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Bill· HRH.R. 3161 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 12 October 2011
Ovarian and Cervical Cancer Awareness Act of 2011 - Amends provisions of the Public Health Service Act commonly referred to as Johanna's Law to revise requirements for a national public awareness campaign regarding gynecologic cancers to: (1) require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to increase awareness and knowledge of ovarian and cervical cancers, and (2) expand such campaign to include public service announcements targeted to low-income women. Expresses the sense of Congress that funding by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of gynecologic cancer education and awareness efforts should reflect the fact that ovarian and cervical cancers are the most deadly of the gynecologic cancers.
Bill· SS. 1680 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 11 October 2011
Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - Expresses the sense of the Senate that residents of rural and frontier communities should have access to affordable, quality health care. Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act with respect to: (1) the Medicare disproportionate share hospital (DSH) adjustment for rural hospitals; (2) extension of the temporary increase in payments to certain rural hospitals (Medicare hold harmless provision); (3) the Medicare inpatient hospital payment adjustment for low-volume hospitals; (4) Medicare wage index reclassifications for certain hospitals; (5) Medicare reasonable costs payments for certain clinical diagnostic laboratory tests furnished to hospitals in certain rural areas; (6) elimination of the isolation test for the cost-based ambulance reimbursement for critical access hospitals; (7) the capital infrastructure revolving loan program; (8) the Medicare incentive payment program for physician scarcity areas; (9) extension of the 1.00 floor on Medicare work geographic adjustment to payments for physician services; (10) permission for physician assistants to order post-hospital extended care services or hospice care; (11) Medicare home health care planning; (12) rural health clinics; (13) a temporary Medicare payment increase for home health services furnished in a rural area; (14) extension of increased Medicare payments for rural ground ambulance services; and (15) coverage of marriage and family therapist services and mental health counselor services under Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance). Amends the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and Protection Act of 2000 to provide for the extension of the payment for the technical component of certain physician pathology services under Medicare. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to encourage and facilitate the adoption of provisions allowing for multistate practitioner practice across state lines. Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to extend Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance) coverage and payment, on a reasonable cost basis, to anesthesia services furnished by a physician anesthesiologist in certain rural hospitals in the same manner as payment is made for anesthesia services furnished by a certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) in such hospitals. Establishes the floor at 1.00 on the practice expense geographic index for services furnished during a specified period in certain rural areas outside of frontier states under the Medicare physician fee schedule. Revises the standard for designation of sole community hospitals. Amends the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986, as amended by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989, to include standby and on-call time costs for CRNAs in determination of the reasonable costs incurred by a hospital or critical access hospital for CRNA services. Amends the Public Health Service Act to extend the authorization of appropriations for grants to states for operation of offices of rural health.
Bill· HRH.R. 3150 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 11 October 2011
Medicare Safe Needle Disposal Coverage Act of 2011 - Amends part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to cover as a part D drug any devices approved for home use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the safe and effective containment, removal, decontamination, and disposal of home-generated needles, syringes, and other sharps through a sharps container, decontamination/destructive device, or sharps-by-mail program or similar program.
Bill· HRH.R. 3149 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 11 October 2011
Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to expand eligibility for the high risk health insurance pool program to include individuals who have been covered under a state health benefits risk pool during the six-month period prior to the date on which such individual is applying for coverage through the high risk pool.
Bill· HRH.R. 3144 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2011
Field EMS Quality, Innovation, and Cost Effectiveness Improvements Act of 2011 - Designates the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as the primary federal agency for emergency medical services and trauma care. Establishes the Office of Emergency Medical Services and Trauma within HHS. Gives the Office responsibilities related to emergency medical services (EMS) and authorizes the Secretary of HHS to delegate additional responsibilities related to EMS. Requires the Director of the Office to: (1) implement a national EMS strategy; (2) establish the EQUIP grant program to promote excellence, quality, universal access, innovation, and preparedness in field EMS; and (3) the SPIA grant program to improve EMS system performance, integration, and accountability, to ensure preparedness, to enhance oversight and data collection, and to promote standardization of certifications. Requires the Secretary to improve medical oversight of field EMS, including by: (1) promoting the development and adoption of national guidelines for medical oversight, and (2) convening a Field EMS Medical Oversight Advisory Committee. Directs the Comptroller General to study issues related to emergency medical care in the field of EMS. Authorizes the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to maintain, improve, and expand the National EMS Information System. Sets forth reporting requirements relating to data collection and electronic health records. Declares that the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) shall not be construed to prohibit certain exchanges of information between field EMS practitioners, hospital personnel, state EMS offices, and the National EMS Database. Requires the Secretary to establish guidelines for the exchange of information between field EMS practitioners and hospital personnel. Authorizes the Director of the Office to make grants for the development, availability, and dissemination of field EMS education programs and courses that improve the quality and capability of field EMS personnel. Requires the Director to conduct or support demonstrations projects relating to alternative dispositions of field EMS patients. Amends title XI (General Provisions, Peer Review, and Administrative Simplification) of the Social Security Act to include field EMS as a model for testing by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary to conduct research and evaluation relating to field EMS through the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. Requires the Director of AHRQ to establish a Field EMS Evidence-Based Practice Center. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) establish the Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund, and (2) allow taxpayers to designate a portion of any income tax overpayment and make additional contributions to finance such Fund.
