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Bill· HRH.R. 3526 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 30 November 2011
Heart Disease Education, Analysis, Research, and Treatment for Women Act or the HEART for Women Act - Directs the Comptroller General to report on whether the presentation of clinical study safety and effectiveness data by sex, age, and racial subgroups complies with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to submit a response to such report, including a corrective action plan as needed. Requires the Director of the Office of Women's Health of FDA to report on the compliance of clinical studies of women's health with such FDA requirements, including requirements regarding: (1) the adequacy of representation of females, racial and ethnic minorities, and adults of all ages in approved clinical studies; and (2) the extent to which a summary of product safety and effectiveness data disaggregated by sex, age, and racial subgroup is available to the public. Requires the Director of the Office of Minority Health of FDA to submit a report that includes such information with respect to clinical studies of minority health. Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary to report on the quality of, and access to, care for women with heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases and to include recommendations for eliminating disparities in, and improving the treatment of, heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases in women. Reauthorizes a program to award grants for preventive heath services and referrals for medical treatment for women through entities that are screening women for breast or cervical cancer. Requires the Secretary to study the impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on such services and make recommendations for improvement in the provision of preventive health services, referrals, and followup services to women eligible for such services.
Bill· HRH.R. 3516 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 November 2011
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in making payment under the prospective payment system (PPS) to certain long-term care (LTC) hospitals for discharges in rate years beginning on and after October 1, 2011, to make payment adjustments for cases identified as: (1) meeting or exceeding the fixed high episode efficient case threshold, and (2) meeting or below the episode outlier case threshold. Directs the Secretary to adopt rules which identify the predicted probability of those Medicare beneficiaries admitted as inpatients to LTC hospitals from a subsection (d) hospital for whom the payment for services received during an episode of hospital care is predicted to be less than if they had remained in the subsection (d) hospital (episode efficient cases). (Generally, a subsection [d] hospital is an acute care hospital particularly one that receives payments under Medicare's inpatient PPS when providing covered inpatient services to eligible beneficiaries.) Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish separate thresholds for high episode efficient cases (Medicare beneficiary discharges with the highest 10% probability of being episode efficient cases) and episode outlier cases (Medicare beneficiary discharges with the lowest 10% probability of being episode efficient cases) for LTC hospitals located in a rural area, and (2) establish separate high episode efficient case and episode outlier case thresholds for LTC hospitals located in urban areas for beneficiaries discharged from a subsection (d) hospital which accounts for more than 25% of the Medicare beneficiaries discharged from subsection (d) hospitals in a Metropolitan Statistical Area. Establishes a two-year moratorium, beginning December 29, 2012, on the establishment of new LTC hospitals and LTC satellite facilities and on the increase in beds in existing LTC hospitals or satellite facilities.
Bill· HRH.R. 3514 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 November 2011
Everson Walls and Ron Springs Gift for Life Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, to establish a National Organ and Tissue Donor Registry Resource Center, which shall: (1) advance the development, expansion, and evaluation of state organ and tissue donor registries; (2) facilitate timely access to, and the exchange of accurate donor information between, such registries; (3) ensure that registries funded through this Act comply with applicable requirements; (4) provide technical assistance to states for such registries; and (5) maintain a registry information clearinghouse to collect, synthesize, and disseminate best practices information. Requires the Secretary to award grants or cooperative agreements to states for the development, enhancement, expansion, and evaluation of organ and tissue donor registries. Sets forth requirements for registries, including that such registries: (1) allow a donor to include a statement or symbol that the donor has made, amended, or revoked an anatomical gift; (2) allow organ procurement organizations to access that information, at or near the donor's death; and (3) bar the use or disclosure of personally identifiable information for any other purpose without the donor's consent. Prohibits any person from being held civilly liable for having harvested or taken an individual's organs or tissues without obtaining valid consent if: (1) such person verified that the individual was registered as a donor with a state organ and tissue donor registry, and (2) the harvesting or taking was within the scope of the consent given for purposes of such registration. Directs the Comptroller General to report on the feasibility of establishing a living donor database to track health effects for donors associated with living organ donation.
Bill· HRH.R. 3511 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 November 2011
Cardiac Arrest Survival Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to expand immunity from civil liability related to automated external defibrillator devices (AEDs), including by giving immunity to: (1) a person who owns, occupies, or manages the premises from which an AED is taken or at which an AED is used or attempted to be used on a victim of a perceived medical emergency; and (2) the owner-acquirer of an AED for any harm resulting from the use or attempted use of such device, unless the harm was proximately caused by the failure of the owner-acquirer to properly maintain the device according to the guidelines of the device manufacturer. Applies immunity regardless of whether: (1) the AED is marked with cautionary signage or registered with any government; or (2) the person who used or attempted to use the AED complied with such signage, had received training on such use, or was assisted or supervised by any other person, including a licensed physician.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 475 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 November 2011
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is unconstitutional in its entirety, and (2) the Anti-Injunction Act applies to neither the individual mandate nor to the penalty provision that enforces it and thus does not preclude the federal courts from finding PPACA unconstitutional in its entirety.
Bill· HRH.R. 3506 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 November 2011
Hospice Evaluation and Legitimate Payment Act - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act with respect to the face-to-face encounter framework in hospice care. Allows a clinical nurse specialist, physician assistant, or other health professional (in addition to a hospice physician or a nurse practitioner, as under current law) to conduct the face-to-face encounter with an individual to determine continued eligibility for hospice care before the first 60-day (currently, 180-day) recertification period and each subsequent recertification period. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a Medicare Hospice Payment Reform demonstration program to test any revisions to the methodology for determining payment rates for routine home care and other hospice care services. Sets at every three years the frequency of surveys of certified hospice program entities.
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 335 (112th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2011
Honors the life and accomplishments of Evelyn H. Lauder, a world renowned advocate for breast cancer awareness and women's health.
