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Records whose title is actually about this topic. Use a country filter if the list is still too broad.

901 records in US in 2009

Records

Bill· SS. 776 (111th)referred

Promoting Small House Nursing Homes Act

United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2009

Promoting Small House Nursing Homes Act - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a small house nursing home loan program under which the Secretary makes grants for the establishment, renovation, and construction of small house nursing homes that meet the requirements of this Act. Requires the Secretary to establish: (1) a Small House Advisory Panel to evaluate applications for loans under the program in conjunction with lenders; and (2) an evaluation tool and evaluation criteria with which to prioritize borrowers. Sets forth eligibility criteria for a loan under this Act, including that that home: (1) is designed to establish substantive culture change; (2) has been approved to operate a skilled nursing facility or a nursing facility; and (3) ensures that at least 30% of the residents of the facility are Medicaid-funded individuals. Requires the Secretary to develop model small house nursing home guidelines. Sets forth requirements for a small house nursing home that obtains proceeds from a direct loan under this Act, including that the home provides specified training to all staff. Gives priority in awarding loans to nursing homes that have a certain residential structure, such as private bedrooms, and to homes with a legally binding collective bargaining agreement. Terminates this program 25 years after the date on which amounts are initially appropriated.

Bill· SS. 770 (111th)referred

Medicare, Medicaid, and MCH Tobacco Cessation Promotion Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2009

Medicare, Medicaid, and MCH Tobacco Cessation Promotion Act of 2009 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide for Medicare coverage of: (1) counseling for cessation of tobacco use; and (2) tobacco cessation pharmacotherapy. Provides for similar benefits under SSA titles V (Maternal and Child Health Services) and XIX (Medicaid).

Bill· HRH.R. 1844 (111th)referred

Comprehensive Cancer Care Improvement Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2009

Comprehensive Cancer Care Improvement Act of 2009 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage of comprehensive cancer care planning services. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct a two-year demonstration project for Medicare payment for comprehensive cancer care symptom management services furnished by an eligible entity in accordance with a described plan. Directs the Secretary to make grants to eligible entities for establishing a new, or expanding an existing, palliative care and symptom management program for cancer patients. Directs the Secretary to make grants to eligible entities to improve the quality of graduate and postgraduate training of physicians, nurses, and other health care providers, as well as continuing professional education, in palliative care and symptom management for such patients. Requires the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish a program of grants for research on palliative care, symptom management, communication skills, and other end-of-life topics for such patients.

Bill· HRH.R. 1859 (111th)referred

Independent Drug Education and Outreach Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2009

Independent Drug Education and Outreach Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, to award grants or contracts for: (1) the development and production of educational materials concerning the evidence available on the relative safety, effectiveness, and cost of prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and nondrug interventions for treating selected conditions, to be distributed and presented to health care providers who prescribe such drugs and their patients; and (2) the development and implementation of a program to appropriately train and deploy health professionals to distribute such materials to, and otherwise educate, physicians and other drug prescribers concerning such drugs and interventions. Requires that grantees receive no support from any entity that manufactures products used to treat the medical conditions discussed.

Bill· HRH.R. 1850 (111th)referred

Quit Smoking for Life Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 1 April 2009

Quit Smoking for Life Act of 2009 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to cover diagnostic, therapy, and counseling services, furnished by or under a physician's supervision, for cessation of tobacco use. Provides for payment of 80% of the lesser of the actual charge or the fee schedule amount. Eliminates the deductible. Includes tobacco cessation agents as covered drugs under Medicare part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program). Amends SSA titles V (Maternal and Child Health Services) and XIX (Medicaid) also to cover counseling and medication for cessation of tobacco use. Requires inclusion of anti-tobacco messages in health promotion counseling as part of quality maternal and child health services.

Bill· SS. 755 (111th)referred

Ovarian Cancer Biomarker Research Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 31 March 2009

Ovarian Cancer Biomarker Research Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Cancer Institute to enter into cooperative agreements with, or make grants to, public or nonprofit entities to establish and operate Ovarian Cancer Biomarker Centers of Excellence to conduct research on biomarkers for use in risk stratification for, and the early detection and screening of, ovarian cancer. Permits federal funds to be used for research on: (1) the development and characterization of new biomarkers and the refinement of existing biomarkers, for ovarian cancer; (2) the clinical and laboratory validation of such biomarkers; (3) the development and implementation of clinical and epidemiological research on the utilization of such biomarkers; and (4) the development and implementation of repositories for new tissue, urine, serum, and other biological specimens. Requires the Director to: (1) make available for research banked serum and tissue specimens from clinical research regarding ovarian cancer that was funded by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); and (2) establish an Ovarian Cancer Biomarker Clinical Trial Committee to assist in designing and implementing national clinical trials to determine the utility of using such biomarkers. Requires a national data center to be established in and supported by the Institute to conduct statistical analyses of trial data, and to store such analyses and data. Requires such data and statistical analyses to be used to establish clinical guidelines to provide the medical community with information regarding the use of validated biomarkers.

Bill· SS. 754 (111th)referred

Methadone Treatment and Protection Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 31 March 2009

Methadone Treatment and Protection Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to: (1) direct the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants to states and nonprofit community organizations to distribute culturally sensitive educational materials about the dangers of opioid abuse, including methadone abuse; (2) establish a Controlled Substances Clinical Standards Commission to develop safe dosing standards for all forms of methadone, benchmark standards for the reduction of methadone abuse, appropriate conversion factors when transitioning patients from one opioid to another, guidelines for initiating pain management with methadone, and patient and practitioner education standards; (3) increase funding for the controlled substance monitoring program; and (4) require the completion of a Model Opioid Treatment Program Mortality Report and the establishment of a National Opioid Death Registry. Amends the Controlled Substances Act to: (1) set forth training requirements for health care practitioners registered to prescribe or dispense methadone or other opioids; and (2) require opioid treatment clinics to make acceptable arrangements for the distribution of methadone to patients restricted from taking home doses when the clinic is closed. Prohibits the writing of prescriptions or dispensing of a 40-mg diskette of methadone unless such prescription or dispensation is consistent with current Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) methadone policy.