Bill· SS. 1662 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 2011
Nanotechnology Regulatory Science Act of 2011 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish within the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) a program for the scientific investigation of nanomaterials included or intended for inclusion in products regulated under the FFDCA to address: (1) the potential toxicology of such materials; (2) the effects of such materials on biological systems; and (3) the interaction of such materials with biological systems.
Bill· HRH.R. 3141 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 2011
Amends the Public Health Service Act to extend and reauthorize appropriations for Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness, which provide specified services to individuals who: (1) are suffering from serious mental illness, or are suffering from serious mental illness and from substance abuse; and (2) are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless. Revises the minimum state allotment for such program to be the greater of the amount received by the state in FY2010 or $750,000. (Current law sets forth a minimum allotment of $300,000 per state.) Provides that if funds appropriated are insufficient for all states to receive the minimum allotment, then states shall receive no less than the amount they received in FY2010 with additional money spent to give states the minimum of $750,000.
Bill· HRH.R. 3139 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 2011
District of Columbia National Disaster Insurance Protection Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for the creation and tax treatment of a tax-exempt natural disaster protection fund held by an insurance company that: (1) is incorporated and domiciled in the District of Columbia; (2) is subject to supervision by the District of Columbia Commissioner of Insurance, Securities, and Banking; (3) maintains an office in the District of Columbia that employs no fewer than 10 full-time employees, at least 5 of whom are District of Columbia residents; (4) is subject to any premium taxes and other taxes and fees imposed by the District of Columbia on all domestic insurance companies; and (5) is subject to an additional tax imposed by the District of Columbia on premiums charged for natural catastrophic risk coverage at a rate that does not exceed the rate of federal excise tax on a premium paid on a contract of reinsurance issued by any foreign insurer or reinsurer. Allows distributions from such a fund to cover losses attributable to wind (including hurricanes and tornadoes), earthquakes, floods, tsunami or tidal wave, volcanic eruption, fire, hail, snow, ice freezing, or other winter catastrophes, or a pandemic or other public health catastrophe. Sets forth tax rules for contributions to and distributions from such a fund.
Bill· HRH.R. 3130 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 2011
Heartbeat Informed Consent Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require abortion providers to perform an obstetric ultrasound on the pregnant woman, display the ultrasound images so that the she may view them, and provide a medical description of the ultrasound images of the unborn child's cardiac activity, if present and viewable. Requires the ultrasound to be performed before the woman gives informed consent for an abortion. Requires an abortion provider to make the embryonic or fetal heartbeat audible for the pregnant woman to hear prior to the woman giving informed consent to an abortion if the pregnancy is at least eight weeks after fertilization. Exempts an abortion provider if the abortion is necessary to save the life of a mother whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, physical illness, or physical injury, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself. Requires a certification in such cases. Subjects an abortion provider who knowingly or recklessly fails to comply with this Act to civil penalties and notification of the appropriate state medical licensing authority. Gives standing to file a civil action for violations of this Act to the Attorney General or a woman upon whom an abortion has been performed in violation of this Act or the parent or legal guardian of such a woman if she is an unemancipated minor.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 427 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 6 October 2011
Expresses support for the goals and ideals of Red Ribbon Week. Encourages: (1) children and teens to live drug-free lives; and (2) people in the United States to promote drug-free communities and to participate in drug prevention activities.
Bill· SS. 1655 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 5 October 2011
Medicare Information Act of 2011 - Amends part A of title XI of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide to each eligible individual annually a statement of Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance) contributions and benefits in coordination with the annual mailing of Social Security account statements.
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 286 (112th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 5 October 2011
Recognizes May 16, 2012, as Hereditary Angioedema Awareness Day. Calls for increased federal research on Hereditary Angioedema (HAE). Urges the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to take a leadership role in the search for new treatment options and a cure by: (1) encouraging the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to implement the research recommendations of the international HAE research community; (2) exploring collaborative research opportunities between NIAID, the Office of Rare Diseases Research, and other NIH Institutes and Centers; and (3) encouraging NIAID to provide funding for continued expansion and advancement of the HAE research portfolio. Urges the Commissioner of Food and Drugs (FDA) to take a leadership role in ensuring that new HAE treatments are developed and monitored by: (1) issuing guidance to industry on the development criteria and adverse event standards for such treatments, and (2) encouraging the participation of patient groups and considering the views of patients when discussing standards and protocols for the development and monitoring of such treatments.
