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Nurse Staffing Standards for Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of2019 This bill requires hospitals to implement and submit to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) a staffing plan that complies with specified minimum nurse-to-patient ratios by unit. Hospitals must post a notice regarding nurse-to-patient ratios in each unit and maintain records of actual ratios for each shift in each unit. The bill also requires hospitals to follow certain procedures regarding how ratios are determined and other staff are prohibited from performing nurse functions unless specifically authorized within a state's scope of practice rules, among other requirements. HHS must adjust Medicare payments to hospitals to cover additional costs attributable to compliance with these ratios. Nurses may object to, or refuse to participate in, an assignment if it would violate minimum ratios or if they are not prepared by education or experience to fulfill the assignment without compromising the safety of a patient or jeopardizing their nurse's license. Hospitals may not (1) take adverse actions against a nurse based on the nurse's reasonable refusal to accept an assignment; or (2) discriminate against individuals for good faith complaints relating to the care, services, or conditions of the hospital or related facilities. HHS may impose civil monetary penalties on hospitals violating the ratio requirements and must publish the names of such hospitals. The bill provides stipends to the nurse workforce loan repayment and scholarship program and expands the nurse retention grant program to include nurse preceptorship and mentorship projects.

Nurse Staffing Standards for Patient Safety and Quality Care Act of2019 This bill requires hospitals to implement and submit to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) a staffing plan that complies with specified minimum nurse-to-patient ratios by unit. Hospitals must post a notice regarding nurse-to-patient ratios in each unit and maintain records of actual ratios for each shift in each unit. The bill also requires hospitals to follow certain procedures regarding how ratios are determined and other staff are prohibited from performing nurse functions unless specifically authorized within a state's scope of practice rules, among other requirements. HHS must adjust Medicare payments to hospitals to cover additional costs attributable to compliance with these ratios. Nurses may object to, or refuse to participate in, an assignment if it would violate minimum ratios or if they are not prepared by education or experience to fulfill the assignment without compromising the safety of a patient or jeopardizing their nurse's license. Hospitals may not (1) take adverse actions against a nurse based on the nurse's reasonable refusal to accept an assignment; or (2) discriminate against individuals for good faith complaints relating to the care, services, or conditions of the hospital or related facilities. HHS may impose civil monetary penalties on hospitals violating the ratio requirements and must publish the names of such hospitals. The bill provides stipends to the nurse workforce loan repayment and scholarship program and expands the nurse retention grant program to include nurse preceptorship and mentorship projects.

PPP Access for Rural Hospitals Act This bill includes within the Paycheck Protection Program, established to support small businesses in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019), certain rural hospitals or hospitals serving low-income patients that are designated as critical care hospitals.

PPP Access for Rural Hospitals Act This bill includes within the Paycheck Protection Program, established to support small businesses in response to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019), certain rural hospitals or hospitals serving low-income patients that are designated as critical care hospitals.

This bill expands eligibility for Department of Veterans Affairs hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care to include veterans of World War II who are not already covered.

Hospital Competition Act of2019 This bill establishes a series of programs and requirements relating to hospital costs, payments, and infrastructure. Among other things, the bill requires hospitals, as a condition of Medicare participation, to (1) in the case of hospitals that meet specified market concentration thresholds, apply Medicare reimbursement rates regardless of whether the individual receiving services is entitled to or enrolled in Medicare; and (2) publish the prices charged for specified services that are highly utilized. The bill also repeals (1) performance incentives under the Medicare Shared Savings Program for accountable care organizations, and (2) provisions under the Stark law (i.e., the Physician Self-Referral Law) that prohibit physician-owned hospitals from expanding facility capacity.

Helping Hospitals in Need Act This bill provides additional appropriations for the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund for (1) hospitals and health care providers that serve a high proportion of uninsured or low-income patients, and (2) states and territories that have the highest per capita hospitalization rates for confirmed cases of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019).

Protecting Communities from Hospital Closures Act of 2020 This bill prohibits hospitals from closing unless pursuant to a plan approved by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Specifically, a hospital must (1) notify HHS before closing most or all of its units or departments or specific units or departments where the closure may significantly impact the health and welfare of a community (e.g., emergency departments or labor and delivery units), and (2) provide a closure plan that addresses specified issues related to continuity of patient care and the health and safety needs of the community served by the departments or units. HHS may reject, approve, or require modification of the plan. The bill provides for certain judicial remedies in the event of closures that occur without an approved plan or in violation of an approved plan.

Care for Veterans Act of 2019 This bill requires hospital care and medical services to be furnished to veterans and reservists who were exposed to volatile organic compounds, including trichloroethylene and benzene, while serving at Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, Michigan. Family members of veterans and reservists who resided at Wurtsmith Air Force Base are also eligible for hospital care and medical services under this bill. The bill also provides a presumption of service connection for veterans and reservists who were exposed to volatile organic compounds while serving at Wurtsmith Air Force Base. Under a presumption of service connection, specific conditions diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits and disability compensation may then be awarded.

Care for Veterans Act of 2020 This bill requires hospital care and medical services to be furnished to veterans and reservists who were exposed to volatile organic compounds, including trichloroethylene and benzene, while serving at Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, Michigan. Family members of veterans and reservists who resided at Wurtsmith Air Force Base are also eligible for hospital care and medical services under this bill. The bill also provides a presumption of service connection for veterans and reservists who were exposed to volatile organic compounds while serving at Wurtsmith Air Force Base. Under a presumption of service connection, specific conditions diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits and disability compensation may then be awarded.

