To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to increase the floor for treatment as an extremely low DSH State to 3 percent in fiscal year 2003.

January 22, 2003

Mr. BINGAMAN (for himself, Mr. Enzi, Mrs. Lincoln, Mr. Baucus, Mr. Smith, Mr. Harkin, Mr. Domenici, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Nelson of Nebraska, and Mr. Dayton) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to increase the floor for treatment as an extremely low DSH State to 3 percent in fiscal year 2003.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Medicaid Safety Net Improvement Act of 2003'.

SEC. 2. INCREASE IN FLOOR FOR TREATMENT AS AN EXTREMELY LOW DSH STATE TO 3 PERCENT IN FISCAL YEAR 2003.

(a) INCREASE IN DSH FLOOR- Section 1923(f)(5) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r-4(f)(5)) is amended--

(1) by striking `fiscal year 1999' and inserting `fiscal year 2001';

(2) by striking `August 31, 2000' and inserting `August 31, 2002';

(3) by striking `1 percent' each place it appears and inserting `3 percent'; and

(4) by striking `fiscal year 2001' and inserting `fiscal year 2003'.

(b) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendments made by subsection (a) take effect as if enacted on October 1, 2002, and apply to DSH allotments under title XIX of the Social Security Act for fiscal year 2003 and each fiscal year thereafter.

END