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Bill· HRH.R. 2348 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2015
This bill amends titles XI and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to allow a state to delay or deny an individual's initial eligibility for Medicaid benefits without providing a reasonable opportunity to submit evidence of a satisfactory immigration status or pending official verification of such status. A state that elects to provide a reasonable period for an individual to provide such evidence may not receive payment for amounts expended on the individual's medical assistance during that period.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 268 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 15 May 2015
Expresses support for the goals of Uterine Fibroids Awareness Month. (Uterine fibroids are common in women and can cause pain, bleeding, and infertility.) Recognizes the disparity in incidence rates of uterine fibroids in African-American and Hispanic women, and the need for greater research, treatment, and care options.
Bill· SS. 1347 (114th)open
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2015
Electronic Health Fairness Act of 2015 Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to prohibit any patient encounter of an eligible professional occurring at an ambulatory surgical center from being treated as such an encounter in determining whether an eligible professional qualifies as a meaningful electronic health record (EHR) user. Terminates this prohibition three years after the Secretary of Health and Human Services certifies EHR technology for the ambulatory surgical center setting.
Bill· SS. 1349 (114th)open
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2015
Notice of Observation Treatment and Implication for Care Eligibility Act or the NOTICE Act Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require a hospital or critical access hospital with an agreement with the Secretary of Health and Human Services to give each individual who receives observation services as an outpatient for more than 24 hours an adequate oral and written notification within 36 hours after beginning to receive them which: explains the individual's status as an outpatient and not as an inpatient and the reasons why; explains the implications of that status on services furnished (including those furnished as an inpatient), in particular the implications for cost-sharing requirements and subsequent coverage eligibility for services furnished by a skilled nursing facility; includes appropriate additional information; is written and formatted using plain language and made available in appropriate languages; and is signed by the individual or a person acting on the individual's behalf (representative) to acknowledge receipt of the notification, or if the individual or representative refuses to sign, the written notification is signed by the hospital staff who presented it.
Bill· SS. 1354 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2015
Medicare Patient Access to Hospice Act of 2015 Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to recognize attending physician assistants as attending physicians to serve hospice patients.
Bill· SS. 1345 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2015
Access to Quality Diabetes Education Act of 2015 Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to recognize state-licensed or -registered certified diabetes educators or state-licensed or -registered health care professionals who specialize in teaching individuals with diabetes to develop the necessary skills and knowledge to manage the individual's diabetic condition and are certified as a diabetes educator by a recognized certifying body. Directs the Government Accountability Office to study the barriers that exist for Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes in accessing diabetes self-management training services under the Medicare program. Requires the Director of the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality of the Department of Health and Human Services to develop a series of recommendations on effective outreach methods to educate primary care physicians and other health care providers as well as the public about the benefits of diabetes self-management training.
Bill· HRH.R. 2336 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2015
Sunshine in Litigation Act of 2015 Amends the federal judicial code to prohibit a court, in any civil action in which the pleadings state facts relevant to the protection of public health or safety, from entering an order restricting the disclosure of information obtained through discovery, approving a settlement agreement that would restrict such disclosure, or restricting access to court records, unless in connection with such order the court has first made independent findings of fact that: (1) the order would not restrict the disclosure of information relevant to the protection of public health or safety; or (2) the public interest in the disclosure of past, present, or potential health or safety hazards is outweighed by a specific and substantial interest in maintaining the confidentiality of the information, and the requested protective order is no broader than necessary to protect the confidentiality interest asserted. Prohibits a court from: (1) enforcing any provision of an agreement between or among parties to the civil action, or an order entered under this Act, that restricts a party from disclosing information to any federal or state agency with authority to enforce laws regulating an activity relating to such information; or (2) enforcing any provision of a settlement agreement between or among parties to such civil action that prohibits a party from disclosing that a settlement was reached or the terms of the settlement (excluding any money paid) that involve matters relevant to the protection of public health or safety, or from discussing matters relevant to the protection of public health or safety involved in such civil action. Excepts from this enforcement prohibition (thus allowing enforcement of) a settlement agreement provision about which the court finds that the public interest in the disclosure of past, present, or potential public health or safety hazards is outweighed by a specific and substantial interest in maintaining the confidentiality of the information in question, and the requested protective order is no broader than necessary to protect the confidentiality interest asserted. Creates a rebuttable presumption that the interest in protecting personally identifiable information of an individual outweighs the public interest in disclosure. Declares that nothing in this Act shall be construed to permit, require, or authorize the disclosure of classified information, as defined under the Classified Information Procedures Act.