Bill· SS. 756 (111th)referred

PRIME Act

United States · United States Congress · 31 March 2009

Prostate Research, Imaging, and Men's Education Act or the PRIME Act - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to expand and intensify research to develop advanced imaging technologies for prostate cancer detection, diagnosis, and treatment comparable to mammogram technology. Directs the Secretary: (1) to carry out a national campaign to increase awareness and knowledge with respect to the need for prostate cancer screening and for improved detection technologies; (2) in developing such campaign, to recognize and address the racial disparities in the incidences of prostate cancer and mortality rates; (3) to establish a program to award grants to nonprofit private entities to test alternative outreach and education strategies; (4) to carry out research to develop an improved prostate cancer screening blood test using in-vitro detection; and (5) to certify compliance with this Act within one year.

Bill· SS. 750 (111th)referred

Caring for an Aging America Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 31 March 2009

Caring for an Aging America Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) establish a Geriatric and Gerontology Loan Repayment Program to enter into contracts with qualified physicians, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, pharmacists, social workers, physician assistants, and psychologists to pay educational loans in exchange for providing full-time clinical practice and service to older adults; and (2) establish the National Advisory Council on the Geriatric and Gerontology Loan Repayment Program. Requires the Secretary to ensure that individuals eligible for the nurse loan repayment program include registered nurses who complete specialty training in geriatrics or gerontology and who elect to provide nursing services to older adults in home and long-term care settings. Authorizes the Secretary to award nursing education grants and enter into contracts for programs that focus on specialty training in providing long-term care services for nursing personnel who provide services in home and long-term care settings. Requires the Secretary to establish a Health and Long-Term Care Workforce Advisory Panel to: (1) examine, and provide advice on, workforce issues related to health and long-term care for the aging population; and (2) conduct a research project to identify incentives for recruitment and retention of clinicians and providers who agree to serve vulnerable older adults in geriatric and long-term care settings.

Bill· HRH.R. 1829 (111th)referred

Medicare Patient Access to Physical Therapists Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 31 March 2009

Medicare Patient Access to Physical Therapists Act of 2009 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to authorize qualified physical therapists to provide services for Medicare beneficiaries without the requirement of a physician referral. Provides for treatment of outpatient speech-language pathology services separately from outpatient physical therapy services.

Bill· HRH.R. 1816 (111th)referred

Ovarian Cancer Biomarker Research Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 31 March 2009

Ovarian Cancer Biomarker Research Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Cancer Institute to enter into cooperative agreements with, or make grants to, public or nonprofit entities to establish and operate Ovarian Cancer Biomarker Centers of Excellence to conduct research on biomarkers for use in risk stratification for, and the early detection and screening of, ovarian cancer, focusing on translational research of such biomarkers. Permits federal funds to be used for research on: (1) the development and characterization of new biomarkers and the refinement of existing biomarkers; (2) the clinical and laboratory validation of such biomarkers; (3) the development and implementation of clinical and epidemiological research on the utilization of such biomarkers; (4) the development and implementation of repositories for new tissue, urine, serum, and other biological specimens; and (5) genetics, proteomics, and pathways of ovarian cancer as they relate to the discovery and development of biomarkers. Requires the Director to: (1) make available for research banked serum and tissue specimens from clinical research regarding ovarian cancer that was funded by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); and (2) establish an Ovarian Cancer Biomarker Clinical Trial Committee to assist in designing and implementing national clinical trials to determine the utility of using such biomarkers. Requires a national data center to be established in, and supported by, the Institute to conduct statistical analyses of trial data and to store such analyses and data, which shall be used to establish clinical guidelines to provide the medical community with information regarding the use of validated biomarkers.

Bill· HRH.R. 1832 (111th)referred

Medicare Prescription Drug Affordability Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 31 March 2009

Medicare Prescription Drug Affordability Act of 2009 - Amends part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to: (1) limit Medicare part D prescription drug plan (PDP) cost increases to the Social Security cost-of-living increase; and (2) direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate with pharmaceutical manufacturers the prices that may be charged to PDP sponsors and MedicareAdvantage (MA) organizations for covered part D drugs for part D eligible individuals who are enrolled under a PDP or under an MA-Prescription Drug (MA-PD) plan.

Resolution· HRESH.Res. 308 (111th)referred

Honoring the life, legacy, and memory of Pedro Pablo Zamora y Diaz, an extraordinary educator and activist, and a pioneer in the battle against the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

United States · United States Congress · 31 March 2009

Honors the life, legacy, and memory of Pedro Pablo Zamora y Diaz, an educator and activist and a pioneer in the battle against the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Expresses support for educators and activitists who adhere to a comprehensive sex education agenda that is rooted in empirical and scientific evidence, that is culturally competent, and that promotes the tolerance of sexual orientation and the destigmatization of HIV/AIDS. Expresses the House of Representatives' commitment to: (1) supporting prevention and treatment facilities and programs in areas that have high rates of HIV/AIDS infections and high uninsured rates; (2) supporting programs that address the disproportionate effect of HIV/AIDS on communities of color; and (3) investing in programs and initiatives that are dedicated to providing Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender persons with the necessary support, resources, and tools to ensure that their civil rights, dignity, and health are protected.

