In its June 2018 report to Congress, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission made the following Medicare payment recommendations related to freestanding emergency departments:

2-1 The Congress should:

• allow isolated rural stand-alone emergency departments (more than 35 miles from another emergency department) to bill standard outpatient prospective payment system facility fees and

• provide such emergency departments with annual payments to assist with fixed costs.

COMMISSIONER VOTES: YES 17 • NO 0 • NOT VOTING 0 • ABSENT 0

2-2 The Congress should reduce Type A emergency department payment rates by 30 percent for off-campus stand-alone emergency departments that are within six miles of an oncampus hospital emergency department.

COMMISSIONER VOTES: YES 17 • NO 0 • NOT VOTING 0 • ABSENT 0

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