Bill· HRH.R. 2325 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2015
This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Department of Health and Human Services to provide for a pharmaceutical and technology ombudsman within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Bill· HRH.R. 2342 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2015
Physical Therapist Workforce and Patient Access Act of 2015 Amends the Public Health Service Act to include physical therapy within the definition of "primary health services" for purposes of the National Health Service Corps. Makes physical therapists eligible for repayment of their educational loans in order to ensure an adequate supply of physical therapists.
Bill· HRH.R. 2339 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2015
This bill amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act with respect to the treatment of certain lottery winnings and income received as a lump sum in determining income eligibility. A state, in determining the modified adjusted gross income eligibility of a recipient of qualified lottery winnings or qualified lump sum income, may consider such winnings or income as received on a monthly basis if the winnings or income is received in: (1) an amount less than $50,000 over a period of 12 months, or (2) an amount equal to or greater than $50,000 in proportional increments over a state-specified period of up to 240 months.
Bill· HRH.R. 2338 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2015
This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to establish processes under which: (1) an entity seeking to develop patient experience data may submit initial research concepts for feedback; (2) the FDA may request or receive from such an entity draft guidance documents, data, and summaries and analyses of data; and (3) patient experience data may be considered in the risk-benefit assessment of a new drug. “Patient experience data” is data collected by patients or others that is intended to facilitate the FDA's risk-benefit assessments, including information about the impact of a disease or a therapy on patients' lives. The FDA must convene workshops and publish guidance on the patient experience data processes described above.
Bill· HRH.R. 2337 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2015
This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to replace the requirement that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prioritize review of breakthrough medical devices with a requirement that the FDA establish a program to provide priority review for breakthrough medical devices. Prior to submitting an application for approval, a medical device sponsor may request that the FDA designate the medical device for priority review. The FDA must provide a summary of the basis for its determination regarding designation. To expedite the development and review of designated medical devices, the FDA must: assign a team of staff for each device, adopt an efficient process for dispute resolution, provide for interactive communication with the device sponsor, expedite review of manufacturing and quality systems compliance, disclose to the sponsor in advance the topics of any consultation between the FDA and external experts or an advisory committee and provide the sponsor the opportunity to recommend external experts, assign staff to address questions by institutional review committees concerning investigational use of the device. The FDA may: (1) coordinate with the sponsor regarding early agreement on a data development plan; (2) take steps to ensure that the design of clinical trials is as efficient as practicable; (3) utilize timely postmarket data collection; and (4) agree to clinical protocols, subject to an FDA determination that changes are required to prevent an unreasonable risk to the public health or that a substantial scientific issue is essential to the safety or effectiveness of the device.
Bill· HRH.R. 2335 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2015
Stop Tampering of Prescription Pills Act of 2015 This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to deny approval to a new oral opioid (a drug with effects similar to opium, such as morphine) that does not have properties that make the drug significantly more difficult to abuse if an abuse-deterrent drug containing the same opioid is available. The FDA may approve an opioid drug that is not abuse-deterrent if approval is necessary to prevent or alleviate a drug shortage or to address a significant unmet public health need. To be approved by the FDA, a generic version of an abuse-deterrent brand name drug must be at least comparably abuse-deterrent and its active components must not differ in any material respect from the brand name drug. An approved generic drug is not bioequivalent to, and does not have the same therapeutic effect as, a brand name drug that becomes abuse-deterrent unless the generic drug is at least comparably abuse-deterrent. Approval of a generic oral opioid is withdrawn if the brand name drug is not abuse-deterrent and not available and there is an approved abuse-deterrent drug available that contains the same opioid in the same dose. Approval of an oral opioid is withdrawn if the drug is not abuse-deterrent and there is an approved abuse-deterrent drug available that contains the same opioid. Withdrawal of approval may be waived by the FDA for a drug intended for a special needs population. The FDA must delay withdrawal to give the drug sponsor an opportunity to obtain approval for an abuse-deterrent formulation of the drug.