Bill· SS. 734 (111th)open

Rural Veterans Health Care Access and Quality Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2009

Rural Veterans Health Care Access and Quality Act of 2009 - Removes the $44,000-per-individual limit on authorized payments by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health professionals education debt reduction program. Requires notice to potential employees of their eligibility and selection for participation in such program. Includes VA facilities in the list of medical facilities eligible for the assignment of participants under the National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program. Requires the Director of the VA's Office of Rural Health to develop an Office five-year strategic plan. Authorizes the use of volunteer counselors as part of the Vet Center program. Directs the Secretary to carry out a program of teleconsultation for the provision of remote mental health and traumatic brain injury assessments in VA facilities not otherwise able to provide such assessments without contracting out or reimbursing other providers for such services. Requires the Secretary, for each Veterans Integrated Services Network, to negotiate with each party that has contracts to provide services at more than one community-based outpatient clinic in that Network to consolidate such contracts. Directs the Secretary to designate a rural outreach coordinator at each such clinic at which not less than 50% of the veterans enrolled reside in a highly rural area. Provides for peer review of health care services and patient records within the Network. Authorizes reimbursement for veterans' beneficiaries for air travel when it is the only practical way to reach a VA health care facility. Directs the Secretary to carry out a pilot program on incentives for physicians who assume responsibilities of primary care and mental health services to veterans at community hospitals in health professional shortage areas.

Bill· HRH.R. 1776 (111th)referred

Quality FIRST (From Incentives, Reporting, Standards, and Technology) Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2009

Quality FIRST (From Incentives, Reporting, Standards, and Technology) Act of 2009 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make performance-based payments each fiscal year to hospitals that provide high quality inpatient hospital services to inpatients entitled to benefits under Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance). Requires the Secretary to select appropriate evidence-based, statistically valid, and sufficiently field tested quality measures of care furnished by hospitals in inpatient settings for evaluating hospital performance. Requires a utilization and quality control peer review organization to give priority of quality improvement assistance to low-performing hospitals. Directs the Secretary to establish a program under which a hospital seeking to improve the quality of inpatient hospital services based on the results of a performance evaluation may apply to the Secretary to receive quality improvement assistance from a private quality organization with expertise in supporting inpatient service quality improvement.

Resolution· SCONRESS.Con.Res. 13 (111th)open

An original concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2010, revising the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal year 2009, and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2011 through 2014.

United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2009

Sets forth the congressional budget for the federal government for FY2010, including the appropriate budgetary levels for FY2009 and FY2011-FY2014. Lists recommended budgetary levels and amounts for FY2009-FY2014 with respect to: (1) federal revenues; (2) new budget authority; (3) budget outlays; (4) deficits; (5) public debt; and (6) debt held by the public. Lists the appropriate levels of new budget authority, outlays, and administrative expenses for Social Security, U.S. Postal Service discretionary administrative expenses, and specified major functional categories for FY2009-FY2014. Provides for certain deficit-neutral reserve funds for legislation for: (1) transforming and modernizing America's health care system; (2) investing in clean energy and preserving the environment; (3) higher education; (4) child nutrition programs and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); (5) investing in America's infrastructure; (6) promoting economic stabilization and growth; (7) America's veterans and wounded servicemembers; (8) revising judicial pay, judgeships, and postal retiree health coverage; (9) defense acquisition and contracting reform; (10) investing in the nation's counties and schools; (11) the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); (12) a Bipartisan Congressional Sunset Commission; (13) revising domestic fuels security; (14) a comprehensive investigation into the current financial crisis; and (15) increased transparency at the Federal Reserve. Establishes specified discretionary spending limits in the Senate. Provides for adjustments to discretionary spending limits, budgetary aggregates, and allocations for: (1) continuing disability reviews and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) redeterminations for the Social Security Administration (SSA); (2) Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax enforcement; (3) health care fraud and abuse control; (4) unemployment insurance improper payments reviews; (5) reducing waste in defense contracting; (6) adjustments to support ongoing overseas contingency operations; and (7) revised appropriations for FY2010 if the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) re-estimates the President's request for discretionary spending in FY2010 at an aggregate level different from the CBO preliminary estimate dated March 20, 2009. Makes it out of order to consider in the Senate any legislation that would: (1) require advanced appropriations, with specified exceptions; or (2) cause a net increase in the deficit in excess of $10 billion in any fiscal year provided for in the most recently adopted budget resolution unless it is fully offset over all such fiscal years, except for measures within the Committee on Appropriations' jurisdiction. Makes it out of order to consider in the Senate any appropriations legislation that includes any provision affecting the Crime Victims Fund which constitutes a change in a mandatory program that would have been estimated as affecting direct spending or receipts under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act) were they included in legislation other than appropriations legislation. Makes it out of order to consider a budget resolution in the Senate unless it contains a specified debt disclosure section.

Resolution· HCONRESH.Con.Res. 85 (111th)passed

Setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2010 and including the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2009 and 2011 through 2014.

