion here. Too many people worried about who is too blame, who looks worse in the polls. All these SOB's need to swallow their pride and do their job. There is nothing hard here....put some framework together for coming to agreement on fiscal issues and sign the resolution. Obama does not have to make a single concession on Obamacare. But he does have to come to the table and talk and stop being such a dickwad. He has to start leading and stop listening to the idiotic partisan hacks.
"I'm disgusted by people talking about whose fault it is. It's Obama's fault and he should fix it."
He is the president. He was elected to lead. hth

 
timschochet said:
moleculo said:
Steve Tasker said:
I seriously might not vote GOP for awhile after this debacle. What a ####show. It reflects so poorly on the entire party in the eyes of independents. How the GOP leadership can't see this is simply baffling to me.
agreed. I have been teetering on being done with the [R]'s for a while, this is probably going to cause me to drop my affiliation. Still can't be a [D] though, so I'm not sure where to go now.
I hope this isn't the general reaction. I can't blame you guys- but- if reasonable people keep leaving the GOP, only the crazies will be left.
fine. Maybe this can usher in a multi-party era, or maybe the centrist/republicans can find/create a new party, leaving the GOP to the tea-party. Or, maybe we end up with a super-majority [D] party and a splintered, fractured GOP for a while. I'm not sure that's a big deal as the [D]'s tend to be splintered on their own. Would the [D] party be all that unified if it didn't have the [R] to rally against?

 
timschochet said:
moleculo said:
Steve Tasker said:
I seriously might not vote GOP for awhile after this debacle. What a ####show. It reflects so poorly on the entire party in the eyes of independents. How the GOP leadership can't see this is simply baffling to me.
agreed. I have been teetering on being done with the [R]'s for a while, this is probably going to cause me to drop my affiliation. Still can't be a [D] though, so I'm not sure where to go now.
I hope this isn't the general reaction. I can't blame you guys- but- if reasonable people keep leaving the GOP, only the crazies will be left.
fine. Maybe this can usher in a multi-party era, or maybe the centrist/republicans can find/create a new party, leaving the GOP to the tea-party. Or, maybe we end up with a super-majority [D] party and a splintered, fractured GOP for a while. I'm not sure that's a big deal as the [D]'s tend to be splintered on their own. Would the [D] party be all that unified if it didn't have the [R] to rally against?
Unified Democrats? :lmao:

 

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