I am proud to introduce this legislation to support these hospitals so they can keep their doors open and continue serving patients who depend on them every day.
Will work to fix Medicare payment formulas so rural and lower-wage hospitals are treated more fairly and can keep their doors open.
Occurrences
Evidence
"Congressman David Kustoff (R-TN) and Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL) introduced the bipartisan Save Struggling Hospitals Act, legislation to fix Medicare payment formulas that do not account for the cost pressures facing hospitals in rural and lower-wage areas."
"Mr. Kustoff (for himself and Ms. Sewell) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means" and the bill's full title is "To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to codify the Medicare low-wage index hospital policy."
The Senate companion bill was introduced and referred to the Committee on Finance; the title is "To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to codify the Medicare low-wage index hospital policy."
Assessments
Kustoff publicly introduced the bipartisan Save Struggling Hospitals Act and official bill metadata shows he co-sponsored H.R. 8109 to codify the Medicare low-wage index hospital policy, which directly matches the promise’s policy goal. But the evidence only shows introduction and committee referral, not enactment or an actual change in Medicare payment formulas, so the promise was materially advanced but not fulfilled.
Kustoff publicly introduced the bipartisan Save Struggling Hospitals Act, with a Senate companion, to codify the Medicare low-wage index hospital policy and address the exact payment-formula issue in the claim. That is a concrete legislative attempt, but the evidence shows only introduction and committee referral, not enactment or implemented policy change, so the promise was not fully delivered.
Kustoff introduced the bipartisan Save Struggling Hospitals Act to codify a Medicare low-wage index hospital policy, directly addressing the promised rural and lower-wage hospital payment-formula issue. However, the evidence shows the bill was only introduced and referred to committee, with no enactment or completed Medicare payment-formula fix. This is a serious legislative effort in the same federal term, but the promised policy outcome was not delivered.