124 STAT. 767 PUBLIC LAW 111–148—MAR. 23, 2010 be available to the Secretary, without fiscal year limitation, for payment of the costs of operating the National Practi- tioner Data Bank. (B) AVAILABILITY OF ADDITIONAL FUNDS.—In addition to the fees described in subparagraph (A), any funds avail- able to the Secretary or to the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services for a purpose related to combating health care fraud, waste, or abuse shall be available to the extent necessary for operating the Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank during the transition period, including systems testing and other activities necessary to ensure that information formerly reported to the Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank will be accessible through the National Practitioner Data Bank after the end of such transition period. (4) SPECIAL PROVISION FOR ACCESS TO THE NATIONAL PRACTITIONER DATA BANK BY THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.— (A) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, during the 1-year period that begins on the effective date specified in paragraph (6), the information described in subparagraph (B) shall be available from the National Practitioner Data Bank to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs without charge. (B) INFORMATION DESCRIBED.—For purposes of subparagraph (A), the information described in this subparagraph is the information that would, but for the amendments made by this section, have been available to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from the Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank. (5) TRANSITION PERIOD DEFINED.—For purposes of this sub- section, the term ‘‘transition period’’ means the period that begins on the date of enactment of this Act and ends on the later of— (A) the date that is 1 year after such date of enactment; or (B) the effective date of the regulations promulgated under paragraph (2). (6) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by sub- sections (a), (b), and (c) shall take effect on the first day after the final day of the transition period. SEC. 6404. MAXIMUM PERIOD FOR SUBMISSION OF MEDICARE CLAIMS REDUCED TO NOT MORE THAN 12 MONTHS. (a) REDUCING MAXIMUM PERIOD FOR SUBMISSION.— (1) PART A.—Section 1814(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395f(a)(1)) is amended— (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘period of 3 calendar years’’ and all that follows through the semicolon and inserting ‘‘period ending 1 calendar year after the date of service;’’; and (B) by adding at the end the following new sentence: ‘‘In applying paragraph (1), the Secretary may specify exceptions to the 1 calendar year period specified in such paragraph.’’ (2) PART B.— Time period.