Bill· HRH.R. 2328 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2015
Lead Exposure Reduction Amendments Act of 2015 This bill amends the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to exclude from the definition of "abatement" any activity: (1) the primary purpose of which is to repair, restore, or remodel target housing, public buildings constructed before 1978, or commercial buildings; and (2) that incidentally results in a reduction or elimination of lead-based paint hazards. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), no later than one year prior to proposing any renovation and remodeling regulation, must study the extent to which persons engaged in such activities: (1) are exposed to lead, and (2) disturb lead and create a lead-based paint hazard. The bill exempts from such a regulation an emergency renovation carried out in response to an event that is an act of God as defined by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, that presents a risk to the public health or safety, or that threatens to cause significant damage to equipment or property if not attended to immediately. A regulation may not require post-abatement clearance testing. The EPA must promulgate regulations to permit a resident owner of a dwelling that is target housing to authorize a contractor to forego compliance with such a regulation if the owner certifies that: (1) the renovation or remodeling project is to be carried out at such dwelling, (2) no pregnant woman or child under the age of six resides or will reside in such housing, and (3) the owner acknowledges that the contractor will be exempt from the requirements of such regulation. The EPA may not hold a contractor responsible for a misrepresentation made by the owner of such dwelling unless the contractor has actual knowledge of such a misrepresentation. The EPA must: (1) recognize a qualifying test kit for use under TSCA, and (2) suspend enforcement of any regulation relating to renovation and remodeling of target housing and commercial buildings constructed after January 1, 1960, and public buildings constructed between January 1, 1960, and January 1, 1978, until a specified period after the EPA recognizes such a test kit.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 263 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2015
Expresses support for the goals and ideals of an International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. Encourages: (1) health care providers to offer culturally and clinically competent care to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) community; (2) schools to support the creation of gay-straight alliances to achieve safer learning environments; (3) individuals to learn about national resources for those who identify as LGBT; and (4) the federal government, states, international funding organizations, and U.S. bilateral and multilateral aid efforts to prioritize the health and human rights of LGBT people.
Resolution· HCONRESH.Con.Res. 46 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2015
Expresses the sense of Congress that: the National Institutes of Health (NIH) should encourage a global pediatric clinical trial network through the allocation of grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to supplement the salaries of new and early investigators who participate in it; NIH grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements should be awarded to participating entities, solely for the purpose of supplementing the salaries of such investigators; and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should engage the European Medicines Agency and other foreign regulatory entities during the formation of such network to encourage their participation and should continue to engage such entities, once such network becomes operational, to encourage and facilitate their participation with the goal of enhancing the network's global reach.
Bill· HRH.R. 2300 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2015
Empowering Patients First Act of 2015 This bill repeals the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the health care provisions of the Health Care and Education and Reconciliation Act of 2010, effective as of their enactment. This bill replaces those provisions with amendments to the Internal Revenue Code, the Public Health Service Act, and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to address health care coverage. The bill provides for refundable tax credits for health insurance coverage and health savings account (HSA) contributions. The bill raises the annual HSA contribution limit, expands eligibility for tax-deductible HSA contributions, and allows HSAs to be used to pay periodic or capitated primary care fees. A limit is placed on the amount of an employer's contribution to health coverage that can be excluded from the employee's taxable income. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must provide a grant to each state for high-risk pools or reinsurance pools to subsidize health insurance for high-risk populations and individuals. Funds authorized, tax credits, and tax deductions under this Act may not be used to pay for an abortion or health coverage that includes abortion, with exceptions. This bill provides for the establishment and governance of independent health pools, entities that form risk pools to offer health insurance coverage to their members. Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2015 This bill provides for the establishment and governance of association health plans, which are group health plans sponsored by business associations that meet certain ERISA certification requirements. Health insurers offering individual coverage may deny coverage to an individual, outside of open enrollment periods. Preexisting conditions may be excluded from coverage under certain conditions. Individual health insurance coverage is governed by the laws of a state designated by the health insurance issuer. HHS must issue clinical practice guidelines. The bill specifies how these guidelines may be used in a health care lawsuit. HHS may not use comparative effectiveness research or patient-centered outcomes research to deny coverage of an item or service under a federal health care program. This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to permit Medicare beneficiaries to contract with a physician or practitioner for covered health care and submit a claim for payment under Medicare. Health care professionals are exempted from federal and state antitrust laws in connection with negotiations with a health plan to provide health care items or services.
