HR 560
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 560
To amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to ensure
proportional representation of rural interests on the Medicare Payment Advisory
Commission and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, and to
provide for greater transparency in proceedings of those Commissions.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 8, 2011
Mr. WALDEN (for himself, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Mr. ROSS of Arkansas,
Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS, and Mr. MATHESON) introduced the following bill; which
was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the
Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to ensure
proportional representation of rural interests on the Medicare Payment Advisory
Commission and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, and to
provide for greater transparency in proceedings of those Commissions.
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 `Rural Representation and Transparency Improvement
Act'.
SEC. 2. ENSURING PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION OF INTERESTS OF RURAL AREAS
ON THE MEDICARE PAYMENT ADVISORY COMMISSION (MEDPAC) AND GREATER TRANSPARENCY
OF MEDPAC PROCEEDINGS.
(a) Rural Representation- Paragraph (2) of section 1805(c) of the Social Security
Act (42 U.S.C. 1395b-6(c)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A), by inserting `consistent with subparagraph (E)'
after `rural representatives'; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
`(E) PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION OF INTERESTS OF RURAL AREAS- In order
to provide a balance between urban and rural representatives under subparagraph
(A), the proportion of members of the Commission who represent the interests
of health care providers and Medicare beneficiaries located in rural areas
shall be no less than the proportion of the total number of Medicare beneficiaries
who reside in rural areas.'.
(b) Greater Transparency of Proceedings- Such section is further amended by
adding at the end the following new paragraph:
`(7) GREATER TRANSPARENCY OF PROCEEDINGS- The Commission shall provide through
the Internet or such easy public access to and full and timely public disclosure
of its proceedings, such as through the posting of audio or video coverage
of its proceedings and of transcripts of its proceedings, as may be practicable
within the resources available to the Commission.'.
(c) Effective Date- The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply to appointments
to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission made after the date of enactment
of this Act and the amendment made by subsection (b) shall apply to proceedings
occurring on or after the date that is 6 months after the date of the enactment
of this Act.
SEC. 3. ENSURING PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION OF INTERESTS OF RURAL AREAS
ON THE MEDICAID AND CHIP PAYMENT AND ACCESS COMMISSION (MACPAC) AND GREATER
TRANSPARENCY OF MACPAC PROCEEDINGS.
(a) Rural Representation- Paragraph (2) of section 1900(c) of the Social Security
Act (42 U.S.C. 1396(c)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A), by inserting `consistent with subparagraph (E)'
after `rural representation'; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
`(E) PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION OF INTERESTS OF RURAL AREAS- In order
to provide a balance between urban and rural representation under subparagraph
(A), the proportion of members of MACPAC who represent the interests of
health care providers and Medicaid beneficiaries located in rural areas
shall be no less than the proportion of the total number of Medicaid beneficiaries
who reside in rural areas.'.
(b) Greater Transparency of Proceedings- Such section is further amended by
adding at the end the following new paragraph:
`(7) GREATER TRANSPARENCY OF PROCEEDINGS- The MACPAC shall provide through
the Internet for such easy public access to and full and timely public disclosure
of its proceedings, such as through the posting of audio or video coverage
of its proceedings and of transcripts of its proceedings, as may be practicable
within the resources available to MACPAC.'.
(c) Effective Date- The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply to appointments
to the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission made after the date
of enactment of this Act and the amendment made by subsection (b) shall apply
to proceedings occurring on or after the date that is 6 months after the date
of the enactment of this Act.
END