Bill· HRH.R. 3094 (112th)open
United States · United States Congress · 5 October 2011
Workforce Democracy and Fairness 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 interest are sufficiently distinct from those of other employees to warrant the establishment of a separate unit. Requires the NLRB, upon due notice, to provide a hearing at least 14 days after the filing of an election petition for collective bargaining representation to investigate those petitions the NLRB has reasonable cause to believe have a question of representation affecting commerce. Requires such hearings be non-adversarial. Requires the NLRB to: (1) direct an election by secret ballot as soon as practicable, but in any event not before 35 calendar days following the filing of an election petition, in cases where a question of representation exists; and (2) acquire, at least 7 days after its final determination of the appropriate bargaining unit, a list of all eligible voters (including certain informational data) from the employer and make it available to all parties.
Bill· HRH.R. 3095 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 5 October 2011
Freeze and Investigate Affordable Care Act of 2011 - Declares that the provisions of the health reform law that are not in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act shall not take effect. Prohibits the federal government from promulgating or enforcing regulations under the provisions of the health reform law that are not in effect on the date of enactment of this Act, or otherwise prepare to implement such provisions. Establishes the Affordable Care Evaluation Commission to report to the President and Congress a projection of the impact that the implementation of the provisions of the health reform law that are not in effect on the enactment of this Act would have on: (1) the quality of health care delivered to individuals who are Medicare recipients on the date of the enactment of this Act, (2) health insurance coverage of individuals insured as of such date, (3) participation in state exchanges and the effect on the federal deficit, and (4) job creation and the size of the tax base. Requires the report also to: (1) evaluate findings, conclusions, and recommendations developed by all other relevant government agencies regarding the facts and circumstances surrounding such implementation, and (2) recommend corrective measures to mitigate any negative impact of such implementation.
Bill· HRH.R. 3102 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 5 October 2011
Breast Density and Mammography Reporting Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require mammography facilities to include information regarding the patient's individual measure of breast density in both the written report of the results of a mammography examination provided to the patient's physician and the summary of that written report given to patients. Requires the summary to: (1) convey the patient's risk of developing breast cancer associated with below, above, and average levels of breast density; and (2) include language communicating that individuals with more dense breasts may benefit from supplemental screening tests and should talk with their physicians about any questions or concerns regarding the summary.
Bill· HRH.R. 3072 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2011
State Authorized Alternative Health Arrangement Act of 2011 - Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to authorize a state to establish one or more alternative health arrangements that serve the beneficiaries of one or more qualified benefits programs if certain requirements are met. Defines "qualified benefit program" as an entity or arrangement that: (1) is established, authorized, and operating pursuant to state law to provide or administer health coverage for officials, employees, and retirees of a group of employers; and (2) the state finds satisfies criteria to be a qualified health plan, with exceptions. Requires such a state to designate one or more qualified benefit programs to be offered through such an arrangement. States that such an arrangement is in addition to an American Health Benefits Exchange (health insurance exchange) or a subsidiary Exchange. Deems such an arrangement to be an Exchange under PPACA, except exempts the arrangement from requirements relating to offering coverage to all qualified individuals and Exchange certification. Details how health plan rules apply to the alternative health arrangements provided for under this Act. Treats a qualified benefits program offered through an alternative health arrangement as: (1) meeting the definition of a qualified health plan for purposes of the essential health benefits provisions in PPACA, and (2) a health plan offered in the individual market under the Internal Revenue Code.
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 284 (112th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2011
Designates September 23, 2011, as National Falls Prevention Awareness Day. Commends the Falls Free Coalition Advocacy Work Group and other falls prevention coalitions for their efforts to increase education and awareness about the prevention of falls among older adults. Encourages: (1) promotion of fall awareness in an effort to reduce the incidence of falls among older adults; and (2) state health departments to reduce falls among older adults. Urges the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to continue developing and evaluating strategies to prevent falls among older adults that will translate into effective fall prevention interventions. Recognizes proven, cost-effective fall prevention programs and policies, and encourages experts in the field to share their best practices so that their success can be replicated by others.
Bill· HRH.R. 3067 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 26 September 2011
Accelerating the End of Breast Cancer Act of 2011 - Directs the President to establish the Commission to Accelerate the End of Breast Cancer to help end breast cancer by January 1, 2020. Directs the Commission to: (1) identify opportunities and ideas within government and the private sector that are key components in achieving the end of breast cancer and which have been overlooked, yet are ripe for collaboration and investment; (2) recommend projects to leverage such opportunities and ideas in the areas of the primary prevention of breast cancer and the causes and prevention of breast cancer metastasis; and (3) ensure that its activities are coordinated with, and do not duplicate the efforts of, programs and laboratories of other government agencies. Directs the President to enter into an agreement with the Institute of Medicine for an evaluation of the Commission's progress. Terminates the Commission on June 1, 2020.