Bill· HRH.R. 2299 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2015
This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, in order to facilitate price transparency with respect to items and services for which payment may be made to a hospital outpatient department or to an ambulatory surgery center, to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make available to the public via a searchable website: (1) the estimated payment amount for an appropriate number of items and services under the outpatient department fee schedule and the ambulatory surgical center payment system, and (2) the estimated amount of beneficiary liability applicable to such an item or service.
Bill· HRH.R. 2298 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2015
Medicare Patient Safety and Drug Abuse Prevention Act Amends part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to authorize a prescription drug plan (PDP) sponsor to establish a drug management program for at-risk beneficiaries. Requires a PDP sponsor, with respect to covered part D drugs, to have in place, directly or through appropriate arrangements, a utilization management tool designed to prevent: (1) the abuse of frequently abused drugs by individuals, and (2) the diversion of such drugs at pharmacies. Directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to authorize Medicare drug integrity contractors (MEDICs) to accept directly an individual's prescription and necessary medical records from pharmacies, PDPs, and physicians in order for MEDICs to provide information relevant to determining whether the individual is an at-risk beneficiary. Requires the Inspector General of HHS to study the effectiveness of MEDICs in identifying, combating, and preventing fraud under the Medicare program. Expresses the sense of Congress that Medicare Advantage organizations and PDP sponsors should consider using e-prescribing and other health information technology tools to support combating fraud under MA-PD plans and prescription drug plans under parts C (Medicare+Choice) and D.
Bill· HRH.R. 2313 (114th)open
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2015
Advancing Research for Hydrocephalus Act of 2015 Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to: (1) enhance and expand infrastructure and activities to track the epidemiology of hydrocephalus (a condition in which fluid accumulates in the brain); and (2) incorporate information obtained through those activities into a National Hydrocephalus Surveillance System. Requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to ensure that the System facilitates further research on hydrocephalus. Requires HHS to provide for the collection and storage of information on hydrocephalus, including the incidence, prevalence, and other information, to the extent practicable. Requires HHS to: (1) make information and analysis in the System available to the public, including researchers; and (2) ensure that privacy and security protections applicable to the System are at least as stringent as the protections under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
Bill· HRH.R. 2292 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2015
Preserving Rehabilitation Innovation Centers Act of 2015 Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to study whether there should be an increase in the prospective payment rate for inpatient rehabilitation services that would otherwise be made to a rehabilitation innovation center to cover additional costs incurred in: (1) furnishing items and services to individuals conducting research, and (2) providing medical training. Requires the study also to specify the amount of such an increase if the Secretary determines that it is recommended. Directs the Secretary also to study the access by individuals to rehabilitation care in rural communities in states where there is no rehabilitation innovation center.
Bill· HRH.R. 2311 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2015
Functional Gastrointestinal and Motility Disorders Research Enhancement Act of 2015 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to require the National Institutes of Health to expand, intensify, and coordinate its activities with respect to functional gastrointestinal and motility disorders (FGIMDs), including by: expanding basic and clinical research into FGIMDs by implementing the research recommendations of the National Commission on Digestive Diseases, providing support for the establishment of centers of excellence on FGIMDs, supporting innovative approaches to educating health care providers and patients regarding strategies that improve patient-provider relationships and care, directing the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) to provide the necessary funding for the continued expansion and advancement of the FGIMDs research portfolio, and directing NIDDK and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to expand research into FGIMDs that impact children. The Department of Health and Human Services may engage in public awareness and education activities to increase understanding and recognition of FGIMDs.
Bill· HRH.R. 2306 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2015
Obamacare Marriage Penalty Elimination Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax credit for health care insurance premium assistance, to: (1) calculate the amount of such credit in the case of a joint tax return as the sum of each credit amount allowed to each spouse, thus preventing the tax effect known as the marriage penalty; and (2) replace the 400% poverty line eligibility limit for such credit with an applicable percentage based on a calculation of the combination of increased tax revenues and decreased outlays resulting from this Act.