Rural Hospital Sustainability Act This bill specifically allows the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to test a model for global payments to hospitals in rural areas. Under the model, rural hospitals receive fixed, monthly payments from all participating payers (e.g., Medicare, Medicaid, and private payers) for inpatient and outpatient services (rather than on a fee-for-service basis). In order to participate, hospitals must conduct a community health needs assessment survey and submit a transformation plan that incorporates the survey results and includes other specified information relating to the global payment model, including targeted populations, types of services, and anticipated Medicare savings.

Rural Hospital Sustainability Act This bill specifically allows the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to test a model for global payments to hospitals in rural areas. Under the model, rural hospitals receive fixed, monthly payments from all participating payers (e.g., Medicare, Medicaid, and private payers) for inpatient and outpatient services (rather than on a fee-for-service basis). In order to participate, hospitals must conduct a community health needs assessment survey and submit a transformation plan that incorporates the survey results and includes other specified information relating to the global payment model, including targeted populations, types of services, and anticipated Medicare savings.

POW Priority Care Act of 2019 This bill increases the priority status of former prisoners of war in the Department of Veterans Affairs health care system to the highest priority for hospital care and medical services.

Ensuring Quality Care for Our Veterans Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to contract with a nonfederal organization to conduct a quality management review of hospital care or medical services furnished by each Veterans Health Administration (VHA) provider whose license was terminated by a state licensing board based upon care or services provided in a non-VHA facility. If a review determines that the standard of care was not met, the VA shall notify the individual who received such care or services.

Ensuring Quality Care for our Veterans Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to contract with a nonfederal organization to conduct a quality management review of hospital care or medical services furnished by each Veterans Health Administration (VHA) provider whose license was terminated by a state licensing board based upon care or services provided in a non-VHA facility. If a review determines that the standard of care was not met, the VA shall notify the individual who received such care or services.

Rural Hospital Frontier Workforce Fairness Act This bill alters the Medicare prospective payment system for inpatient hospital services furnished at sole community hospitals (i.e., rural hospitals or hospitals that are the sole source of inpatient care in a certain geographic area). Specifically, the bill applies a minimum area wage adjustment to payments to sole community hospitals that are located up to 75 miles from the closest frontier (i.e., predominantly rural) state. Currently, the minimum area wage adjustment applies only to hospitals in frontier states.

Rural Hospital Frontier Fairness Act This bill alters the Medicare prospective payment system for inpatient hospital services furnished at sole community hospitals (i.e., rural hospitals or hospitals that are the sole source of inpatient care in a certain geographic area). Specifically, the bill applies a minimum area wage adjustment to payments to sole community hospitals that are located up to 75 miles from the closest frontier (i.e., predominantly rural) state. Currently, the minimum area wage adjustment applies only to hospitals in frontier states. The bill also allows such sole community hospitals to participate in the 340B drug pricing program (i.e., a program that allows entities to receive covered outpatient drugs at reduced prices from manufacturers).

Rural Health Care Access Act of 2019 This bill eliminates certain criteria that hospitals must meet in order to qualify as critical access hospitals that receive special payment under Medicare. Specifically, the bill eliminates the requirement that a hospital must either (1) be located more than 35 miles (15 miles in mountainous regions or areas with only secondary roads) from another hospital, or (2) have been certified prior to January 1, 2006, by the state as a necessary provider of services in the area.

Health Care Prices Revealed and Information to Consumers Explained Transparency Act or the Health Care PRICE Transparency Act This bill revises the format in which hospitals must list their standard charges for items and services to require that such lists are in a machine-readable format; it also revises the transparency requirements related to the costs of items and services for health insurance plans seeking certification as qualified health plans through insurance exchanges.

Health Care Prices Revealed and Information to Consumers Explained Transparency Act or the Health Care PRICE Transparency Act This bill revises the format in which hospitals must list their standard charges for items and services to require that such lists are in a machine-readable format; it also revises the transparency requirements related to the costs of items and services for health insurance plans seeking certification as qualified health plans through insurance exchanges.

This bill defines a full-time health care practitioner for the purpose of participation in the student loan repayment plan for public service employees. Specifically, the bill establishes a definition that encompasses an individual employed as a health care practitioner at a nonprofit or public hospital or facility who is prohibited from being directly employed by such hospital or facility under state law.

Veterans Residential Care Choice Act This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to place certain veterans in licensed or certified residential care facilities at the request of such veterans. Specifically, the bill concerns veterans to whom the VA is required to provide domiciliary, nursing home, adult day health, or hospital care. Licensed or certified residential care facilities include, but are not limited to, assisted living facilities, basic care facilities, community residences, enriched housing programs, homes for the aged, personal care homes, and shared housing establishments. Under the bill, the VA may enter into a contract or agreement with a licensed or certified residential care facility if the cost of the facility is less than the cost of providing care to such veterans through any other available option.

Save Rural Hospitals Act of 2020 This bill establishes an area wage adjustment floor for Medicare hospital payments in states that are not frontier states and excludes such adjustments from certain budget neutrality rules.

This resolution commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Houston Methodist Hospital.

Care Veterans Deserve Act of 2019 This bill expands and makes permanent the Veterans Choice Program. The program allows eligible veterans to receive health care in their communities rather than at a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facility when certain hardships exist (e.g., when a veteran resides more than 40 miles from a VA facility). The bill expands program eligibility to include veterans with a service-connected disability rated at 50% or more. Additionally, the bill requires the VA to contract with a national chain of walk-in clinics to provide hospital care and medical services in such clinics to veterans who are in the annual patient enrollment system. The clinics may not require a preauthorization or a co-payment for treatment. Under the bill, an authorized health care professional may provide treatment via telemedicine at any location in any state, regardless of where such health care professional or the patient is located. The bill requires the VA to extend the operating hours for VA pharmacies and medical facilities. Finally, the VA may provide for a nongovernmental hospital organization best-practices peer review of each VA medical center.