To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to extend modifications to DSH allotments provided under the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and Protection Act of 2000.

March 18, 2003

Mr. CHAFEE (for himself, Mr. GRAHAM of Florida, Mr. DEWINE, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. WARNER, Ms. CANTWELL, Mrs. CLINTON, Mr. SMITH, Mr. ROCKEFELLER, Mr. BUNNING, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. KENNEDY, Ms. LANDRIEU, Mr. KERRY, and Mrs. HUTCHISON) 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 extend modifications to DSH allotments provided under the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and Protection Act of 2000.

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 `Access to Hospitals Act of 2003'.

SEC. 2. CONTINUATION OF MEDICAID DSH ALLOTMENT ADJUSTMENTS UNDER BIPA 2000.

(a) IN GENERAL- Section 1923(f) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r-4(f))--

(1) in paragraph (2)--

(A) in the heading, by striking `THROUGH 2002' and inserting `THROUGH 2000';

(B) by striking `ending with fiscal year 2002' and inserting `ending with fiscal year 2000'; and

(C) in the table in such paragraph, by striking the columns labeled `FY 01' and `FY02';

(2) in paragraph (3)(A), by striking `paragraph (2)' and inserting `paragraph (4)'; and

(3) in paragraph (4), as added by section 701(a)(1) of the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and Protection Act of 2000 (as enacted into law by section 1(a)(6) of Public Law 106-554)--

(A) by striking `FOR FISCAL YEARS 2001 AND 2002' in the heading;

(B) in subparagraph (A), by striking `Notwithstanding paragraph (2), the' and inserting `The';

(C) in subparagraph (C)--

(i) by striking `NO APPLICATION' and inserting `APPLICATION'; and

(ii) by striking `without regard to' and inserting `taking into account'.

(b) INCREASE IN MEDICAID DSH ALLOTMENT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA-

(1) IN GENERAL- Effective for DSH allotments beginning with fiscal year 2003, the item in the table contained in section 1923(f)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r-4(f)(2)) for the District of Columbia for the DSH allotment for FY 00 (fiscal year 2000) is amended by striking `32' and inserting `49'.

(2) CONSTRUCTION- Nothing in paragraph (1) shall be construed as preventing the application of section 1923(f)(4) of the Social Security Act (as amended by subsection (a)) to the District of Columbia for fiscal year 2003 and subsequent fiscal years.

(c) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendments made by this section shall apply to DSH allotments for fiscal years beginning with fiscal year 2003.

END