SOS: Sustaining Outpatient Services Act

Where This Stands

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Signed

Currently IN_COMMITTEE. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

The Frame

What this does

This change affects how hospitals are reimbursed for outpatient care, potentially altering the financial viability of off-campus clinics for services where annual physician specialty spending is below $2 million.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Hospital outpatient departments

The bill changes the payment methodology for specific services provided at off-campus locations.

Medicare providers

Providers are subject to new payment determinations for outpatient services under the prospective payment system.

What changed

Current stage: IN_COMMITTEE.

What's next

Floor Vote.

Background

The Social Security Act is the foundational federal law that established the Medicare program. context

Summary

This bill changes how Medicare pays for certain medical services provided at off-campus hospital outpatient departments starting in 2024. It allows these services to be reimbursed under the hospital outpatient if they meet specific spending criteria.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Why It Matters

This change affects how hospitals are reimbursed for outpatient care, potentially altering the financial viability of off-campus clinics for services where annual physician specialty spending is below $2 million.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does this change take effect?

The changes apply to items or services furnished beginning in the year 2024.

Which services are affected by this change?

The change applies to services provided at s where the total annual physician specialty spending under the was less than $2 million in the previous year.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Related Legislation

Federal Bill85% related

Physician Fee Schedule Update and Improvements Act

This bill amends the Social Security Act to make improvements to the Medicare physician fee schedule. Specifically, it extends the floor for work geog

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Medicare Payment Methodology Adjustment

The bill shifts specific off-campus outpatient services into the hospital prospective payment system based on a $2 million annual spending threshold.

Social Security Act

Connected Entities

organizationCommittee on Energy and Commerce“Committee responsible for reviewing the bill”Map →

bill_number42 U.S.C. 1395l(t)(1)(B)“Section of the Social Security Act being amended”Map →

organizationCommittee on Ways and Means“Committee responsible for reviewing the bill”Map →

bill_numberH.R. 955“The bill's identification number”Map →

personMr. McGovern“Co-sponsor of the bill”Map →

bill_numberSocial Security Act“The legislation amends this act”Map →

personMr. Smith of Nebraska“Sponsor of the bill”Map →

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy30
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz20
Current news / social attention level