PUBLIC LAW 106-113—APPENDIX F 113 STAT. 1501A-353 1842(b)(8) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395u(b)(8)) until after— (1) the Comptroller General of the United States releases a report pursuant to the request for such a report made on March 1, 1999, regarding the impact of the Secretary's, fiscal intermediaries', and carriers' use of such authority; and (2) the Secretary has published a notice of final rulemaking in the Federal Register that relates to such authority and that responds to such report and to comments received in response to the Secretary's interim final regulation relating to such authority that was published in the Federal Register on January 7, 1998. (b) REEVALUATION OF IR CRITERIA.—In promulgating the final regulation under subsection (a)(2), the Secretary shall— (1) reevaluate the appropriateness of the criteria included in such interim final regulation for identifying payments which are excessive or deficient; and (2) take appropriate steps to ensure the use of valid and reliable data when exercising such authority. (c) TECHNICAL CORRECTION. — Section 1842(b)(8)(A)(i)(I) (42 U.S.C. 1395u(b)(8)(A)(i)(I)) is amended by striking "the application of this part" and inserting "the application of this title to payment under this part". SEC. 224. INCREASE IN REIMBURSEMENT FOR PAI» SMEARS. (a) PAP SMEAR PAYMENT INCREASE.—Section 1833(h) (42 U.S.C. 13951(h)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: "(7) Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (4), the Secretary shall establish a national minimum payment amount under this subsection for a diagnostic or screening pap smear laboratory test (including all cervical cancer screening technoLagies that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a primary screening method for detection of cervical cancer) equal to $14.60 for tests furnished in 2000. For such tests furnished in subsequent years, such national minimum payment amount shall be adjusted annually as provided in paragraph (2).". (b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.— I t is the sense of the Congress that— (1) the Health Care Financing Administration has been slow to incorporate or provide incentives for providers to use new screening diagnostic health care technologies in the area of cervical cancer; (2) some new technologies have been developed which optimize the effectiveness of pap smear screening; and (3) the Health Care Financing Administration should institute an appropriate increase in the payment rate for new cervical cancer screening technologies that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and that are significantly more effective than a conventional pap smear. SEC. 225. REFINEMENT OF AMBULANCE SERVICES DEMONSTRATION PROJECT. Effective as if included in the enactment of BBA, section 4532 of BBA (42 U.S.C. 1395m note) is amended— (1) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following: "Not later than July 1, 2000, the Secretary shall publish a request for proposals for such projects."; and
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