Patrick J. Tiberi: “Today I rise in support of H.R. 5273, the Helping Hospitals Improve Patient Care Act, or ``HIP-C'' Act. This bill truly…”

“Today I rise in support of H.R. 5273, the Helping Hospitals Improve Patient Care Act, or ``HIP-C'' Act. This bill truly represents a bipartisan effort, and I want to thank the distinguished gentleman from Washington State (Mr. McDermott) for working with me on this bill. The bill also fully represents what the Speaker has often called true regular order. Prior to introducing H.R. 5273, the Ways and Means Committee held three hearings on topics included in the bill during the 114th Congress, and the committee recently marked up the bill in a unanimous way. H.R. 5273 strikes the right balance of preserving site-neutral payment policy, which I support, and providing essential relief for hospitals that were caught up in this policy change from last year's budget deal. Specifically, this bill helps many hospitals around the country and in my State of Ohio, including a facility by OhioHealth and Nationwide Children's Hospital that was started a year ago, last summer, and will benefit from full outpatient payments under the bill, as they had planned to when they dug the hole for their facility. Further, the James Cancer Hospital, part of my alma mater at Ohio State University, will have their cancer designation protected under the bill, along with other designated cancer centers.…”