Bill· HRH.R. 3497 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2011
Modernizing Our Drug & Diagnostics Evaluation and Regulatory Network Cures Act of 2011 or the MODDERN Cures Act of 2011 - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to: (1) establish the Advanced Diagnostics Education Council to recommend standard terms and definitions related to innovative diagnostics for use by patients, physicians, health care providers, payers, and policy makers.; and (2) publish a guide regarding such terms and definitions. Sets forth additional factors for the Secretary to consider in determining the payment amount for new clinical diagnostic laboratory tests under gap filling procedures which are used when no comparable existing test is available. Extends the exclusivity period for a drug or biological product if the diagnostic test related to such drug has been determined by the Secretary to have been developed by, or with the participation of, the manufacturer or sponsor of the drug or biological product, and use of the diagnostic tests provides for or improves: (1) the identification of a patient population for the drug or biological product; or (2) the determination of the most appropriate treatment option for a patient population with the drug or biological product. Establishes a dormant therapy designation for drugs or biological products that address unmet medical needs. Gives such a drug or biological product 15 years of data exclusivity under which no drug can be approved by relying on the approval or licensure of the dormant therapy.
Bill· HRH.R. 3474 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2011
Promoting Responsibility in Medical Expenditures Act of 2011 - Amends title XI of the Social Security Act (SSA) to increase civil money penalties, criminal fines, and prison sentences for fraud and abuse under the SSA title XVIII (Medicare) program. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to submit to Congress annual fraud reports with respect to Medicare, SSA title XIX (Medicaid), and SSA title XXI (Children's Health Insurance) (CHIP). Amends the Small Business Jobs Act to exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act the algorithms used in predictive modeling and other analytics technology to identify and prevent waste, fraud, and abuse in the Medicare fee-for-service program. Requires valid National Provider Identifiers for prescribers on pharmacy claims for covered Medicare part D prescription drugs. Requires a prescription drug plan (PDP) sponsor identifying a claim for reimbursement for a drug prescribed by an individual without a valid National Provider Identifier to report to the HHS Inspector General any relevant information on such a prescriber, including any invalid national provider identifiers being used to submit such claims and related records. Requires the Inspector General of HHS to provide such information to appropriate law enforcement agencies. Directs the Secretary of HHS to establish procedures and rules to restrict access to the National Provider Identifier Registry in order to deter the fraudulent use of National Provider Identifiers. Decreases by 10% per quarter the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) for a state if: (1) it is receiving a grant for a state controlled substance monitoring program through which it identifies fraud, waste, or abuse in connection with the provision of prescription drug coverage under the state Medicaid plan; and (2) the state or a political subdivision is reimbursed by a third party for expenditures related to such fraud, waste, or abuse, or for a recovered amount. Directs the Secretary of HHS to establish procedures to eliminate the unnecessary collection, use, and display of Social Security account numbers of Medicare beneficiaries. Requires the Secretary of HHS to ensure that each newly issued Medicare identification card does not display or electronically store, in an unencrypted format, a Medicare beneficiary's Social Security account number, unless the beneficiary's health insurance claim number is the beneficiary's or spouse's Social Security number, and the risk of fraudulent use of such numbers is not unacceptably high. Requires the Secretary of HHS to prohibit the display of a Medicare beneficiary's Social Security account number in any written or electronic communication to the beneficiary unless its inclusion is essential for the operation of the Medicare program. Directs the Secretary of HHS to establish a pilot program to evaluate the applicability of smart card technology to the Medicare program, and whether such cards would be effective in preventing Medicare fraud. Prohibits payment for an item or service under Medicaid or CHIP unless the claim contains: (1) a valid beneficiary identification number corresponding to an individual enrolled under the state plan or an applicable waiver; and (2) a valid provider identifier corresponding to a provider eligible to receive payment for furnishing such item or service. Directs the Comptroller General to recommend methods to make Medicare claims data available to the public to improve Medicare transparency while protecting the privacy of individual Medicare beneficiaries, service providers, and suppliers.
Bill· HRH.R. 3489 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2011
White House Conference on Autism Act of 2011 - Requires the President, by December 31, 2012, to call the White House Conference on Autism (to be convened within 18 months of the selection of a Policy Committee) to make fundamental policy recommendations on ways to combat the autism epidemic in the United States. Sets forth as purposes of the Conference to: (1) galvanize a national effort to find the underlying causes of autism, (2) identify viable solutions and valuable services to help autistic individuals and their families, (3) bring together the best scientific minds to chart a comprehensive research agenda, (4) bring together parents of autistic children and leaders in the fields of education and social services to begin a national dialogue on the challenges faced by these children and their families, (5) highlight emerging and innovative programs that effectively serve the needs of autistic children and adults, and (6) review the effectiveness of existing legislation and programs that provide autism research services and develop recommendations for legislative action for improvements.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 473 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 18 November 2011
Honors the work of America's family caregivers. Acknowleges the enormous savings to the American taxpayer resulting from their labors. Encourages all Americans to pay tribute to those who provide for the health and well-being of their family members, friends, and neighbors. Supports the goals and ideals of National Family Caregivers Month.
Bill· SS. 1900 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2011
Urban Medicare-Dependent Hospitals Preservation Act of 2011 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, with respect to cost reporting periods beginning on or after October 1, 2011, and before October 1, 2014, to revise the criteria and payment formula for "subsection (d) hospitals" which are urban Medicare-dependent hospitals. (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.)
Bill· SS. 1884 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2011
School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in awarding grants to states under the children's asthma treatment grants program, to favor states that require their public elementary and secondary schools to: (1) permit authorized personnel to administer epinephrine to any student believed to be having an anaphylactic reaction, and (2) maintain a supply of epinephrine that is prescribed by a licensed physician and is stored in a secure and easily accessible location. (States given this preference are also required by current law to require those schools to authorize students, under certain conditions, to self-administer medication to treat their asthma or anaphylaxis.) Requires such states to also have a Good Samaritan law protecting school employees and agents from liability related to the administration of epinephrine to students believed, in good faith, to be having an anaphylactic reaction.
Bill· HRH.R. 3458 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2011
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to: (1) extend Medicare electronic health record incentives to eligible professionals practicing in rural health clinics, and (2) extend Medicare quality reporting incentives to such clinics.
