Eliminating Medicare sequestration for rural hospitals

(a) In general Section 256(d)(7) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 906(d)(7)) is amended by adding at the end the following: (D) Rural hospitals Payments under part A or part B of title XVIII of the Social Security Act with respect to items and services furnished by a critical access hospital (as defined in section 1861(mm)(1) of such Act), a sole community hospital (as defined in section 1886(d)(5)(D)(iii) of such Act), a medicare-dependent, small rural hospital (as defined in section 1886(d)(5)(G)(iv) of such Act), or a subsection (d) hospital (as defined in section 1886(d)(1)(B) of such Act) located in a rural area (as defined in section 1886(d)(2)(D) of such Act).. (b) Applicability The amendment made by this section applies with respect to orders of sequestration effective on or after the date that is 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.