Ensuring Outpatient Quality for Rural States Act

This bill adjusts Medicare payments for hospital outpatient services in Alaska and Hawaii. It allows the Medicare program to apply cost-of-living adjustments to non-labor costs for these services starting in 2025, similar to how adjustments are made for other hospital payments. The change specifically targets hospitals in Alaska and Hawaii to address their unique geographic and operational challenges. It does not require budget-neutral implementation, meaning it may increase overall program spending for these states. The bill directly affects Medicare reimbursement rates for outpatient departments in those two states only.