Bill· SS. 1882 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2011
Fair And Immediate Release of Generic Drugs Act or the FAIR Generics Act - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) to revise the definition of “first applicant” for purposes of the 180-day exclusivity period given to first applicants to file an abbreviated new drug application (generic drug). Makes applicants for a generic drug eligible for the exclusivity period only if they have not entered into a disqualifying agreement (an agreement between a generic drug applicant and the holder of the application for the listed drug [brand name drug] or the patentholder for the brand name drug whereby the generic drug applicant agrees not to seek approval of its generic drug or not to begin the commercial marketing of its generic drug until the expiration of the exclusivity period awarded to another generic applicant). Expands the definition of “first applicant” to include an applicant that meets the following criteria: (1) the applicant is not the first generic applicant; (2) either no action for patent infringement was brought, such action was withdrawn or dismissed by a court without a decision that the patent was valid and infringed, or the court decided that the patent was invalid or not infringed; and (3) the applicant does not begin commercial marketing of such drug until 30 days after the first applicant began such commercial marketing. Prohibits a party that enters an agreement to delay seeking approval of its generic drug application or to delay the commercial marketing of a generic drug from seeking approval of its application or beginning commercial marketing before the earlier of: (1) the latest date set forth in the agreement to seek approval or market the drug without regard to any earlier date under the agreement when commercial marketing could begin, or (2) 180 days after another first applicant begins commercial marketing of such drug. Requires notice to the Secretary of the Health and Human Services (HHS) of the details of any agreement under this Act not later than ten business days after execution of the agreement. Declares that the exclusive remedy for an infringement of a patent included within a new drug application shall be an action brought under the FFDCA within the 45-day period prescribed.
Bill· SS. 1878 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2011
Coordination of Pro Bono Medically Recommended Dental Care Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award competitive grants to, or enter into contracts with, eligible entities to fund the employment costs of professionals who will use grant or contract funds to: (1) coordinate the provision of medically recommended dental care to eligible low-income individuals by volunteer dentists in a manner consistent with state licensing laws; and (2) verify the medical, dental, and financial needs of individuals who may be eligible for free dental services. Requires an eligible: (1) entity to be tax exempt and provide for the participation of eligible individuals in a free dental services program on a national basis; and (2) individual to be entitled to benefits or be enrolled under Medicare, Medicaid, or a state plan or waiver under the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP, formerly known as SCHIP).
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 327 (112th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2011
Expresses support for: (1) the goals and ideals of American Diabetes Month, including encouraging people to fight diabetes through public awareness about prevention and treatment options, and increasing education about the disease; and (2) decreasing the prevalence of type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes in the United States through increased research, treatment, and prevention. Recognizes the importance of early detection, awareness of the symptoms, and the risk factors that often lead to the development of diabetes.
Bill· HRH.R. 3442 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2011
Partial Hospitalization Stabilization and Intregity Act of 2011 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish: (1) a payment system for partial hospitalization services, and (2) quality service criteria to measure the performance of providers of such services.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 469 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2011
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is unconstitutional in its entirety, and (2) the Anti-Injunction Act does not apply to the penalty provision that enforces the individual mandate and thus does not preclude the federal courts from finding PPACA unconstitutional in its entirety.
Bill· SS. 1867 (112th)open
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2011
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 - Authorizes appropriations for the Department of Defense (DOD) for FY2012. Authorizes appropriations to DOD for: (1) procurement, including aircraft, missiles, weapons and tracked combat vehicles, ammunition, shipbuilding and conversion, and other procurement; (2) research, development, test, and evaluation; (3) operation and maintenance; (4) active and reserve military personnel; (5) Working Capital Funds; (6) the National Defense Sealift Fund; (7) the Defense Health Program; (8) chemical agents and munitions destruction; (9) drug interdiction and counter-drug activities; (10) the Defense Inspector General; (11) the Armed Forces Retirement Home; (12) overseas contingency operations; (13) the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Security Investment Program; (14) Guard and reserve forces facilities; (15) base closure and realignment activities; and (16) the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. Sets forth provisions or requirements concerning: (1) military personnel policy, including education and training, military justice, and sexual assault prevention and response; (2) military pay and allowances; (3) military health care; (4) acquisition policy and management, including major defense acquisition programs; (5) DOD organization and management, including space, intelligence, and cybersecurity matters; (6) financial matters, including counter-drug activities and detainee matters; (7) civilian personnel matters; (8) matters relating to foreign nations, including assistance and training; (9) cooperative threat reduction; and (10) matters relating to military construction and military family housing. Revises and adds new offenses under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) relating to rape, sexual assault, and other sexual misconduct. Provides procedures for the judicial review of decisions concerning the correction of military personnel records. Consolidates and revises DOD travel and transportation authorities. Establishes: (1) the Joint Urgent Operational Needs Fund, and (2) the Global Security Contingency Fund. Requires a DOD plan to acquire capabilities to detect previously unknown cyber attacks. Military Construction Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 - Authorizes appropriations for FY2012 for military construction for the Armed Forces and defense agencies. Authorizes appropriations to the Department of Energy (DOE) for DOE national security programs. Authorizes the obligation and expenditure of amounts specified in funding tables for a DOD project, program, or activity authorized under this Act.
Bill· SS. 1865 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2011
Patient Access to Medical Innovation Act - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to extend for five years and revise the program for humanitarian exemptions for pediatric medical devices. Removes provisions requiring the device to have been approved on or after September 27, 2007. Eliminates the authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish an annual distribution number setting the maximum number of devices that could be distributed under the exemption. Sets such number as the number of devices needed to treat, diagnose, or cure a population of 4,000 individuals in the United States. (Currently, this is the maximum number the Secretary may set.) Eliminates the limitation on the number of waivers the Secretary may grant from conflict of interest provisions pertaining to service on an advisory committee. Requires the Secretary to ensure that each determination to waive such provisions considers the scope and magnitude of the financial interest at issue with the public health need for the expertise of the member on the committee.
Bill· SS. 1862 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2011
Stillbirth and SUID Prevention, Education, and Awareness Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to award grants for: (1) improving state comprehensive death scene investigations for sudden unexplained infant death (SUID) and sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC), and (2) increasing the rate of comprehensive and standardized autopsies for such deaths. Requires the Director to: (1) develop national guidelines for a standard autopsy protocol for such deaths, and (2) commission a study on the benefits and appropriateness of genetic testing for infant and early childhood deaths that remain unexplained after investigation and autopsy. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director, to: (1) award grants for death scene investigation training specific for SUID and SUDC, (2) establish a population-based case registry for SUID and SUDC deaths, (3) conduct a needs assessment for investigations and determinations of such deaths, and (4) develop public education and prevention programs to reduce stillbirths and address the racial and ethnic disparities in occurrence. Directs the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), to: (1) award grants for child death review programs and prevention strategies; (2) establish a public health awareness and education campaign on SUID and SUDC; and (3) award grants for support services to families who have experienced SUID, SUDC, or stillbirth. Provides for surveillance and data collection on stillbirths. Requires the Secretary to establish a task force to develop a national research plan to determine the causes of, and how to prevent, stillbirths.