Bill· SS. 1332 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 13 May 2015
Meat and Poultry Recall Notification Act of 2015 This bill amends the Federal Meat Inspection Act, the Poultry Products Inspection Act, the Egg Products Inspection Act, and the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to authorize the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to issue a mandatory recall of contaminated meat, poultry, and egg products. Under current law, recalls are voluntary actions taken by food companies. The bill modifies the definition of "adulterated" used for recalls to include a food product that bears or contains a pathogen or contaminant associated with serious illness or death. If USDA determines that food violates a food safety law and there is a reasonable probability that the food, if consumed, would present a threat to public health, USDA must: (1) notify consumers and public health officials, and (2) provide the company with an opportunity to take voluntary actions. If the company refuses to carry out voluntary actions within the time period and in the manner prescribed by USDA, USDA is authorized to control and possess the food, recall the food, and take other mandatory actions necessary to prevent its distribution. In the case of a recall, USDA must provide affected retailers with a notice containing the product information of each product subject to the recall, and the retailers must post the notice or notify consumers using a customer card system. The bill establishes procedures, including civil and criminal penalties, to enforce this bill and other food safety laws.
Bill· HRH.R. 2253 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2015
Ensuring Access to Primary Care for Women & Children Act Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSAct) to require that the primary care services furnished in the two years after enactment of this Act by a physician with a primary specialty designation of family medicine, general internal medicine, or pediatric medicine be paid at a rate that is not less than 100% of the payment rate that applies under Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance), but only if the physician self-attests as being Board certified in those areas. Extends this 100% of Medicare payment floor, subject to certain conditions, to the following providers: (1) physicians with a primary specialty designation of obstetrics and gynecology, and self-attesting they are Board certified; (2) advanced practice clinicians; (3) rural health clinics, federally-qualified health centers, or other specified health clinics; and (4) nurse practitioners, physician assistants, or certified nurse-midwives. Excludes from coverage of primary care services any such services provided in an emergency department of a hospital. Prescribes additional requirements for any contract between a state and a Medicaid managed care organization. Directs the Government Accountability Office to examine the use of alternative payment models in state Medicaid programs and identify opportunities for disseminating successful payment models among them. Amends SSAct title XI to: (1) extend funding for development of adult health quality measures; and (2) direct the Administrator for the Centers for Medicaid and Medicaid Services and the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to develop such measures specific to adult individuals with disabilities and include them in the Medicaid Quality Measurement Program.
Bill· HRH.R. 2249 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2015
Restoring Medicaid for Compact of Free Association Migrants Act of 2015 Amends the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 to permit coverage under title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act for citizens of the Freely Associated States lawfully residing in the United States under the Compacts of Free Association between the United States Government and the Governments of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. Permits Medicaid coverage also to lawful residents, in accordance with such Compacts, but only at the option of the governor, of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or American Samoa. Exempts such citizens from the five-year limited eligibility of qualified aliens for federal means-tested public benefits with respect to Medicaid benefits.
Bill· HRH.R. 2247 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2015
Increasing Clarity for Doctors by Transitioning Effectively Now Act or the ICD-TEN Act This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to implement, administer, and enforce regulations that provide for the replacement of International Classification of Diseases (ICD) ICD-9 with ICD-10 as a standard for code sets. HHS shall conduct, and make available to all participating service providers and suppliers, a comprehensive, end-to-end testing process to assess whether the Medicare fee-for-service claims processing system based on the ICD-10 standard is fully functioning. HHS must subsequently certify to Congress whether or not the Medicare fee-for-service claims processing system based on the ICD-10 standard is fully functioning, including additional steps a not-fully-functioning system will take to achieve certification as well as the anticipated time frame for achieving it.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 259 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2015
Expresses support for: (1) the designation of National Brain Aneurysm Awareness Month; and (2) research to prevent, detect, and treat brain aneurysms.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 257 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2015
Expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Nurses Week. Recognizes the contributions of nurses to the U.S. health care system.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 256 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2015
Expresses support for the designation of Stroke Awareness Month. Encourages: (1) support for the efforts, programs, services, and advocacy of organizations that work to enhance public awareness of stroke; and (2) continued coordination and cooperation between government, researchers, families, and the public to improve treatments and prognoses for individuals who suffer strokes.
