Summary
Rural Health Care Improvement Act of 2001 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to provide for: (1) payment adjustment for low-volume hospitals; (2) revision in the Medicare disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payment adjustment for rural hospitals equalizing DSH payment amounts; (3) a single, standardized amount under the Medicare inpatient hospital prospective payment system (PPS); (4) treatment of certain physician pathology services; and (5) one-time opportunity of critical access hospitals to return to the Medicare inpatient hospital PPS.
Amends the Public Health Service Act (PHSA) to establish: (1) a capital infrastructure revolving loan program under which the Secretary of Health and Human Services may make described loans to any rural entity for projects for capital improvements from the loan and loan guarantee fund under PHSA; (2) a high technology acquisition grant and loan program under which the Secretary may award grants and make loans to any eligible entity for any costs incurred by the entity in acquiring eligible equipment and services for improving the quality of health care in rural areas; and (3) a program of grants to eligible entities under which the Secretary shall award such grants to public or nonprofit private entities to establish telehealth resource centers for the health care needs of individuals in rural areas.
Amends SSA title XVIII concerning: (1) rural health clinics and Medicare reimbursement; and (2) exclusion of certain rural health clinic services and federally qualified health center services from the Medicare PPS for skilled nursing facilities.
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