Hospitals would report resident status for Medicare training payments

Hospitals receiving Medicare payments for resident training would have to submit information that does not identify individual residents to the federal health secretary. The requirement would cover residents enrolled in a hospital’s approved medical residency programs. The secretary would decide what information is needed for the report to Congress. A hospital’s training program would not count as approved under this Medicare payment rule if the hospital does not report. Hospitals would report within 180 days after each fiscal year ends, starting with the first fiscal year that begins after enactment.

The federal health secretary would report the data to Congress and provide covered hospitals with a standard form. The report would combine data from approved residency programs that submitted information and show totals and percentages by state and status group. The five groups are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, people with J-1 status, people with H-1B status, and others lawfully present. The secretary would report within 270 days after each fiscal year ends, starting with the first fiscal year that begins after enactment.