To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to prevent a reduction in the hospital wage index for an urban area, with a wage index below the rural wage index for the State, as a result of a reclassification of a hospital, and for other purposes.

[AI summary unavailable — showing source text] Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide that: (1) notwithstanding budget neutrality requirements, in the case of an urban area with a wage index below the rural wage index applicable in the State, any decision rendered by the Medicare Geographic Classification Review Board or by the Secretary of Health and Human Services on an application by a hospital for a change in geographic classification may result in a reduction of that urban area's wage index; and (2) no urban wage index in a State may be below the rural wage index applicable in the State.…