Bill· HRH.R. 2257 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2015
Directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to furnish to a covered individual, in addition to any fertility treatment otherwise provided, assisted reproductive technology. Defines: (1) "covered individual" to mean a veteran, regardless of sex, who is enrolled in the VA health care system, who has a service-connected disability, and whose disability includes an injury to the reproductive organs or the spinal cord that directly results in the veteran being unable to procreate without assisted reproductive technology and such veteran's spouse; and (2) "assisted reproductive technology" to include in vitro fertilization or any other specific technology used to assist reproduction that the VA deems appropriate. Authorizes the VA to provide not more than three in vitro fertilization cycles that result in a total of not more than six implantation attempts. Provides that the VA: (1) may provide for cryogenic storage of genetic material of a covered individual for not more than three years, after which the individual shall be responsible for the storage costs; (2) may not possess, or make any determination regarding the disposition of, genetic material of a covered individual; and (3) shall carry out any activities relating to the custody or disposition of such genetic material in accordance with the laws of the state in which the genetic material is located. Prohibits the VA from providing any benefits relating to surrogacy or assisting with obtaining a third-party genetic material donation.
Bill· SS. 1301 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2015
Restoring Medicaid for Compact of Free Association Migrants Act of 2015 Amends the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 to permit coverage under title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act for citizens of the Freely Associated States lawfully residing in the United States under the Compacts of Free Association between the United States Government and the Governments of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. Permits Medicaid coverage also to lawful residents, in accordance with such Compacts, but only at the option of the governor, of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or American Samoa. Exempts such citizens from the five-year limited eligibility of qualified aliens for federal means-tested public benefits with respect to Medicaid benefits.
Bill· SS. 1299 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2015
Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act Reauthorization of 2015 Amends the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize and revise a research, training, and technical assistance resource center to prevent suicides (the Suicide Prevention Resource Center). Expands the program's focus from youth suicides to suicides among all ages, particularly among groups that are at high risk for suicide. Repeals authority for grants to establish research, training, and technical assistance centers related to mental health, substance abuse and the justice system. Reauthorizes a program of grants for the development of state or tribal youth suicide early intervention and prevention strategies. Reauthorizes and revises a grant program to enhance services for students with mental health or substance use disorders at institutions of higher education. Requires the Center for Mental Health Services to award grants to enhance such services and to develop best practices for the delivery of such services. Permits grant funds to be used for the provision of such services to students and to employ appropriately trained staff. Requires special consideration be given to applications for grants that describe programs that demonstrate the greatest need for new or additional mental and substance use disorder services and the greatest potential for replication.
Bill· SS. 1290 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2015
TRICARE Portability Act of 2015 This bill directs the Secretary of Defense to ensure that beneficiaries covered under a TRICARE health plan are able to access health care under such health plan in each TRICARE program region. The Secretary shall: provide for the automatic electronic transfer of demographic, enrollment, and claims information between the contractors responsible for administering the TRICARE program in each TRICARE region when covered beneficiaries relocate between such regions, ensure these covered beneficiaries are able to obtain a new primary health care provider within ten days of undergoing such relocation, and develop a process for such covered beneficiaries to receive urgent care without preauthorization while undergoing such relocation.
Bill· SS. 1287 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2015
Viral Hepatitis Testing Act of 2015 Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to carry out hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) virus infection surveillance, education, and testing programs. Requires HHS to establish a national system regarding HBV and HCV infections, with its goals being to: determine the prevalence of infections, increase the number of individuals tested and made aware of their status, develop and disseminate public information and education programs, improve the training of health professionals, and provide referrals for counseling and medical treatment and ensure the provision of follow-up services. Directs HHS to determine the populations that are considered at high risk for HBV or HCV infection. Requires HHS to develop benchmarks for activities conducted under the Action Plan for the Prevention, Care, & Treatment of Viral Hepatitis. Directs HHS to establish and support public-private partnerships that facilitate HBV and HCV surveillance, education, screening, testing, and linkage to care programs. Requires the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to convene the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force every three years to review its recommendation for HBV and HCV screening. Directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide certain veterans with an HBV and HCV risk assessment, and, as needed, an evaluation and information regarding their need for treatment, vaccination, or other therapy.
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 178 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2015
Expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Nurses Week. Recognizes the contributions of nurses to the U.S. health care system.
