Summary
Rural Healthcare Access Improvement Act of 2003 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to revise requirements with regard to rural health care, including: (1) urban and rural standardized payment amounts under the Medicare inpatient hospital prospective payment system (PPS); (2) the disproportionate share hospital (DSH) adjustment for rural hospitals; (3) the payment adjustment for low-volume hospitals; (4) the adjustment to the Medicare inpatient hospital PPS wage index to revise its labor-related share; (5) treatment of certain sole community hospitals to limit the decline in payment under the PPS for hospital outpatient department (ODP) services; and (6) the critical access hospital program.
Provides for a temporary increase for: (1) home health services furnished in a rural area; (2) certain services furnished by small rural hospitals under the Medicare prospective payment system for OPD services; and (3) ground ambulance services furnished in a rural area.
Amends SSA title XVIII to provide for: (1) exclusion of certain rural health clinic and Federally qualified health center services from the Medicare PPS for skilled nursing facilities; and (2) Medicare incentive program changes.
Provides for two-year treatment of certain clinical diagnostic laboratory tests furnished by a sole community hospital.
Amends SSA title XVIII to provide for establishment of a floor on geographic adjustments of payments for physicians' services.
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