United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2009

Sets forth the congressional budget for the federal government for FY2010, including the appropriate budgetary levels for FY2009, and FY2011-FY2014. Lists recommended budgetary levels and amounts for FY2009-FY2014 with respect to: (1) federal revenues; (2) new budget authority; (3) budget outlays; (4) deficits (on-budget); (5) debt subject to limit; and (6) debt held by the public. Lists the appropriate levels of new budget authority and outlays for specified major functional categories for FY2009-FY2014. Sets forth reconciliation instructions for the Committees on: (1) Energy and Commerce; (2) Ways and Means; and (3) Education and Labor. Creates certain deficit-neutral reserve funds, subject to specified conditions, for legislation concerning: (1) health care reform; (2) college access, affordability, and completion; (3) an increase in energy independence; (4) America's veterans and servicemembers; (5) certain tax relief; (6) a 9/11 health program; (7) child nutrition; (8) structural unemployment insurance reforms; (9) child support; (10) the Affordable Housing Trust Fund; (11) home visiting for certain individuals and families; and (12) a low-income home energy assistance program (LIHEAP) trigger. Creates a reserve fund, subject to specified conditions, for legislation concerning reauthorization of surface transportation programs. Creates a current policy reserve fund, subject to specified conditions, for legislation concerning: (1) Medicare improvements; (2) middle-class tax relief; (3) Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) reform; and (4) the Estate and Gift Tax. Prescribes adjustments for direct spending and revenues to maintain such current policy reserves, only if certain conditions and pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) requirements are met. Authorizes adjustments for the LIHEAP program, and prescribes other adjustments for the deposit insurance guarantee commitment (in effect as of the enactment of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 [EESA]). Authorizes or prescribes adjustments to discretionary spending limits, budgetary aggregates, and allocations for: (1) continuing disability reviews, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) redeterminations, and SSI asset verification by the Social Security Administration (SSA); (2) Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax compliance; (3) the health care fraud and abuse control program; (4) unemployment insurance improper payments reviews; and (5) a Partnership Fund for Program Integrity Innovation in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). States that new budget authority, outlays, and receipts resulting from adoption of legislation making appropriations for FY2009-FY2010 for overseas deployments and related activities, or appropriations for discretionary spending to meet emergency needs, shall not count for certain purposes of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (CBA). Prohibits House legislation that would require advance appropriations, except certain FY2011 or FY2012 programs, projects, activities, or accounts. Declares the policy of this resolution on: (1) middle-income tax relief and revenues; and (2) defense priorities. Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives on: (1) veterans' and servicemembers' health care; (2) homeland security; (3) American innovation and economic competitiveness; (4) pay parity; (5) college affordability; (6) Great Lakes restoration; and (7) the importance of child support enforcement.

Bill· SS. 731 (111th)referred

A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for continuity of TRICARE Standard coverage for certain members of the Retired Reserve.

United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2009

Makes a member of the Retired Reserve who is qualified for a non-regular (reserve) retirement at age 60, but is not yet 60, eligible for health benefits under TRICARE Standard (a Department of Defense [DOD] managed health care program for members of the reserves). Terminates such eligibility when the member becomes eligible for TRICARE Standard at age 60. Includes immediate family members under such coverage. Requires members to pay a premium for such coverage.

Bill· SS. 733 (111th)referred

National Trauma Center Stabilization Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2009

National Trauma Center Stabilization Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to replace the trauma center grant program that provided for operating expenses for trauma centers incurring substantial uncompensated costs due to violence from illicit trafficking in drugs with a program to provide grants to public, nonprofit, Indian Health Service, Indian tribal, and urban Indian trauma centers to assist in defraying substantial uncompensated care costs, further the core mission of such trauma centers, and provide emergency relief to trauma centers at risk of closing or centers operating in an area where a closing has occurred within their primary service area. Sets forth qualifications for grantees and provisions governing the amount of the grant award. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide funding to states for grants to eligible entities to: (1) improve the availability of trauma services in underserved areas; (2) address trauma center overcrowding; (3) enhance trauma surge capacity; (4) address shortages of trauma surgeons and certain other trauma-related physician subspecialties; and (5) improve trauma service coordination and the appropriate transport of trauma patients to trauma centers. Requires the Secretary to distribute amounts based on a state's population.

Bill· SS. 717 (111th)referred

21st Century Cancer ALERT (Access to Life-Saving Early detection, Research and Treatment) Act

United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2009

21st Century Cancer ALERT (Access to Life-Saving Early detection, Research and Treatment) Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to revise provisions related to the National Cancer Program, including to require the establishment of an entity within the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to augment ongoing efforts to advance new technologies in cancer research, support the national collection of tissues for cancer research purposes, and ensure the quality of tissue collection. Sets forth provisions governing clinical trials, including ethical and privacy standards. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants for research on cancers with a low five-year survival rate and rare cancers. Expands coverage of colorectal screenings, including through providing grants and allowing states to provide coverage for such screenings under Medicaid. Provides for biomarkers research. Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to prohibit a group health plan from discriminating against participants and beneficiaries participating in cancer clinical trials. Sets forth provisions regarding retirement pay for nurses retiring from the Armed Forces. Requires the Secretary to study the current and future cancer care workforce needs. Prohibits the Secretary from awarding patient navigator grants unless entities provide assurances that patient navigators meet minimum core proficiencies. Provides for coverage under Medicare for payment of routine costs of care furnished to individuals participating in cancer clinical trials. Requires the Secretary to conduct a demonstration project under which payment for comprehensive cancer care planning services will be made under Medicare. Provides for coverage of tobacco cessation products. Provides for research on cancer survivorship related to childhood cancer and health disparities in outcomes. Requires the Secretary to convene a Workforce Development Collaborative on Psychosocial Care During Chronic Medical Illness.

