Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 101 Part 2.djvu/884

 101 STAT. 1330-90

Regulations. 42 USC 1395u note.

Reports. 42 USC 1395u note.

42 USC 1395u note.

Reports.

Reports.

PUBLIC LAW 100-203—DEC. 22, 1987

direction for each concurrent cataract surgery or iridectomy procedure shall be reduced by 10 percent. "(C) The Secretary shall require claims for physicians' services for medical direction of nurse anesthetists during the periods in which the provisions of subparagraph (A) or (B) apply to indicate the number of such anesthetists being medically directed concurrently at any time during the procedure, the name of each nurse anesthetist being directed, and the type of procedure for which the services are provided.". (b) DEVELOPMENT OF UNIFORM RELATIVE VALUE GUIDE.—The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with groups representing physicians who furnish anesthesia services, shall establish by regulation a relative value guide for use in all carrier localities in making payment for physician anesthesia services furnished under part B of title XVIII of the Social Security Act on and after January 1, 1989. Such guide shall be designed so as to result in expenditures under such title for such services in an amount that would not exceed the amount of such expenditures which would otherwise occur. (c) STUDY OF PREVAIUNG CHARGES FOR ANESTHESIA SERVICES.—

The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall conduct a study of the variations in conversion factors used by carriers under section 184203) of the Social Security Act to determine the prevailing charge for anesthesia services and shall report the results of the study and make recommendations for appropriate adjustments in such factors not later than January 1, 1989. (d) GAG STUDIES.—(1) The Comptroller General shall conduct a study— (A) to determine the average anesthesia times reported for medicare reimbursement purposes, (B) to verify those times from patient medical records, (C) to compare anesthesia times to average surgical times, and (D) to determine whether the current payments for physician supervision of nurse anesthetists are excessive. The Comptroller General shall report to Congress, by not later than January 1, 1989, on such study and in the report include recommendations regarding the appropriateness of the anesthesia times recognized by medicare for reimbursement purposes and recommendations regarding adjustments of payments for physician supervision of nurse anesthetists. (2) The Comptroller General shall conduct a study on the impact of the amendment made by subsection (a), and shall report to Congress on the results of such study by April 1, 1990. SEC. 4049. FEE SCHEDULES FOR RADIOLOGIST SERVICES.

(a) IN GENERAL.—Part B of title XVIII of the Social Security Act is (1) in section 1833(a)(l) (42 U.S.C. 13951(a)(l)), as amended by section 4062(c)(3) of this subtitle by striking "and" before "(I)", and by adding at the end the following new clause: "and (J) with respect to expenses incurred for radiologist services (as defined in section 18340)X5)), the amounts paid shall be 80 percent of the lesser of the actual charge for the services or the amount provided under the fee schedule established under section 1834(b),"; and

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