Bill· HRH.R. 3426 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2011
Protecting Neighborhoods from Oil Pollution Act of 2011 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue final regulations requiring an owner or operator to permanently close any oil storage or processing facility that: (1) is located within one mile of 100 or more residential units if two or more discharges of more than 40 gallons of oil occur at such facility within any 10-year period, or (2) is the source of groundwater contamination affecting 100 or more residential units. Requires such closures to be completed by specified deadlines. Requires such regulations to define "permanently close" to require: (1) all liquid and sludge to be removed from each container and connecting line associated with such facilities; (2) all such connecting lines and piping to be disconnected from such containers and blanked off, all valves (except for ventilation valves) to be closed and locked, and conspicuous signs to be posted on each container stating that it is a permanently closed container and noting the date of closure; and (3) other applicable laws to be followed with respect to clean up and remediation of any other contamination at, or originating from, such facilities. Prohibits the Administrator from including in such regulations exemptions to any of the requirements of this Act for discharges resulting from an act of God, an act of war, or U.S. negligence. Authorizes the Administrator to waive the requirement for closure of such facilities or grant an extension of the closure deadline if the Administrator determines that such owners or operators have taken or are taking all practicable steps to remediate the condition requiring closure. Requires such conditions requiring closure to be considered to be: (1) a substantial threat to the public health or welfare of the United States for the purposes of federal removal authority and civil enforcement, or (2) an imminent and substantial endangerment to the health of persons or to the welfare of persons for the purposes of emergency powers.
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 322 (112th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2011
Designates November 2011 as COPD Awareness Month. Encourages: (1) all people of the United States to become more informed about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and get screened if they are at risk, and (2) further partnership between the federal government and private entities to enhance patient education about COPD.
Bill· HRH.R. 3410 (112th)open
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2011
Energy Security and Transportation Jobs Act - Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to direct the Secretary of the Interior to make available for leasing and to conduct lease sales including: (1) at least 50% of the available unleased acreage within each outer Continental Shelf (OCS) planning area considered to have the largest undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources (on a total btu basis) based upon the most recent national geologic assessment of the OCS, with an emphasis on offering the most geologically prospective parts of the planning area; and (2) any state subdivision of an OCS planning area that the Governor of such state requests be made available for leasing. Directs the Secretary, in the 2012-2017 5-year oil and gas leasing program, to make available for leasing OCS planning areas that: (1) are estimated to contain more than 2.5 billion barrels of oil; or (2) are estimated to contain more than 7.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Directs the Secretary, in developing a 5-year oil and gas leasing program, to determine a domestic strategic production goal for the development of oil and natural gas. Makes the production goal for the 2012-2017 5-year oil and gas leasing program an increase by 2027 in daily production of at least: (1) 3 million barrels of oil, and (2) 10 billion cubic feet of natural gas. Directs the Secretary to conduct proposed offshore oil and gas Lease Sales 216 and 222 (in the central Gulf of Mexico) and Lease Sale 220 (on the OCS offshore Virginia). Authorizes the Secretary to hold additional lease sales for areas with the greatest potential for new oil and gas development as a result of local support, new seismic findings, or nomination by interested persons. Amends the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 to repeal the moratorium upon oil and gas leasing, or preleasing, or any related activity in: (1) any area east of the Military Mission Line in the Gulf of Mexico; (2) any area in the Eastern Planning Area that is within 125 miles of the Florida coastline; or (3) specified areas within the Central Planning Area and within 100 miles of the Florida coastline. Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to include within the OCS any submerged lands lying within the United States exclusive economic zone and the Continental Shelf adjacent to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, or other territories of the United States. Prescribes requirements for the disposition of new leasing revenues among coastal states.
Bill· HRH.R. 3419 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2011
Hotels for Heroes Act - Expands the authority of the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to accept travel benefits to facilitate the travel of members of the Armed Forces during leave from active duty to include, as part of such benefits, points or awards for free or reduced-cost hotel accommodations. Includes as benefits purposes: (1) providing humanitarian support to members and eligible beneficiaries receiving care through the military health care system, and (2) support to allow participation by members and their families in DOD-sponsored and authorized programs.
Bill· HRH.R. 3418 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2011
Stillbirth and SUID Prevention, Education, and Awareness Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to award grants for: (1) improving state comprehensive death scene investigations for sudden unexplained infant death (SUID) and sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC), and (2) increasing the rate of comprehensive and standardized autopsies for such deaths. Requires the Director to: (1) develop national guidelines for a standard autopsy protocol for such deaths, and (2) commission a study on the benefits and appropriateness of genetic testing for infant and early childhood deaths that remain unexplained after investigation and autopsy. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director, to: (1) award grants for death scene investigation training specific for SUID and SUDC, (2) establish a population-based case registry for SUID and SUDC deaths, (3) conduct a needs assessment for investigations and determinations of such deaths, and (4) develop public education and prevention programs to reduce stillbirths and address the racial and ethnic disparities in occurrence. Directs the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), to: (1) award grants for child death review programs and prevention strategies; (2) establish a public health awareness and education campaign on SUID and SUDC; and (3) award grants for support services to families who have experienced SUID, SUDC, or stillbirth. Provides for surveillance and data collection on stillbirths. Requires the Secretary to establish a task force to develop a national research plan to determine the causes of, and how to prevent, stillbirths.
Report· HearingS.Hrg.112-876published
United States · United States Senate · 10 November 2011
Bill· SS. 1849 (112th)open
United States · United States Congress · 10 November 2011
Rural Veterans Health Care Improvement Act - Requires the Director of the Office of Rural Health of the Veterans Health Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to develop and transmit to Congress a five-year strategic plan for improving access to, and the quality of, health care services for veterans in rural areas.
