Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 117.djvu/2299

 117 STAT. 2280

42 USC 1395m note.

42 USC 1395m note.

Deadlines. 42 USC 1395m note.

VerDate 11-MAY-2000

13:59 Aug 30, 2004

PUBLIC LAW 108–173—DEC. 8, 2003

of the Goldsmith Modification, originally published in the Federal Register on February 27, 1992 (57 Fed. Reg. 6725) as a rural area for purposes of this paragraph. ‘‘(v) JUDICIAL REVIEW.—There shall be no administrative or judicial review under section 1869, 1878, or otherwise, respecting the identification of an area under this subparagraph.’’. (2) USE OF DATA.—In order to promptly implement section 1834(l)(12) of the Social Security Act, as added by paragraph (1), the Secretary may use data furnished by the Comptroller General of the United States. (d) TEMPORARY INCREASE FOR GROUND AMBULANCE SERVICES.— Section 1834(l) (42 U.S.C. 1395m(l)), as amended by subsections (a), (b), and (c), is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: ‘‘(13) TEMPORARY INCREASE FOR GROUND AMBULANCE SERVICES.— ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—After computing the rates with respect to ground ambulance services under the other applicable provisions of this subsection, in the case of such services furnished on or after July 1, 2004, and before January 1, 2007, for which the transportation originates in— ‘‘(i) a rural area described in paragraph (9) or in a rural census tract described in such paragraph, the fee schedule established under this section shall provide that the rate for the service otherwise established, after the application of any increase under paragraphs (11) and (12), shall be increased by 2 percent; and ‘‘(ii) an area not described in clause (i), the fee schedule established under this subsection shall provide that the rate for the service otherwise established, after the application of any increase under paragraph (11), shall be increased by 1 percent. ‘‘(B) APPLICATION OF INCREASED PAYMENTS AFTER 2006.—The increased payments under subparagraph (A) shall not be taken into account in calculating payments for services furnished after the period specified in such subparagraph.’’. (e) IMPLEMENTATION.—The Secretary may implement the amendments made by this section, and revise the conversion factor applicable under section 1834(l) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(l)) for purposes of implementing such amendments, on an interim final basis, or by program instruction. (f) GAO REPORT ON COSTS AND ACCESS.—Not later than December 31, 2005, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress an initial report on how costs differ among the types of ambulance providers and on access, supply, and quality of ambulance services in those regions and States that have a reduction in payment under the medicare ambulance fee schedule (under section 1834(l) of the Social Security Act, as amended by this Act). Not later than December 31, 2007, the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a final report on such access and supply.

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