116th CONGRESS 2d Session |
To reauthorize certain programs regarding rural health care.
March 11, 2020
Mrs. Loeffler (for herself and Ms. Smith) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
To reauthorize certain programs regarding rural health care.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
This Act may be cited as the “Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act of 2020”.
SEC. 2. Rural health care services outreach, rural health network development, and small health care provider quality improvement grant programs.
Section 330A of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c) is amended—
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking “essential” and inserting “basic”; and
(i) in the matter preceding clause (i), by inserting “to” after “grants”; and
(ii) in clauses (i), (ii), and (iii), by striking “to” each place such term appears;
(i) by inserting “improving and” after “outreach by”;
(ii) by inserting “, through community engagement and evidence-based or innovative, evidence-informed models” before the period of the first sentence; and
(iii) by striking “3 years” and inserting “5 years”; and
(i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting “shall” after “entity”;
(ii) in subparagraph (A), by striking “shall be a rural public or rural nonprofit private entity” and inserting “be an entity proposing to serve rural underserved populations”;
(iii) in subparagraphs (B) and (C), by striking “shall” each place such term appears; and
(I) in the matter preceding clause (i), by inserting “that” after “members”; and
(II) in clauses (i) and (ii), by striking “that” each place such term appears;
(I) in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking “promote, through planning and implementation, the development of integrated health care networks that have combined the functions of the entities participating in the networks” and inserting “plan and implement integrated health care networks that collaborate”; and
(II) in clause (ii), by striking “essential health care services” and inserting “basic health care services and associated health outcomes”; and
(ii) by amending subparagraph (B) to read as follows:
“(B) GRANT PERIODS.—The Director may award grants under this subsection for periods of not more than 5 years.”; and
(i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting “shall” after “entity”;
(ii) in subparagraph (A), by striking “shall be a rural public or rural nonprofit private entity” and inserting “be an entity proposing to serve rural underserved populations”;
(I) in the matter preceding clause (i)—
(aa) by striking “shall”; and
(bb) by inserting “that” after “participants”; and
(II) in clauses (i) and (ii), by striking “that” each place such term appears; and
(iv) in subparagraph (C), by striking “shall”;
(i) by inserting “, including activities related to increasing care coordination, enhancing chronic disease management, and improving patient health outcomes” before the period of the first sentence; and
(ii) by striking “3 years” and inserting “5 years”; and
(i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting “shall” after “entity”;
(ii) in subparagraphs (A) and (B), by striking “shall” each place such term appears; and
(iii) in subparagraph (A)(ii), by inserting “or regional” after “local”;
(5) in subsection (h)(3), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting “, as appropriate,” after “the Secretary”;
(6) by amending subsection (i) to read as follows:
“(i) Report.—Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of the Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act of 2020, and every 5 years thereafter, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report on the activities and outcomes of the grant programs under subsections (e), (f), and (g), including the impact of projects funded under such programs on the health status of rural residents with chronic conditions.”; and
(7) in subsection (j), by striking “$45,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012” and inserting “$79,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025”.