(a) In general

Section 1833(t) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(t)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(23) Use of unique health identifiers; attestation

(A) In general

No payment may be made under this subsection (or under an applicable payment system pursuant to paragraph (21)) for items and services furnished on or after January 1, 2026, by an off-campus outpatient department of a provider (as defined in subparagraph (C)) unless—

(i)

such department has obtained, and such items and services are billed under, a standard unique health identifier for health care providers (as described in section 1173(b)) that is separate from such identifier for such provider;

(ii)

such provider has submitted to the Secretary, during the 2-year period ending on the date such items and services are so furnished, an initial provider-based status attestation that such department is compliant with the requirements described in section 413.65 of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation); and

(iii)

after such provider has submitted an attestation under clause (ii), such provider has submitted a subsequent attestation within the timeframe specified by the Secretary.

(B) Process for submission and review

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall, through notice and comment rulemaking, establish a process for each provider with an off-campus outpatient department of a provider to submit an initial and subsequent attestation pursuant to clauses (ii) and (iii), respectively, of subparagraph (A), and for the Secretary to review each such attestation and determine, through site visits, remote audits, or other means (as determined appropriate by the Secretary), whether such department is compliant with the requirements described in such subparagraph.

(C) Off-campus outpatient department of a provider defined

For purposes of this paragraph, the term off-campus outpatient department of a provider means a department of a provider (as defined in section 413.65 of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation) that is not located—

(i)

on the campus (as defined in such section) of such provider; or

(ii)

within the distance (described in such definition of campus) from a remote location of a hospital facility (as defined in such section).

(b) HHS OIG analysis

Not later than January 1, 2030, the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services shall submit to Congress—