Bill· SS. 726 (111th)referred

Promoting Innovation and Access to Life-Saving Medicine Act

United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2009

Promoting Innovation and Access to Life-Saving Medicine Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to provide for the licensing of biosimilar and interchangeable biological products. Defines "biosimilar" and "interchangeability" for purposes of this Act. Allows any person to file an abbreviated biological product application with the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Requires such applications to include information demonstrating a high degree of similarity or interchangeability between the biological product and the licensed biological product (reference product). Requires the Secretary to: (1) approve an application and issue a license for a biosimilar product unless the Secretary finds and informs the applicant that the information in the application fails to demonstrate biosimilarity between the biological product and the reference product or the safety, purity, and potency of the biological product; and (2) establish requirements for the efficient review, approval, suspension, and revocation of abbreviated biological product applications. Allows an applicant to request the Secretary to make a determination as to the interchangeability of a product and its reference product based on whether a product can be expected to produce the same clinical result as the reference product in any given patient. Grants market exclusivity to any biological product that is determined to be interchangeable for a specified period. Sets forth provisions governing patent infringement claims involving comparable biological products and legal remedies to expedite the adjudication of patent infringement disputes. Extends the period for approval of biological products to allow for studies of the use of new biological products in the pediatric population.

Bill· SS. 716 (111th)referred

A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to preserve care for ventilator-dependent patients.

United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2009

Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) with respect to a hospital which provides acute care services to ventilator-dependent patients who are: (1) entitled to benefits under Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance); and (2) eligible for medical assistance under a state plan approved under SSA title XIX (Medicaid). Revises ventilator-dependent patient days requirements for the disproportionate patient percentage in the formula for calculation of an additional Medicare payment for each subsection (d) hospital. (Generally, a subsection (d) hospital is an acute care hospital, particularly one that receives payments under Medicare's inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) when providing covered inpatient services to eligible beneficiaries.)

Bill· SS. 712 (111th)referred

Rural Medicare Equity Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2009

Rural Medicare Equity Act of 2009 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to eliminate the geographic physician work adjustment factor from the geographic indices used to adjust payments under the physician fee schedule. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a demonstration grants project designed to provide financial or other incentives to hospitals to attract educators and clinical practitioners so that hospitals that serve Medicare beneficiaries residing in underserved areas may host clinical rotations. Directs the Secretary to establish up to 10 demonstration projects to provide for improvements, as recommended by the Institute of Medicine, in the quality of health care provided to individuals residing in rural areas. Amends SSA title XVIII to require proportional representation of rural area interests on the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MEDPAC). Directs the Secretary to implement the recommendations contained in the March 2005 GAO report 05-119 entitled "Medicare Physician Fees: Geographic Adjustment Indices are Valid in Design, but Data and Methods Need Refinement."

Bill· HRH.R. 1745 (111th)referred

Family Health Care Accessibility Act of 2010

United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2009

Family Health Care Accessibility Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to deem volunteer practitioners at health centers as employees of the Public Health Service for purposes of any civil action that may arise due to providing services to patients at such health centers. Defines "volunteer practitioner" as a licensed physician or licensed clinical psychologist who: (1) provides services to patients of a public or nonprofit entity receiving federal funds for serving medically underserved areas, at the request of the entity; (2) provides such service at a site at which the entity operates or at a site designated by the entity; and (3) does not receive any compensation for the provision of services.

Bill· HRH.R. 1765 (111th)referred

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act with respect to payment for the furnishing of intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) in a patient's home for the treatment of primary immune deficiency diseases and to cover certain disposable pumps as durable medical equipment in place of non-disposable pumps under the Medicare Program.

United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2009

Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to: (1) authorize Medicare coverage of and payment for intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) administered in the home; and (2) Medicare coverage of disposable pumps for administration of a drug to treat colorectal cancer in certain cases.

Bill· HRH.R. 1740 (111th)open

EARLY Act

United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2009

Breast Cancer Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young Act of 2009 or EARLY Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to conduct a national evidence-based education campaign: (1) to increase public awareness regarding the threats posed by breast cancer to young women, including the particular risks faced by certain ethnic and cultural groups; and (2) focusing on awareness of risk factors and achieving early detection through community-centered informational forums, public service advertisements, and media campaigns. Directs the Secretary to award grants to entities to establish national multimedia campaigns that: (1) will encourage young women to be aware of their personal risk factors, strategies for increasing early detection and self awareness, evidence based preventative lifestyle changes, and other appropriate breast cancer early detection and risk reduction strategies; (2) will encourage young women of specific higher-risk populations to talk to their medical practitioners about those risks and methods for appropriate screening and surveillance; and (3) may include advertising through specified media. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director, to: (1) establish an advisory committee to assist in creating and conducting the public education campaign; (2) conduct an education campaign to increase awareness among health care professionals; and (3) conduct prevention research. Directs the Secretary to award grants to organizations and institutions to provide to young women diagnosed with breast cancer substantive assistance and health information from credible sources on: (1) education and counseling regarding fertility preservation; (2) social, emotional, psychosocial, financial, lifestyle, and caregiver support; (3) familial risk factors; and (4) risk reduction strategies to reduce recurrence or metastasis.

Bill· HRH.R. 1760 (111th)referred

Black Carbon Emissions Reduction Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 26 March 2009

Black Carbon Emissions Reduction Act of 2009 - Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to report to Congress on black carbon (light-absorbing component of carbonaceous aerosols) emissions, including : (1) a summary of current research identifying major sources, control technologies, quantifying metrics, and public health and environmental benefits associated with additional controls; and (2) recommendations regarding emissions monitoring techniques and capabilities, areas for additional study of technologies, operations, and strategies with the greatest potential to reduce emissions, and actions the government may take to encourage or require emission reductions. Requires the Administrator, within a year, to finalize regulations under the Clean Air Act to reduce emissions of black carbon or propose a finding that existing regulations promulgated pursuant to such Act adequately regulate them. Requires the Administrator to report to Congress on the amount, type, and direction of all present U.S. financial, technical, and related assistance to foreign countries to reduce, mitigate, and abate black carbon emissions.

