Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 103 Part 3.djvu/100

 103 STAT. 2168 PUBLIC LAW 101-239—DEC. 19, 1989 SEC. 6026. GAO STUDY OF HOSPITAL-BASED AND FREESTANDING SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES. (a) STUDY.— The Comptroller General shall conduct a study to assess the differences in costs and case-mix between hospital-based and freestanding skilled nursing facilities participating in the medi- care program. (b) REPORT. — By not later than June 1, 1990, the Comptroller General shall submit a report to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate on the study conducted under paragraph (1) and shall include in the report any recommendations, including recommenda- tions regarding the payment differential between hospital-based and freestanding skilled nursing facilities, the Comptroller General considers appropriate. SEC. 6027. MASSACHUSETTS MEDICARE REPAYMENT. The Secretary of Health and Human Services may not, on or after the date of the enactment of this Act and before May 1, 1990, recoup from, or otherwise reduce payments to, hospitals in the State of Massachusetts because of alleged overpayments to such hospitals under part A of title XVIII of the Social Security Act which occurred during the period of the statewide hospital reimbursement dem- onstration project conducted in that State between October 1, 1982, and June 30, 1986, under section 402 of the Social Security Amend- ments of 1967 and section 222 of the Social Security Amendments of 1972. Interest shall not accrue on any such alleged overpayments during the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and ending on May 1, 1990. SEC. 6028. ALLOWING CERTIFICATIONS AND RECERTIFICATIONS BY NURSE PRACTITIONERS AND CLINICAL NURSE SPECIALISTS FOR CERTAIN SERVICES. Section 1814(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395f(a)) is amended— (1) in paragraph (2) by striking "(2) a physician" and inserting "(2) a physician, or, in the case of services described in subpara- graph (B), a physician, or a nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist who does not have a direct or indirect employment relationship with the facility but is working in collaboration with a physician,"; and (2) in the matter following the final paragraph by striking "a physician makes" and inserting "a physician, nurse practi- tioner, or clinical nurse specialist (as the case may be) makes". PART 2—PROVISIONS RELATING TO PART B Subpart A—General Provisions 2 USC 902 note. SEC. 6101. EXTENSION OF REDUCTIONS UNDER SEQUESTER ORDER. Notwithstanding any other provision of law (including any other provision of this Act, other than section 6201), the reductions in the amount of payments required under title XVIII of the Social Secu- rity Act made by the final sequester order issued by the President on October 16, 1989, pursuant to section 252(b) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 shall continue to be effective (as provided by sections 252(a)(4)(B) and 256(d)(2) of such

