GAO report on Medicare rural hospital classifications

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report on Medicare rural hospital classifications that includes the following information: (1) The total number of hospitals that, with respect to any of the 5 fiscal years preceding such date of enactment, had any of the following classifications: (A) Classification as a critical access hospital (as defined in section 1861(mm)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(mm)(1))). (B) Classification as a rural emergency hospital (as defined in section 1861(kkk)(2) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(kkk)(2))). (C) Classification as a rural referral center (as described in section 1886(d)(5)(C) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(5)(C)). (D) Classification as a sole community hospital (as defined in section 1886(d)(5)(D)(iii) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(5)(D)(iii))). (E) Classification as a medicare-dependent, small rural hospital (as defined in section 1886(d)(5)(G)(iv) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(5)(G)(iv))). (F) Classification as a low-volume hospital (as defined in section 1886(d)(12)(C)(i) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(12)(C)(i))). (2) An analysis of the extent to which there is overlap between the criteria for any two or more of the classifications described in paragraph (1). (3) Recommendations for— (A) simplification with respect to such classifications and any such overlap; and (B) changes with respect to the criteria for such classifications that would promote financial sustainability for rural hospitals and improve access to health care for individuals in rural areas. (4) The projected effects of allowing sole community hospitals (as described in paragraph (1)(D)) and medicare-dependent, small rural hospitals (as described in paragraph (1)(E)) to use a cost reporting period beginning during fiscal year 2021 for the purpose of calculating adjusted payments under section 1886(d)(5) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(5)).