Bill· SS. 1855 (112th)open
United States · United States Congress · 10 November 2011
Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act Reauthorization of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to revise and reauthorize appropriations for public health preparedness activities, including activities related to: (1) the National Disaster Medical System, (2) the public health emergency readiness of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers, (3) state and local public health and medical preparedness and response, (4) surge capacity and community and hospital preparedness, (5) the capabilities of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to respond effectively to bioterrorism and other public health emergencies, (6) the special reserve fund for the procurement of security countermeasures, (7) the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), and (8) the Strategic National Stockpile. Extends provisions requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to report to Congress regarding the National Health Security Strategy, a coordinated strategy for public health emergency preparedness and response. Revises and expands the duties of the Director of At-Risk Individuals and the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response. Requires the Secretary to develop and update annually a coordinated five-year budget plan based on the medical countermeasure priorities and goals included in the Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise Strategy and Implementation Plan. Reauthorizes: (1) influenza vaccine tracking; (2) a program to verify the credentials and licenses of health care professionals who volunteer to provide health services during a public health emergency; and (3) the Medical Reserve Corps to provide for an adequate supply of volunteers in the case of a federal, state, local, or tribal public health emergency. Includes dental entities among entities that may carry out education and training activities to improve responses to public health emergencies. Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to countermeasures to require the Secretary to: (1) accelerate the development, stockpiling, approval, licensure, and clearance of qualified countermeasures, security countermeasures, and qualified pandemic or epidemic products; and (2) initiate a formal process for obtaining scientific feedback and interactions regarding the development and regulatory review of any countermeasure. Permits the Secretary to extend the expiration date of a drug, device, or biological product that is: (1) intended to prevent, diagnose, or treat either a disease or condition involving a biological, chemical, radiological, or nuclear agent or agents, or a serious or life-threatening disease or condition caused by such a product; and (2) intended for use during an emergency or material threat. Sets forth provisions regarding consideration of the need for pediatric studies of drugs that are qualified countermeasures, security countermeasures, or qualified pandemic or epidemic products. Amends the Pandemic and All-Hazard Preparedness Act to extend the antitrust exemption to permit meetings and consultations to discuss the development of security countermeasures, qualified countermeasures, or qualified pandemic or epidemic products. Revises the National Biodefense Science Board's membership and duties, including by requiring the Board to provide any recommendation, finding, or report provided to the Secretary to the appropriate committees of Congress.
Bill· SS. 1854 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 10 November 2011
Medical Surge Capacity Act - Amends title XI (General Provisions) of the Social Security Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to waive or modify certain requirements with respect to health care items and services furnished by a health care provider in a geographical area in which, and in a period during which, one (current law requires both) of the following exists: (1) an emergency or disaster declared by the President pursuant to the National Emergencies Act or the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, or (2) a public health emergency declared by the Secretary. Allows the Secretary to deem an emergency area to include a geographical area into which individuals from the emergency area are evacuated and receiving care. Extends the limitation on the duration of waivers of certain actions under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act and certain sanctions and penalties under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) from 72 to 96 hours beginning upon implementation of a hospital disaster protocol.
Bill· SS. 1843 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 10 November 2011
Representation Fairness Restoration Act - Amends the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to revise requirements for determination by the National Labor Relation Board (NLRB) of an appropriate bargaining unit before an election of collective bargaining representation. (In effect reverses the NLRB's August 26, 2011, decision in Specialty Healthcare and Rehabilitation of Mobile and its June 22, 2011, rulemaking regarding proposed changes to procedures involving the election of collective bargaining representation.) Replaces the current restriction in the meaning of collective bargaining unit to employer unit, craft unit, plant unit, or subdivision. Requires the NLRB, instead, to determine a unit as appropriate for collective bargaining if it consists of employees that share a sufficient community of interest. Specifies factors the NLRB must consider when making such determinations. Prohibits exclusion of employees from the unit unless the group's interests are sufficiently distinct from those of other employees to warrant the establishment of a separate unit.
Bill· SS. 1841 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 10 November 2011
Trisomy 21 Research Resource Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), acting through the Director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, to expand and intensify NIH programs with respect to research and related activities concerning Down syndrome. Requires the Director of NIH to publish a research plan on Down syndrome and update it every five years or as appropriate. Authorizes the Director of NIH to: (1) conduct basic, clinical, and translational research on Down syndrome; (2) award a grant or contract for a registry of individuals with Down syndrome; (3) establish a database including the names, contact information, and each medical condition of individuals with Down syndrome; and (4) expand one or more tissue banks maintained or supported by NIH to identify any tissue harvested from a tissue donor with Down syndrome. Requires consent before including an individual's information in the registry, the database, or the tissue bank. Authorizes the Director of NIH to provide for the participation of NIH agencies in a consortium to facilitate the exchange of information and to make the research effort on Down syndrome more efficient and effective by ensuring consistent communication, minimizing duplication of effort, and integrating the varied perspectives of partner agencies, organizations, and individuals. Authorizes the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to: (1) award grants and cooperative agreements for the collection, analysis, and reporting of data on Down syndrome; and (2) carry out epidemiological activities regarding Down syndrome.
Bill· SS. 1840 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 10 November 2011
Trisomy 21 Research Centers of Excellence of 2011- Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), acting through the Director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, to expand and intensify NIH programs with respect to research and related activities concerning Down syndrome. Requires the Director of NIH to publish a research plan on Down syndrome and update it every five years or as appropriate. Requires the Director of NIH to award grants and contracts to public or nonprofit private entities to pay all or part of the cost of planning, establishing, improving, and providing basic operating support for centers of excellence regarding translational research on Down syndrome. Sets forth requirements for such centers, which shall include: (1) contributing to a comprehensive research portfolio for Down syndrome, (2) having a primary focus on Down syndrome, (3) providing an optimal venue and infrastructure for patient-oriented research, and (4) conducting basic, clinical, and translational research on Down syndrome in specified areas. Authorizes the Director of NIH to establish a Down Syndrome Consortium to facilitate the exchange of information and to make the research effort on Down syndrome more efficient and effective.