Bill· SS. 711 (111th)referred

Post-Deployment Health Assessment Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2009

Post-Deployment Health Assessment Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Defense to issue guidance for the provision of an in-person mental health screening for each member of the Armed Forces deployed in connection with a contingency operation, in order to identify post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicidal tendencies, and other behavioral health issues for which additional care and treatment may be necessary. Excludes from such screenings members not subjected or exposed to combat stress during their deployment. Requires the Secretary to share screening results with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in order to ensure continuity of mental health care and treatment for such members during their transition from health care and treatment provided by the Department of Defense (DOD) to health care and treatment provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Bill· SS. 701 (111th)referred

Medicare Patient IVIG Access Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2009

Medicare Patient IVIG Access Act of 2009 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to collect data on the differences, if any, between: (1) payments to physicians for immune globulins using average sales price payment methodology; and (2) costs incurred by physicians for furnishing these products. Requires the Secretary also to review data on the access of eligible individuals to immune globulins. Requires the Secretary, after completion of the review, to provide, if appropriate, an additional payment to such physicians for all items related to the furnishing of immune globulins as part of hospital outpatient services. Provides for Medicare coverage of and payment for intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) administered in the home. Allows the Secretary to contract for the collection of data on the practice of IVIG infusion. Directs the Secretary to review data collected under such a contract as well as data submitted by members of the medical community related to the current infusion payment codes under part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) of SSA title XVIII. Requires the Secretary, upon completion of any data collection and review, to: (1) notify the appropriate Medicare administrative contractors regarding which existing infusion codes shall be used for purposes of part B IVIG reimbursement; or (2) report to Congress and the RBRUS Committee (RUC) on why an additional infusion payment code is necessary. Extends the meaning of durable medical equipment to include disposable drug delivery systems, including elastomeric infusion pumps, for the treatment of colorectal cancer.

Bill· SS. 699 (111th)referred

Far South Texas Veterans Medical Center Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2009

Far South Texas Veterans Medical Center Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to construct a major medical facility project in Far South Texas, consisting of a full-service Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital, to meet the health care needs of veterans residing in such area.

Bill· SS. 703 (111th)referred

American Health Security Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2009

American Health Security Act of 2009 - Establishes the State-Based American Health Security Program to provide every U.S. resident who is a U.S. citizen, national, or lawful resident alien with health care services. Requires each participating state to establish a state health security program. Eliminates benefits under: (1) titles XVIII (Medicare), XIX (Medicaid), and XXI (State Children's Health Insurance) (SCHIP) of the Social Security Act; (2) the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program; and (3) the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS). Requires each state health security program to prohibit the sale of health insurance in that state that duplicates benefits provided under the program. Establishes the American Health Security Standards Board to: (1) develop policies, procedures, guidelines and requirements to carry out this Act; (2) establish uniform reporting requirements; (3) provide for an American Health Security Advisory Council and an Advisory Committee on Health Professional Education; and (4) establish a national health security budget specifying the total federal and state expenditures to be made for covered health care services. Establishes the American Health Security Quality Council to: (1) review and evaluate practice guidelines, standards of quality, performance measures, and medical review criteria; and (2) develop minimum competence criteria. Establishes the Office of Primary Care and Prevention Research within the Office of the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Amends the Internal Revenue Code to create the American Health Security Trust Fund and appropriates to the Fund specified tax liabilities and current health program receipts.

Bill· SS. 693 (111th)referred

Preventive Medicine and Public Health Training Act

United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2009

Preventive Medicine and Public Health Training Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to award grants to or enter into contracts with certain eligible entities to provide training to graduate medical residents in preventive medicine specialties. Requires grant funds to be used for: (1) residency programs for preventive medicine or public health; (2) financial assistance to resident physicians who plan to specialize in preventive medicine or public health; (3) preventive medicine or public health program costs, including curriculum development and practicum costs; and (4) the improvement of academic administrative units.

Bill· SS. 697 (111th)referred

CLASS Act

United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2009

Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act or the CLASS Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to create a national, voluntary disability insurance program (CLASS program) under which: (1) all employees are automatically enrolled, but are allowed to waive enrollment; (2) payroll deductions pay monthly premiums; and (3) two-tiered benefits are provided, based on the level of disability, to purchase nonmedical services and supports that the beneficiary needs to maintain independence. Establishes the Independence Fund within the Treasury. Requires the CLASS program to be treated for tax purposes in the same manner as a qualified long-term care insurance contract. Amends the Social Security Act to require each state to: (1) assess the extent to which personal care services providers are serving or able to serve as fiscal agents, employers, and providers of employment-related benefits for personal care attendant workers, who provide personal care services to individuals receiving benefits under this Act; (2) designate or create entities to serve such purposes; and (3) ensure that such entities will not negatively alter or impede existing programs, models, methods, or administration of service delivery that provide for consumer controlled or self-directed home and community services, impede the ability of individuals to direct and control their home and community services, or inhibit individuals from relying on family members for such services. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a Personal Care Attendants Workforce Advisory Panel to examine and advise the Secretary and Congress on workforce issues related to personal care attendant workers. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) a deduction for premiums paid for the CLASS program; (2) a credit CLASS program enrollees with low income; and (3) a credit for employers for the cost incurred to automatically enroll employees and withhold monthly premiums.

