Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 86.djvu/1465

 86 STAT. ]

PUBLIC LAW 92^03-OCT. 30, 1972

1423

Hospitals. The Secretary shall pay for such services in the manner prescribed in subsection (b). " (b)(1) Section 1865 of such Act, as amended by section 234 of this Act, is further amended by striking out "SEC. 1865" and the first two Ante, p. 1413. sentences of such section and inserting in lieu thereof the following: "SEC. 1865. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b) and the second sentence of section 1863, if— 42 USC i395z. " (1) an institution is accredited as a hospital by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals, and "(2) such institution (if it is included within a survey described in section 1864(c)) authorizes the Commission to release to the Ante, p. 1422. Secretary (on a confidential basis) upon his request (or such State agency as the Secretary may designate) a copy of the most current accreditation survey of such institution made by such Commission, then, such institution shall be deemed to meet the requirements of the numbered paragraphs of section 1861(e); except— 42 USC ISQSX. "(3) paragraph (6) thereof, and "(4) any standard, promulgated by the Secretary pursuant to paragraph (9) thereof, which is higher than the requirements prescribed for accreditation by such Commission. If such Commission, as a condition for accreditation of a hospital, requires a utilization review plan (or imposes another requirement which serves substantially the same purpose) or imposes a standard which the Secretary determines is at least equivalent to the standard promulgated by the Secretary as described in paragraph (4) of this subsection, the Secretary is authorized to find that all institutions so accredited by such Commission comply also with section 1861(e)(6) or the standard described in such paragraph (4), as the case may be." (2) Such section 1865 (as so amended) is further amended by adding after subsection (a) thereof the following: " (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, if the Secretary finds following a survey made pursuant to section 1864(c) that Ante, p. 1422. an institution has significant deficiencies (as defined in regulations pertaining to health and safety), such institution shall, after the date of notice of such finding to the hospital and for such period as may be prescribed in regulations, be deemed not to meet the requirements of the numbered paragraphs of section 1861(e)." (c) Section 1861(e) of such Act, as amended by sections 211 and 234 of this Act, is further amended by striking out, in subsection (9),,^^^'^' PP- *^^^ everything after the word "institution" and inserting in lieu thereof 1412. a period. (d) Section 1875(b) of such Act, as amended by sections 222 and Ante, 226 of this Act, is further amended by inserting:, after "including" and 1404. p p. 1393, before "the operation", the following: "a validation of the accreditation process of the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Hospitals,". P A Y M E N T FOR DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT

UNDER

MEDICARE

SEC. 245. (a) The Secretary is authorized to conduct reimbursement experiments designed to eliminate unreasonable expenses resulting from prolonged rentals of durable medical equipment described in section 1861(s)(6) of the Social Security Act. (b) Such experiment may be conducted in one or more geographic areas, as the Secretary deems appropriate, and may, pursuant to agreements with supf)liers, provide for reimbursement for such equipment on a lump-sum basis whenever it is determined (in accordance

42 USC isgsx.

