Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement

The following bills were introduced in the House:

H.R. 4131. A bill to amend title 35, United States Code, to provide for compulsory licensing of certain patented inventions relating to health care emergencies, and to provide that applications under section 505 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act that are submitted pursuant to such licenses may be approved with immediate effective dates. Introduced Oct. 25 by Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

H.R. 4142. A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide health information technology grants to states and transform the Medicaid Program by reducing the number of medical and medication errors, unnecessary hospitalizations, infections and inappropriate care that exists within the current system and save thousands of lives and tens of billions of dollars a year. Introduced Oct. 25 by Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA) and referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

H.R. 4143.  A bill to provide for relief payments to private and public hospitals that temporarily ceased to operate because of a mandatory evacuation order issued in anticipation of Hurricane Rita, and for other purposes. Introduced Oct. 25 by Rep. Ron Paul  (R-TX) and referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

H.R. 4153. A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to permit Medicaid beneficiaries the choice of self-directed personal assistance services through a cash and counseling program under the Medicaid Program. Introduced Oct. 26 by Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL) and referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

H.R. 4150. A bill to amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to permit qualifying states to use a portion of their allotments under the state children's health insurance program for any fiscal year for certain Medicaid expenditures. Introduced Oct. 26 by Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA) and referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.