PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Apr 11, 2013
Improved Health Care at Lower Cost Act of 2013 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) and XI of the Social Security Act with respect to the prohibition against certain (potential financial conflict-of-interest) physician referrals.
Excepts from the physician self-referral prohibition any monetary incentive payments made by hospitals to physicians under certain incentive payment programs designed to align incentives among hospitals and physicians (through techniques such as product standardization, the substitution of lower cost products, and care coordination initiatives that encourage medically appropriate decreases in length of stay) to improve efficiency and decrease costs while maintaining or improving quality.
Exempts such monetary incentive payments (creates a safe harbor for them) from federal criminal antikickback and other sanctions.
People & committees
Rep. McDermott, Jim [D-WA-7] · D–WA
Legislative record
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Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 12, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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