Bill· HRH.R. 3399 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 10 November 2011
Medicare and Medicaid Fighting Fraud and Abuse to Save Taxpayers' Dollars Act or Medicare and Medicaid FAST Act - Amends part D (Prescription Drug Benefits) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to prohibit sponsors of prescription drug plans (PDPs) from paying claims for prescription drugs that do not include the valid National Provider Identifier for the drug's prescriber. Directs the Secretary of HHS to establish procedures and rules to restrict access to the National Provider Identifier Registry in order to deter fraudulent use of it. Amends SSA title XIX (Medicaid), for any state that has established a State Prescription Drug Monitoring Program meeting certain requirements, to decrease by 10% the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) with respect to any amounts recovered by or paid to the state related to an overpayment due to fraud, waste, or abuse. Allows the state to use such amounts to support its State Prescription Drug Monitoring Program. Directs the Secretary of HHS and the Attorney General jointly to establish a Commission to examine interoperability and other issues related to State Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs. Directs the Attorney General to: (1) update daily the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) database of persons registered to manufacture, distribute, or dispense a controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act to reflect any changes in the information in the Death Master File of the Social Security Administration; (2) agree with the Commissioner of Social Security to obtain death information in order to update such database; (3) establish procedures and rules to restrict access to the database to deter its fraudulent use; and (4) establish procedures and rules to review and investigate pharmacy claims under Medicare part D that contain a registration number not assigned to a practitioner by the Attorney General under the Controlled Substances Act. Amends SSA title XVIII to require certain annual reports to describe the types and financial costs to the Medicare program of improper payment vulnerabilities identified by Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs). Requires the Secretary of HHS to develop a plan to revise the beneficiary incentive program under the Health Instance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) to encourage greater participation by individuals in reporting fraud and abuse in the Medicare program. Requires the Secretary of HHS to: (1) establish and implement procedures to eliminate the unnecessary collection, use, and display of Social Security account numbers of Medicare beneficiaries; and (2) ensure that each newly issued Medicare identification card meets specified requirements. Directs the Secretary of HHS to establish a pilot program utilizing smart card technology to evaluate its applicability to the Medicare program and whether such cards would be effective in preventing Medicare fraud. Directs the Secretary of HHS to establish policies and procedures for a process to require prior authorization for initial claims for reimbursement for standard power wheelchairs. Requires the Secretary of HHS, the HHS Inspector General, and the Attorney General to increase coordination and data sharing. Directs the Secretary of HHS to establish: (1) automated prepayment review of all Medicare claims, (2) a plan to facilitate the inclusion of states in the Medicare-Medicaid Data Match Program, and (3) a plan that allows each state Medicaid agency access to relevant data on improper or erroneous Medicare payments for items or services for dual eligible individuals. Prohibits Medicaid payments as well as payments under SSA title XXI (State Children's Health Insurance Program) (CHIP) unless a claim contains a valid beneficiary identification number and a valid National Provider Identifier. Directs the Secretary to establish Medicare administrative contractor error reduction incentives. Requires the provider enrollment process and provider screening to be separate from any contract to serve as a Medicare administrative contractor. Directs the Secretary of HHS to report to Congress on measurable metrics for improving Medicare contractor performance. Amends SSA title XI to establish penalties for the illegal distribution of a Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP beneficiary identification number or billing privileges.
Bill· SS. 1838 (112th)open
United States · United States Congress · 9 November 2011
Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to commence a three-year pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of using service dog training activities as components of integrated post-deployment mental health and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) rehabilitation programs at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers to positively affect veterans with such symptoms and to produce specially trained service dogs for veterans. Requires the pilot program to be carried out at one VA medical center selected by the Secretary other than the VA health care system in Palo Alto, California. Makes veteran participation voluntary. Requires the Secretary to: (1) collect program data to determine its effectiveness, as well as the advisability of expanding the program to additional VA medical centers; and (2) report annually to Congress for the duration of the pilot program.
Bill· SS. 1819 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 8 November 2011
Strengthening Services for America's Seniors Act - Amends the Older Americans Act of 1965 to authorize the Assistant Secretary for Aging in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to make grants to states to establish a program to assess the needs of family caregivers for targeted support services. Allows Aging and Disability Resource Centers to carry out an assessment program with respect to informal caregivers and care recipients. Establishes an Advisory Committee to Assess, Coordinate, and Improve Legal Assistance Activities for older Americans. Makes it a duty of the Administration on Aging to reserve and provide specified amounts for FY2012 and subsequent fiscal years for the funding of the National Ombudsman Resource Center (NORC). Authorizes the use of such amounts to enable NORC to: (1) collaborate and participate with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in providing training for state survey agencies with an agreement in effect under the Medicare program; or (2) work with the CMS Administrator, in the case of states without such an agency, to improve the investigative processes used by the center to address complaints by residents of long-term care facilities. Requires the state to ensure that representatives of the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman shall have access to review all records concerning a resident. Declares a State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, and any representative of the Office, a "health oversight agency," so that release of residents' individually identified health information to the Ombudsman or a representative is not precluded (by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 [HIPAA]) in certain cases. Imposes confidentiality requirements upon the Ombudsman and each representative of the Office with respect to communications with individuals seeking assistance under this Act.
Bill· SS. 1814 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 2011
National Disaster Medical System Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to: (1) authorize appropriations for providing for the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response and the operations of the National Disaster Medical System for FY2012-FY2016, and (2) authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to determine and pay claims for reimbursement for health-related social services, other human services, and auxiliary services to respond to the needs of victims of a a public health emergency directly or by contract providing for payment in advance or by way of reimbursement.
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 314 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 2011
Commends Project 9/11 and its work to assist the 9/11 community in early treatment and detection of thyroid cancer.
Bill· HRH.R. 3382 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 2011
Smoke-Free Federal Buildings Act - Prohibits smoking in federal buildings. Allows the head of an executive agency to grant an exception to such prohibition if such exception relates to research that may benefit public health. Defines "federal building" to mean any building, workplace, or other structure, and 25 feet from the perimeter of such building, courtyard, areas used for children's playgrounds, or structure owned, leased, or leased for use by an executive agency. Excludes any building or other structure on a military installation located outside the United States.
Bill· HRH.R. 3386 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 2011
Medical Checklist Act of 2011 - Requires the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, acting through the Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety, to conduct research and a study regarding the development and efficacy of medical checklists, including regarding: (1) the testing of different models of medical checklists; (2) an examination of checklist development and use in other industries; and (3) a measurement of the effects of the use of medical checklists on patient safety and health outcomes. Requires dissemination of the results of such study to patient safety organizations. Defines "medical checklist" as a predetermined, evidence-based, well-defined set of steps that should be completed during a designated medical clinical encounter or medical procedure. Requires the HIT Policy Committee to develop policy recommendations regarding: (1) the extent to which the use of medical checklists should be incorporated into health information technology systems; and (2) measures to determine the effectiveness of such use. Requires the Secretary to enter into an agreement with the Institute of Medicine and the National Academy of Engineering of the National Academies to conduct a study on medical checklists that includes: (1) a review of available medical checklists and similar quality improvement techniques; (2) an identification of areas of research needed to improve medical checklists; (3) an analysis of organizational impediments to the adoption and use of medical checklists; and (4) a determination of whether the availability of an increased number of medical checklists would improve patient safety and health outcomes.
