123STA T .9 2 PUBLIC LA W 111 – 3 —FE B. 4, 2 0 09 ‘ ‘ (2)SPECIF IC TO PIC S TO B E R E V IE W E D.— S pecif ic al l y,MACP AC sh all r e v ie w a nd assess t hef o llowin g: ‘‘(A) MEDIC A IDA N DC H IP PA YM ENT PO L ICIES.—Pay m ent policies u nder Medicaid and C HI P, including— ‘‘(i) the factors affecting e x penditures for items and services in different sectors, including the process for updating hospital, s k illed nursing facility, physi - cian, F ederally- q ualified health center, rural health center, and other fees
‘‘(ii) payment methodologies; and ‘‘(iii) the relationship of such factors and meth- odologies to access and quality of care for Medicaid and CHIP b eneficiaries. ‘‘( B ) INTERACTION OF MEDICAID AND CHIP PAYMENT POLI- CIES WITH HEALTH CARE DELIVERY G ENERALLY.— T he effect of Medicaid and CHIP payment policies on access to items and services for children and other Medicaid and CHIP populations other than under this title or title X XI and the implications of changes in health care delivery in the U nited States and in the general market for health care items and services on Medicaid and CHIP. ‘‘(C) O THER ACCESS POLICIES.—The effect of other Med- icaid and CHIP policies on access to covered items and services, including policies relating to transportation and language barriers. ‘‘( 3 ) CREATION OF EARLY-WARNING SYSTEM.—MACPAC shall create an early-warning system to identify provider shortage areas or any other problems that threaten access to care or the health care status of Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries. ‘‘( 4 ) COMMENTS ON CERTAIN SECRETARIAL REPORTS.—If the Secretary submits to Congress (or a committee of Congress) a report that is required by law and that relates to access policies, including with respect to payment policies, under Med- icaid or CHIP, the Secretary shall transmit a copy of the report to MACPAC. MACPAC shall review the report and, not later than 6 months after the date of submittal of the Secretary ’ s report to Congress, shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress written comments on such report. Such comments may include such recommendations as MACPAC deems appropriate. ‘‘( 5 ) AGENDA AND ADDITIONAL REVIEWS.—MACPAC shall consult periodically with the chairmen and ranking minority members of the appropriate committees of Congress regarding MACPAC’s agenda and progress towards achieving the agenda. MACPAC may conduct additional reviews, and submit addi- tional reports to the appropriate committees of Congress, from time to time on such topics relating to the program under this title or title XXI as may be requested by such chairmen and members and as MACPAC deems appropriate. ‘‘(6) AVAILABILITY OF REPORTS.—MACPAC shall transmit to the Secretary a copy of each report submitted under this subsection and shall make such reports available to the public. ‘‘( 7 ) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEE OF CONGRESS.—For purposes of this section, the term ‘appropriate committees of Congress’ means the Committee on E nergy and Commerce of the House of R epresentatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate.
