Bill > S551

This bill proposes to amend the Social Security Act to provide a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) specifically for hospital outpatient department (OPD) services in Alaska and Hawaii, recognizing the unique economic challenges these states face. The bill, titled the "Ensuring Outpatient Quality for Rural States Act," would allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to apply a cost-of-living adjustment to the non-labor related portion of hospital outpatient service payments for facilities in these states, starting January 1, 2026. Importantly, this adjustment would not be implemented in a budget-neutral manner, meaning additional funds could be allocated to account for the higher costs of providing healthcare services in Alaska and Hawaii. The adjustment would be similar to the method used in other Medicare payment systems to compensate for regional cost differences, potentially helping to ensure that hospitals in these states can maintain quality healthcare services despite higher operational expenses.

Budget and Finance

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/551/all-info