Bill· HJRESH.J.Res. 50 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 May 2015
Grants congressional consent to the Health Care Compact. Exempts the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Food and Drug Administration from the Health Care Compact. (In a member state, the Health Care Compact gives primary responsibility for regulation of health care to the state. Federal and state laws remain in effect in a member state until suspended by the state. A member state is responsible for federal funding obligations that remain in effect in the state. Each year, a member state is entitled to federal funds equal to the total federal spending on health care in the state during FY2010, adjusted for inflation and population. The compact establishes the Interstate Advisory Health Care Commission to collect information and data to assist member states in their regulation of health care. The commission may make non-binding recommendations to the member states.)
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 176 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2015
Designates September 2015 as National Brain Aneurysm Awareness Month. Expresses support for research to prevent, detect, and treat brain aneurysms.
Bill· SS. 1253 (114th)open
United States · United States Congress · 7 May 2015
Patient Access to Disposable Medical Technology Act of 2015 This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to cover substitute disposable medical technology as durable medical equipment, subject it to a special payment rule, and exempt it from competitive acquisition.
Bill· SS. 1211 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 2015
This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to prohibit payment at the applicable site neutral payment rate for discharges in a cost reporting period beginning before October 1, 2017, from subsection (d) hospitals and certain long-term care hospitals that involve certain severe wounds. (Generally, a subsection [d] hospital is an acute care hospital, particularly one that receives payments under Medicare's inpatient prospective payment system when providing covered inpatient services to eligible beneficiaries.) The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall study the treatment needs of individuals entitled to benefits under Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance), or enrolled under Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance), requiring specialized wound care, and the cost, for such individual, and the Medicare program of treating severe wounds in rural and urban areas.
Bill· SS. 1205 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 May 2015
National Nurse Act of 2015 Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to designate the Chief Nurse Officer of the Public Health Service as the National Nurse for Public Health within the Office of the Surgeon General. Includes among the duties of this position: (1) providing leadership and coordination of Public Health Service nursing professional affairs for the Office of the Surgeon General and other agencies of the Public Health Service, (2) conducting outreach and education, and (3) providing guidance and leadership for activities that will increase public safety and emergency preparedness. Requires the National Nurse for Public Health to: (1) participate in identification of national health priorities, (2) encourage volunteerism of nurses and strengthen the relationship between government agencies and health-related national organizations, and (3) promote the dissemination of evidence-based practice in educating the public on health promotion and disease prevention activities.
Bill· HRH.R. 2237 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2015
Helping Veterans Exposed to Burn Pits Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a center of excellence in the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and rehabilitation of health conditions relating to exposure to open burn pits and other environmental exposures in Afghanistan or Iraq. The VA shall, in selecting the site, consider entities that: are equipped with the specialized equipment needed to study, diagnose, and treat health conditions relating to such exposure; have a publication track record of post-deployment health exposures among veterans who served in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom; have collaborated with a geosciences department that has a medical geology division; have developed animal models and in vitro models of dust immunology and lung injury consistent with the injuries of members of the Armed Forces who served in support of such Operations; and have expertise in allergy and immunology, pulmonary diseases, and industrial and management engineering. The VA shall ensure that the center collaborates with the Department of Defense (DOD), institutions of higher education, and other appropriate public and private entities to: provide for dissemination within the VA of best practices for the treatment of such conditions and the training of health professionals; provide guidance for the VA and DOD health systems in determining the personnel required to provide quality health care for members of the Armed Forces and veterans with such conditions; establish, implement, and oversee a comprehensive program to train VA and DOD health professionals in the treatment of such conditions; facilitate advancements in the study of the short-term and long-term effects of such exposure; conduct basic science and translational research on such conditions for the purposes of understanding the etiology of such conditions and developing preventive interventions and new treatments; and provide medical treatment to all veterans identified as part of the burn pits registry established under the Dignified Burial and Other Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2012. The center shall have access to and make use of the data accumulated by such registry.
Bill· SS. 1198 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2015
Improving the Integrity of Disability Evidence Act This bill amends the Social Security Act to prohibit the Commissioner of Social Security from considering (except for good cause) any medical evidence with respect to whether an individual is under a disability which is furnished by: (1) any individual convicted of a felony relating to Medicare fraud, (2) any individual or entity excluded from participation in any federal health care program, and (3) any person with respect to whom a civil monetary penalty or assessment has been imposed for the submission of false evidence.
