News from our friends at NRHA
On June 25, the President signed into law a bill that would reverse a 21 percent cut in payment rates for doctors and other providers through Nov. 30, instead giving doctors a 2.2 percent increase.  As one of the methods of paying for the measure, the law also would disallow the submission of separate payment claims by health care providers for outpatient services provided within three days of a patient's related hospital admission.

Last Thursday, the House cleared the stand-alone bill to reverse a deep cut in Medicare payments under the physician payment formula known as the Sustainable Growth Rate(SCR). The House voted 417 to 1 on June 24 to pass the measure. A week earlier, the Senate passed the bill, which it separated from a more controversial tax bill which remains stalled.

Because this is yet another temporary "fix", it opens the door for another Medicare bill during a congressional "lame-duck" session. Members of both parties decried the now-familiar pattern of short-term "patches" for a Medicare doctor-payment formula that all sides agree is flawed, blaming each other for failing to agree on a solution.

Maggie Elehwany
NRHA Vice President of Government Affairs and Policy

National parks will play a new role in First Lady Michelle Obama's campaign to combat childhood obesity. Kids can now become Let's Move Outside Junior Rangers by participating in an outdoor activity that gets their hearts pumping and bodies moving. The Junior Ranger program, available in more than 200 national parks, rewards young people with a certificate and patch or badge for completing a series of fun, educational activities related to each park's unique resources. Now, kids who participate in healthy recreation as part of this requirement will also receive a Let's Move Outside sticker.