Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 120.djvu/68

 PUBLIC LAW 109–171—FEB. 8, 2006

120 STAT. 37

characteristics of the diagnosis to determine the appropriate placement of such patient in a post-acute care site. The Secretary shall use a standardized patient assessment instrument across all post-acute care sites to measure functional status and other factors during the treatment and at discharge from each provider. Participants in the program shall provide information on the fixed and variable costs for each individual. An additional comprehensive assessment shall be provided at the end of the episode of care. (2) NUMBER OF SITES.—The Secretary shall conduct the demonstration program under this section with sufficient numbers to determine statistically reliable results. (3) DURATION.—The Secretary shall conduct the demonstration program under this section for a 3-year period. (b) WAIVER AUTHORITY.—The Secretary may waive such requirements of titles XI and XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1301 et seq.; 42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) as may be necessary for the purpose of carrying out the demonstration program under this section. (c) REPORT.—Not later than 6 months after the completion of the demonstration program under this section, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on such program, that includes the results of the program and recommendations for such legislation and administrative action as the Secretary determines to be appropriate. (d) FUNDING.—The Secretary shall provide for the transfer from the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund established under section 1817 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i), $6,000,000 for the costs of carrying out the demonstration program under this section.

Subtitle B—Provisions Relating to Part B CHAPTER 1—PAYMENT PROVISIONS SEC. 5101. BENEFICIARY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT (DME).

(a) DME.— (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1834(a)(7)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(a)(7)(A)) is amended to read as follows: ‘‘(A) PAYMENT.—In the case of an item of durable medical equipment not described in paragraphs (2) through (6), the following rules shall apply: ‘‘(i) RENTAL.— ‘‘(I) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in clause (iii), payment for the item shall be made on a monthly basis for the rental of the item during the period of medical need (but payments under this clause may not extend over a period of continuous use (as determined by the Secretary) of longer than 13 months). ‘‘(II) PAYMENT AMOUNT.—Subject to subparagraph (B), the amount recognized for the item, for each of the first 3 months of such period, is 10 percent of the purchase price recognized under

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