Bill· HRH.R. 3381 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 2011
Viral Hepatitis Testing Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to carry out surveillance, education, and testing programs with respect to hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) virus infections. Requires the Secretary to establish a national system with respect to HBV and HCV to: (1) determine the prevalence of such infections, (2) carry out testing programs to increase the number of individuals who are aware of their infection, (3) disseminate public information and education programs for the detection and control of such infections, (4) provide referrals for counseling and medical treatment and ensure the provision of follow-up services, and (5) improve the training of health professionals in the treatment of such infections. Directs the Secretary to determine the populations that are considered at high risk. Requires the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to complete the revision of CDC guidelines for screening individuals with HCV, taking into account: (1) the effectiveness issues that have been raised with respect to the current CDC guidelines for screening, (2) the importance of responding to the perception that receiving such screening may be stigmatizing, and (3) whether age-based screening would be effective. Requires the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to: (1) develop HCV screening recommendations, taking into account the guidelines established by CDC and new and improved treatments for HCV; and (2) develop HBV screening recommendations, taking into account the guidelines the CDC recommended in 2008.
Bill· HRH.R. 3380 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 2011
Dietary Supplement Protection Act of 2011 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to exempt dietary supplements containing a dietary ingredient marketed before January 1, 2007 (currently, October 15, 1994) from the requirement to provide premarket evidence of safety for the dietary ingredient to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Bill· HRH.R. 3364 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 4 November 2011
Equity and Access for Podiatric Physicians Under Medicaid Act - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to include podiatrists as physicians in order to cover their services under the Medicaid program.
Bill· SS. 1809 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 2011
Viral Hepatitis Testing Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to carry out surveillance, education, and testing programs with respect to hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) virus infections. Requires the Secretary to establish a national system with respect to HBV and HCV to: (1) determine the prevalence of such infections, (2) carry out testing programs to increase the number of individuals who are aware of their infection, (3) disseminate public information and education programs for the detection and control of such infections, (4) provide referrals for counseling and medical treatment and ensure the provision of follow-up services, and (5) improve the training of health professionals in the treatment of such infections. Directs the Secretary to determine the populations that are considered at high risk. Requires the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to complete the revision of CDC guidelines for screening individuals with HCV, taking into account: (1) the effectiveness issues that have been raised with respect to the current CDC guidelines for screening, (2) the importance of responding to the perception that receiving such screening may be stigmatizing, and (3) whether age-based screening would be effective. Requires the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to: (1) develop HCV screening recommendations, taking into account the guidelines established by CDC and new and improved treatments for HCV; and (2) develop HBV screening recommendations, taking into account the guidelines the CDC recommended in 2008.
Bill· SS. 1803 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 2011
Permanent Guarantee of Sensible Treatment of Farm Dust Act of 2011- Prohibits the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from proposing, finalizing, implementing, or enforcing any regulation revising the national primary ambient air quality standard or the national secondary ambient air quality standard applicable to nuisance dust with an aerodynamic diameter greater than 2.5 micrometers under the Clean Air Act (CAA). Exempts nuisance dust from the CAA and excludes nuisance dust from references in such Act to particulate matter, except with respect to geographical areas where such dust is not regulated under state, tribal, or local law if the Administrator finds that: (1) nuisance dust (or any subcategory of nuisance dust) causes substantial adverse public health and welfare effects at ambient concentrations; and (2) the benefits of applying CAA standards and other requirements to such dust outweigh the costs. Defines "nuisance dust" as particulate matter: (1) generated from natural sources, unpaved roads, agricultural activities, earth moving, or other activities typically conducted in rural areas; or (2) consisting primarily of soil, other natural or biological materials, windblown dust, or some combination thereof.
Bill· SS. 1800 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 2011
Parental Consent Act of 2011 - Prohibits federal funds from being used to establish or implement any universal or mandatory mental health, psychiatric, or socioemotional screening program. Prohibits federal education funds from being used to pay any local educational agency or other instrument of government that uses the refusal of a parent or legal guardian to provide consent to mental health screening as the basis of a charge of child abuse, child neglect, medical neglect, or education neglect until the agency or instrument demonstrates that it is no longer using such refusal as a basis of such charge. Defines a screening program under this Act as any mental health screening program in which a set of individuals is automatically screened without regard to whether there was a prior indication of a need for mental health treatment, including: (1) any program of state incentive grants to implement recommendations in the July 2003 report of the New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, the State Early Childhood Comprehensive System, grants for TeenScreen, and the Foundations for Learning Grants; and (2) any student mental health screening program that allows mental health screening of individuals under 18 years of age without the express, written, voluntary, informed consent of the parent or legal guardian of the individual involved.
Bill· HRH.R. 3342 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 2011
Affordable Medicines Utilization Act of 2011 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSA), with respect to FY2012-FY2014, to require an increase in the quarterly Medicaid payment to a state by 50% of the generic drug utilization savings amount if the state's generic substitution rate for the most recent preceding fiscal year for which data is available is greater than its rate for the most recent second preceding fiscal year for which data is available. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to determine the state's generic substitution rate for such fiscal years. Defines "generic substitution rate" as the share of all drug units for which Medicaid payment is made to a state for the 20 most widely prescribed multiple source drugs under the state program that have a specific National Drug Code. Directs the Secretary to provide for payments to eligible states for implementation of programs to achieve reductions in expenditures under Medicaid or under SSA title XVIII (Medicare) (innovative health care savings program).
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 457 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 2011
Encourages: (1) individuals to seek training in the use of CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and AEDs (automated external defibrillators), and (2) bystanders to use hands-only CPR and AEDs to save the life of another person in cardiac arrest.