Bill· SS. 698 (111th)referred

State-Based Health Care Reform Act

United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2009

State-Based Health Care Reform Act - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a Health Care Coverage Task Force to: (1) approve state, local, or tribal applications for a health care coverage grant; (2) submit a legislative proposal concerning such approvals and recommendations on the level of funding required; and (3) establish minimum performance measures with respect to coverage, quality, and cost of state health care programs. Prohibits the Task Force from approving an application that: (1) proposes to adopt more restrictive criteria for eligibility determinations for any federal, state, or local health care program; or (2) would result in making individuals enrolled in federal health programs ineligible. Requires states seeking a matching grant to submit to the Task Force a state health care plan that: (1) designates the lead state entity that will be responsible for administering the program; (2) describes the benefits that will be provided to all covered individuals; (3) describes the number and percentage of currently uninsured individuals who will achieve coverage; (4) describes how the state will ensure that an increased number of individuals residing within the state will have expanded access to health care coverage; (5) includes provisions to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of health care in the state; and (6) complies with premium and cost sharing limitations. Sets forth procedures for congressional consideration of legislative proposals and recommendations. Authorizes appropriations for the grant program and specifies offsetting savings and fee provisions. Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to revise requirements for the reduction in the Medicare part B premium subsidy based on income.

Bill· SS. 706 (111th)referred

Helping HANDS for Autism Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2009

Helping Housing, Awareness, and Navigation Demonstration Services for Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders Act of 2009 or the Helping HANDS for Autism Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a demonstration program to award grants to eligible entities to develop an autism navigator program to create a more efficient, effective, coordinated use of the health, housing, education, and social service systems for individuals with an autism spectrum disorder. Directs the Secretary to determine the functions of autism navigators, which may include: (1) case management and psychosocial assessment and care; (2) notifying individuals of autism clinical trials; (3) helping individuals overcome barriers in accessing and securing appropriate services in a timely manner; and (4) coordinating with relevant departments providing services to individuals with an autism spectrum disorder and their families. Requires a navigator program to provide centralized access for individuals with an autism spectrum disorder to multiple federal and state activities and programs related to autism spectrum disorders. Requires grantees to collect autism data and ensure confidentiality. Directs the Secretary to: (1) disseminate a standard curriculum for training first responders in assisting individuals with autism and other cognitive behavioral disabilities and their families during emergencies; and (2) award grants to states and local governments for such training. Requires the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to provide for a program for adults with autism spectrum disorder with the goal of providing individualized housing and services.

Bill· SS. 700 (111th)referred

Ending the Medicare Disability Waiting Period Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2009

Ending the Medicare Disability Waiting Period Act of 2009 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to: (1) phase out the waiting period for disabled individuals to become eligible for benefits under SSA title XVIII (Medicare); and (2) eliminate the waiting period for individuals with life-threatening conditions to become eligible for such benefits. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to request the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences to study the range of disability conditions that can be delayed or prevented if individuals receive access to health care services and coverage before a condition reaches disability levels.

Bill· HRH.R. 1704 (111th)referred

Mental Health on Campus Improvement Act

United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2009

Mental Health on Campus Improvement Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, to award grants to eligible institutions of higher education to improve mental and behavioral health services and outreach on college and university campuses. Directs the Secretary to give special consideration to programs that: (1) demonstrate the greatest need; (2) propose effective approaches for initiating or expanding campus services; (3) target underserved and at-risk populations; (4) coordinate with a community mental health center or other community mental health resources; (5) identify how the college or university will address psychiatric emergencies; and (6) demonstrate the greatest potential for replication and dissemination. Allows the Secretary to provide technical assistance to grantees. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Administrator, to convene an interagency, public-private sector working group to plan, establish, and begin coordinating and evaluating a targeted public education campaign that is designed to focus on mental and behavioral health on college campuses. Requires the Secretary to establish the College Campus Task Force to discuss mental and behavioral health concerns on college and university campuses.

Bill· HRH.R. 1725 (111th)referred

Voluntary State Discount Prescription Drug Plan Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2009

Voluntary State Discount Prescription Drug Plan Act of 2009 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to require drug manufacturers to pay rebates to state prescription drug discount programs as a condition of participating in a Medicaid rebate agreement for outpatient prescription drugs, but only if the state has elected to establish an optional state prescription drug discount program.

Bill· HRH.R. 1715 (111th)referred

Protection for Participants in Research Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2009

Protection for Participants in Research Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require all human subject research conducted, supported, or otherwise subject to federal regulation, to be conducted in accordance with the Common Rule and the vulnerable-population rules, as set forth in the Code of Federal Regulations. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to review and harmonize such regulations. Requires informed consent before an individual may be a subject of human research. Requires an Institutional Review Board to approve all human subject research proposals. Directs the Secretary to establish criteria for determining whether a human subject research project must be conducted in accordance with a data safety and monitoring plan. Prohibits grants or awards to a public entity or private academic institution that does not have a program to educate investigators and Board members on the protection of human research subjects. Prohibits the use of federal funds for classified human subject research if: (1) the Board has waived the informed consent requirement; or (2) the research is exempt from Board review. Establishes the Office of Human Research Protections within the Office of the Secretary. Requires the Director of the Office to: (1) provide for the protection of human research subjects; (2) establish criteria regarding assurance of compliance with Common Rule requirements; and (3) coordinate federal activities with respect to the protection of human research subjects. Authorizes the Director to make grants for a model education program. Requires the Secretary to: (1) promulgate regulations enhancing the protection of people with diminished decision-making capacity participating in human subject research; and (2) study whether the number of certain members of Institutional Review Boards should be increased.

