Pete Sessions: “I wanted to offer this amendment to the emergency supplemental bill because it is, in fact, an emergency. The wage index…”

“I wanted to offer this amendment to the emergency supplemental bill because it is, in fact, an emergency. The wage index is causing hospitals in rural areas all over America to close their doors and to turn away patients. We cannot allow this to continue. The wage index is an injustice to rural communities that I believe has reached emergency levels. This terrible inequity within the Medicare wage index formula must be addressed in order to ensure access to care for Americans in need. This amendment, which is cosponsored by my colleague from Alabama, Senator Shelby, as well as my colleague from Arkansas, Senator Hutchinson, will establish a floor on area wage index adjustment factors used under the Medicare Prospective Payment System for inpatient and outpatient hospital services.”