Bill· SS. 1192 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2015
Breast Cancer Patient Education Act of 2015 Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Department of Health and Human Services to provide for the planning and implementation of an education campaign to inform breast cancer patients anticipating surgery about the availability and coverage of breast reconstruction, prostheses, and other options, with a focus on informing patients who are members of racial and ethnic minority groups.
Bill· SS. 1190 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2015
Ensuring Seniors Access to Local Pharmacies Act of 2015 Amends part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct any prescription drug plan that has in its network one or more pharmacies located in a health professional shortage area, in a medically underserved area, or among a medically underserved population, and that provides a reduction in coinsurance or copayments for covered part D drugs, to extend to any pharmacy located in that area, or among that population, the option to be an in-network pharmacy under terms and conditions comparable to those the plan has agreed upon with other in-network pharmacies located in the area or among that population.
Bill· SS. 1189 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 5 May 2015
Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Act Amends the Immigration and Nationality Technical Corrections Act of 1994 to make the J-1 visa waiver (Conrad state 30/medical services in underserved areas) program permanent. Excludes from numerical immigration limitations alien physicians who have completed national interest waiver requirements by working in a health care shortage area (including alien physicians who completed such service before the date of enactment of this Act and any spouses or children of such alien physicians). Sets forth specified employment protections and contract requirements for alien physicians working in underserved areas, including a six-month status extension for a physician whose application his been denied by an oversubscribed state who then agrees to work in an undersubscribed state. Increases the number of alien physicians that a state may be allocated from 30 to 35 per fiscal year under specified circumstances. Provides for additional increases or decreases based upon demand. Provides up to three visa waivers per fiscal year per state for physicians in academic medical centers. Permits dual intent for an alien coming to the United States to receive graduate medical education or training, or to take examinations required for graduate medical education or training. Exempts H-1B nonimmigrant aliens seeking to enter the United States to pursue graduate medical education or training from specified entry limitations.
Law· HRH.R. 2212 (114th)enacted
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2015
This bill takes into trust for the benefit of the Susanville Indian Rancheria approximately 301 acres of federal land under the administrative jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management, including improvements and appurtenances, in Lassen County, California. Certain gaming on these lands is prohibited.
Bill· HRH.R. 2200 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2015
CBRN Intelligence and Information Sharing Act of 2015 Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Office of Intelligence and Analysis of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to: (1) support homeland security-focused intelligence analysis of terrorist actors, their claims, and their plans to conduct attacks involving chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear materials against the nation and of global infectious disease, public health, food, agricultural, and veterinary issues; (2) support homeland security-focused risk analysis and risk assessments of such homeland security hazards by providing relevant quantitative and nonquantitative threat information; (3) leverage homeland security intelligence capabilities and structures to enhance prevention, protection, response, and recovery efforts with respect to a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear attack; and (4) share information and provide tailored analytical support on these threats to state, local, and tribal authorities as well as other national biosecurity and biodefense stakeholders. Requires the Office to coordinate with other DHS components, the Intelligence Community, and federal, state, local, and tribal authorities where appropriate and enable such entities to provide recommendations on optimal information sharing mechanisms and on how they can provide information to DHS. Directs DHS to report annually on: (1) intelligence and information sharing activities to counter the threat from attacks using chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear materials, and (2) DHS's activities in accordance with relevant intelligence strategies. Requires DHS to ensure that homeland security information analyzed by it concerning terrorist threats is provided to state, local, and private entities and the public.
Bill· HRH.R. 2208 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2015
Hospice Commitment to Accurate and Relevant Encounters Act or the Hospice CARE [ sic ] Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act with respect to the face-to-face encounter framework in hospice care. A clinical nurse specialist, physician assistant, or other health professional (in addition to a hospice physician or a nurse practitioner, as under current law) is allowed to conduct the face-to-face encounter with the individual to determine continued eligibility for hospice care before the first 60-day (currently 180-day) recertification period and each subsequent recertification.
Bill· HRH.R. 2196 (114th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2015
Medicare Independence at Home Medical Practice Demonstration Improvement Act of 2015 Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to increase from a three-year to a five-year period the length of an agreement with an independence at home medical practice under the Medicare Independence at Home Medical Practice Demonstration Program.
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