Bill· HRH.R. 1721 (111th)referred

CLASS Act

United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2009

Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act or the CLASS Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to create a national, voluntary disability insurance program (CLASS program) under which: (1) all employees are automatically enrolled, but are allowed to waive enrollment; (2) payroll deductions pay monthly premiums; and (3) two-tiered benefits are provided, based on the level of disability, to purchase nonmedical services and supports that the beneficiary needs to maintain independence. Establishes the Independence Fund within the Treasury. Requires the CLASS program to be treated for tax purposes in the same manner as a qualified long-term care insurance contract. Amends the Social Security Act to require each state to: (1) assess the extent to which personal care services providers are serving or able to serve as fiscal agents, employers, and providers of employment-related benefits for personal care attendant workers, who provide personal care services to individuals receiving benefits under this Act; (2) designate or create entities to serve such purposes; and (3) ensure that such entities will not negatively alter or impede existing programs, models, methods, or administration of service delivery that provide for consumer controlled or self-directed home and community services, impede the ability of individuals to direct and control their home and community services, or inhibit individuals from relying on family members for such services. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a Personal Care Attendants Workforce Advisory Panel to examine and advise the Secretary and Congress on workforce issues related to personal care attendant workers. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) a deduction for premiums paid for the CLASS program; (2) a credit CLASS program enrollees with low income; and (3) a credit for employers for the cost incurred to automatically enroll employees and withhold monthly premiums.

Bill· HRH.R. 1701 (111th)referred

PTSD/TBI Guaranteed Review For Heroes Act

United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2009

PTSD/TBI Guaranteed Review for Heroes Act - Directs the Secretary of Defense to establish a special review board to review the discharge or dismissal (other than one by a sentence of a general court-martial) of a member of the Armed Forces who: (1) was deployed in support of a contingency operation; (2) was discharged or dismissed under a general or other than honorable condition; and (3) has been diagnosed by a health care professional with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Authorizes the board to undertake a review upon the request of the individual, their surviving spouse, next of kin, or legal representative, or a Member of Congress. Requires a review request to be made within 15 years of a discharge or dismissal. Authorizes the board, after a review, to change the discharge or dismissal of the individual to honorable. Requires the Secretary of the military department concerned to correct the military records of the individual in accordance with such change. Requires, if an appropriate health care official determines in an examination that a member who was deployed in support of a contingency operation has (or may have) PTSD or a TBI, the Secretary concerned to: (1) refer the member for an evaluation by a physical evaluation board; and (2) not separate the member until after considering the results of the evaluation.

Bill· HRH.R. 1707 (111th)referred

Helping HANDS for Autism Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2009

Helping Housing, Awareness, and Navigation Demonstration Services for Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders Act of 2009 or the Helping HANDS for Autism Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a demonstration program to award grants to eligible entities to develop an autism navigator program to create a more efficient, effective, coordinated use of the health, housing, education, and social service systems for individuals with an autism spectrum disorder. Directs the Secretary to determine the functions of autism navigators, which may include: (1) case management and psychosocial assessment and care; (2) notifying individuals of autism clinical trials; (3) helping individuals overcome barriers in accessing and securing appropriate services in a timely manner; and (4) coordinating with relevant departments providing services to individuals with an autism spectrum disorder and their families. Requires a navigator program to provide centralized access for individuals with an autism spectrum disorder to multiple federal and state activities and programs related to autism spectrum disorders. Requires grantees to collect autism data and ensure confidentiality. Directs the Secretary to: (1) disseminate a standard curriculum for training first responders in assisting individuals with autism and other cognitive behavioral disabilities and their families during emergencies; and (2) award grants to states and local governments for such training. Requires the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to provide for a program for adults with autism spectrum disorder with the goal of providing individualized housing and services.

Bill· HRH.R. 1699 (111th)referred

Patient Access to Critical Lab Tests Act

United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2009

Patient Access to Critical Lab Tests Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) where practical, Medicare regulations and policies should be written to promote development of and access to certain highly specialized laboratory tests; and (2) certain Medicare regulations should be revised to permit laboratories furnishing such tests to bill for and be paid directly by Medicare for furnishing them. Declares that, whenever a laboratory performs a covered complex diagnostic laboratory test, with respect to a specimen collected from an individual during a period in which the individual is a hospital patient, if the test is performed after such period, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall treat such test, for purposes of making direct payment to the laboratory, as if the specimen had been collected by the laboratory directly. Defines "covered complex diagnostic laboratory test" as: (1) an analysis of DNA, RNA, chromosomes, proteins, or metabolites that detects genotypes, mutations, chromosomal changes, biochemical changes, cell response, or gene expression or is a cancer chemotherapy sensitivity assay, with certain exceptions; (2) a diagnostic X-ray or other diagnostic test; (3) one developed and performed by a laboratory independent of the hospital in which the specimen involved was collected, and not under any arrangements with such hospital; and (4) one not furnished by such hospital, directly or under any arrangements made by it.

Bill· HRH.R. 1708 (111th)referred

Ending the Medicare Disability Waiting Period Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 25 March 2009

Ending the Medicare Disability Waiting Period Act of 2009 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to: (1) phase out the waiting period for disabled individuals to become eligible for benefits under SSA title XVIII (Medicare); and (2) eliminate the waiting period for individuals with life-threatening conditions to become eligible for such benefits. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to request the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences to study the range of disability conditions that can be delayed or prevented if individuals receive access to health care services and coverage before a condition reaches disability levels.

Bill· SS. 683 (111th)referred

Community Choice Act of 2009

United States · United States Congress · 24 March 2009

Community Choice Act of 2009 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to require state Medicaid plan coverage of community-based attendant services and supports for certain Medicaid-eligible individuals. Outlines requirements for: (1) an enhanced federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) for ongoing activities of early coverage states that enhance and promote the use of community-based attendant services and supports; and (2) increased federal financial participation for certain expenditures incurred by the state for the provision of such services and supports. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) award grants to eligible states which have established a Consumer Task Force to assist the state in its development of real choice systems change initiatives; and (2) conduct a demonstration project for the purpose of evaluating service coordination and cost-sharing approaches with respect to the provision of community-based services and supports to dually eligible individuals.

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