Bill· SS. 1786 (112th)failed
United States · United States Congress · 2 November 2011
Long-Term Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to reduce the amount apportioned for a surface transportation program, project, or activity for FY2012 by amounts apportioned or allocated under the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011, Part II for the period October 1, 2011-March 4, 2012. Amends the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011, Part II to continue through FY2013, and authorizes appropriations for, specified federal-aid highway programs under the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), the SAFETEA-LU Technical Corrections Act of 2008, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA), and the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century. Includes among extended funds those for: (1) the surface transportation research, development, and deployment program; (2) training and education; (3) the Bureau of Transportation Statistics; (4) university transportation research; and (5) intelligent transportation systems (ITS) research. Repeals the set-aside of surface transportation program funds to states for a fiscal year for transportation enhancement activities. Extends for FY2012 and FY2013 the prohibition against additional funding of certain allocated transportation programs found to be sufficiently funded before or during FY2011. Authorizes the appropriation of $425 million from the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account) for administrative expenses of the federal-aid highway program for FY2012 and FY2013. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to extend through FY2013 authority for expenditures from: (1) the HTF Highway and Mass Transit accounts, (2) the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, and (3) the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund. Extends through FY2013 excise taxes on: (1) fuel used by certain buses, (2) certain alcohol fuels, (3) gasoline (other than aviation gasoline) and diesel fuel or kerosene, (4) certain heavy trucks and trailers, and (5) tires. Extends through FY2014 the excise tax on certain heavy vehicles. Extends through March 31, 2014, the requirement to credit or refund paid floor stocks taxes for unsold tires and taxable fuel. Extends through FY2013 the exemptions from excise taxes on: (1) certain sales, and (2) motor vehicles used by a state and local government. Directs the Secretary to carry out a project delivery acceleration initiative to identify, develop, and advance the use of best practices and deployment of technology and innovation to accelerate project delivery and to reduce project costs for transportation projects and programs while enhancing safety and protecting the environment. Authorizes a contracting agency (state transportation department) to award, on a competitive basis, a two-phase contract to a construction manager or general contractor for pre-construction and construction services on federal-aid highway projects. Amends National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) to authorize a lead agency (DOT or a state transportation department) to apply one or more categorical exclusions (that do not involve significant environmental impact) to certain components of a multimodal transportation project if specified circumstances apply. Authorizes the Secretary, subject to specified conditions, to adopt and use any planning product (decisionmaking process) that integrates the planning and environmental review process of transportation projects or programs. Revises NEPA requirements involving the environmental review process of transportation projects and programs. Authorizes a public authority to acquire real property that may be used for an approved surface transportation project before the completion of the environmental review process under NEPA for such project. Revises and makes permanent the surface transportation project delivery pilot program. Authorizes the reconstruction, in the same location with the same capacity, dimensions, and design, and without environmental oversight, of any federal road, highway, or bridge that is in operation for less than 30 years or under construction that is damaged by a state- or federally-declared emergency. Declares specified rules without force or effect, and to be treated as though they had never taken effect, with respect to: (1) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants from the Portland Cement Manufacturing Industry and Standards of Performance for Portland Cement Plants; and (2) Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources and Emission Guidelines for Existing Sources: Commercial and Industrial Solid Waste Incineration Units, and Identification of Non-Hazardous Secondary Materials that are Solid Waste, insofar as such rules are applicable to the Portland cement manufacturing industry and Portland cement plants. Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in place of such rules, to promulgate regulations, meeting specified requirements, for the Portland cement manufacturing industry and Portland cement plants. Authorizes appropriations from the Mass Transit Account of the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) and the General Fund of the Treasury for FY2012 and FY2013 for public transportation programs, projects, and activities under SAFETEA-LU and other federal transportation law, with a limit on obligational authority for the programs equal to the total authorized for such programs for FY2011. Amends SAFETEA-LU to extend for FY2012 and FY2013 the authorization of appropriations for specified National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) safety programs and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) programs. Authorizes appropriations through FY2013 for: (1) drug-impaired driving enforcement, and (2) older driver safety and law enforcement training. Extends for FY2012 and FY2013 the funding for hazardous materials (hazmat) research projects. Amends the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act to extend through FY2013 the authorized distribution of funds under such Act for coastal wetlands, recreational boating safety, projects under the Clean Vessel Act of 19921, boating infrastructure projects, and the National Outreach and Communications Program. Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2011 or REINS Act - Rewrites requirements for congressional review of agency rulemaking to require congressional approval of major rules of the executive branch before they may take effect. (Currently, major rules take effect unless Congress passes and the President signs a joint resolution disapproving them). Defines "major rule" as any that has resulted in or is likely to result in: (1) an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more; (2) a major increase in costs or prices; or (3) significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or U.S. competitiveness. Declares that, if a joint resolution of approval of a major rule is not enacted within a certain period of time, the rule shall be deemed not to be approved and shall not take effect. Permits a major rule to take effect for 90 calendar days without such approval if necessary because of an imminent threat to health or safety or other emergency, for the enforcement of criminal laws, for national security, or to implement an international trade agreement. Prescribes House and Senate procedures for joint resolutions approving major rules and disapproving non-major rules. EPA Regulatory Relief Act of 2011 - Declares specified rules without force or effect, and to be treated as though they had never taken effect, with respect to: (1) the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Major Sources: Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional Boilers and Process Heaters; (2) the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Area Sources: Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional Boilers; (3) the Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources and Emission Guidelines for Existing Sources: Commercial and Industrial Solid Waste Incineration Units; and (4) Identification of Non-Hazardous Secondary Materials That are Solid Waste. Requires the EPA Administrator, in place of such rules, to promulgate regulations, meeting specified requirements, for industrial, commercial, and institutional boilers and process heaters and commercial and industrial solid waste incinerator units. Regulatory Time-Out Act of 2011 - Suspends the effective date of certain covered regulations for one-year beginning on the enactment of this Act. Defines a "covered regulation" as a final regulation that did not take effect before September 1, 2011, that increases costs on businesses in a manner that will have an adverse effect on job creation, job retention, productivity, competitiveness, or the efficient functioning of the economy, and that is likely to: (1) have an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more; (2) adversely affect in a material way the economy, productivity, competition, jobs, the environment, public health or safety, or state, local, or tribal governments or communities; (3) create a serious inconsistency or otherwise interfere with an action by another agency; (4) materially alter the budgetary impact of entitlements, grants, user fees, or loan programs or the rights and obligations of recipients; or (5) raise novel legal or policy issues. Allows agency heads to exempt covered regulations in certain circumstances . Rescinds $40 billion of appropriated but unobligated discretionary funds. Exempts unobligated funds of the Department of Defense (DOD), the Corps of Engineers, or the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).