Bill· SS. 1631 (112th)open
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2011
Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) a center for technical assistance to assist non-VA health providers who furnish care to veterans in rural areas. Makes the head of such center the Director of the Rural Veterans Health Care Technical Assistance Center. Requires the Secretary, in selecting the center's location, to give preference to a location that, among other things: (1) has a high number of veterans in rural and highly rural areas, and (2) is near one or more entities carrying out programs and activities relating to health care for rural populations.
Bill· SS. 1627 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2011
Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2011 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act with respect to distribution of additional resident positions as they affect calculation of payments for direct graduate medical education (DME) costs. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), for each of FY2013-FY2017 (and each succeeding fiscal year if additional residency positions are available to distribute), to increase the otherwise applicable resident limit for each qualifying hospital. Requires the aggregate number of increases in the otherwise applicable resident limit to be 3,000 in each of FY2013-FY2017, of which 1,500 in each such fiscal year shall be used for full-time equivalent residents training in a shortage speciality residency program. Specifies the process for distributing positions. Directs the National Health Care Workforce Commission to study the physician workforce. Directs the Comptroller General to study strategies for increasing the diversity of the health profession workforce.
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 279 (112th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2011
Expresses support for the designation of September 24, 2011, as Worldwide Day of Play.
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 278 (112th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2011
Designates September 2011 as National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Declares that steps should be taken to: (1) raise awareness about prostate cancer screening and treatment; (2) increase research funding commensurate with the burden of prostate cancer; and (3) improve access to, and the quality of, health care services for detecting and treating prostate cancer.
Resolution· SRESS.Res. 276 (112th)passed
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2011
Expresses support for: (1) the goals and ideals of National Infant Mortality Awareness Month 2011; (2) efforts to educate Americans about infant mortality and the factors that contribute to infant mortality; and (3) efforts to reduce infant deaths, low birth weight, pre-term births, and disparities in perinatal outcomes. Recognizes the critical importance of including efforts to reduce infant mortality and the factors that contribute to infant mortality as part of prevention and wellness strategies.
Bill· HRH.R. 3053 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2011
Repeal Existing Policies that Encourage and Allow Legal HIV Discrimination Act, the REPEAL HIV Discrimination Act, or the REPEAL Act - Expresses the sense of Congress that federal and state laws, policies, and regulations regarding people living with HIV/AIDS should: (1) not place unique or additional burdens on such individuals solely as a result of their HIV status; and (2) demonstrate a public health-oriented, evidence-based, medically accurate, and contemporary understanding of HIV transmission, health implications, treatment, and the impact of punitive HIV-specific laws and policies on affected people, families, and communities. Directs: (1) the Attorney General (AG), Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), and Secretary of Defense (DOD) to initiate a national review of federal (including military) and state laws, policies, regulations, and judicial precedents and decisions regarding criminal and related civil commitment cases involving people living with HIV/AIDS; and (2) the AG to transmit to Congress and make publicly available the results of such review with related recommendations. Requires the AG and HHS Secretary to: (1) develop and publicly release guidance and best practice recommendations for states, and (2) establish an integrated monitoring and evaluation system to measure state progress. Directs the AG and HHS and DOD Secretaries to transmit to the President and Congress any proposals necessary to implement adjustments to federal laws, policies, or regulations. Authorizes grants to eligible state and local entities, nongovernmental organizations, and public health departments to incorporate best practice recommendations within state laws, policies, regulations, and judicial decisions. Requires that such entities, departments, or organizations agree to abide with the sense of Congress statements set forth above as a condition of receiving such assistance.
Bill· HRH.R. 3058 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2011
FEMA Flexibility Act of 2011 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to permit a class deviation to the Federal Acquisition Regulation with respect to the micropurchase threshold in order to support domestic emergency operations. Prohibits such threshold from exceeding $15,000 in any such deviation. Defines "domestic emergency operation" to mean assistance activities carried out in support of: (1) an emergency or major disaster as defined in the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act; (2) any occasion for which the Secretary determines federal assistance is needed to supplement state and local efforts and capabilities to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the United States; or (3) any natural catastrophe or fire, flood, or explosion in the United States that causes damage of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant major disaster assistance to supplement the efforts and resources of states, local governments, and disaster relief organizations.
Bill· HRH.R. 3059 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 23 September 2011
Creating Hope Act of 2011 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to revise the priority review voucher program for tropical diseases to: (1) include rare pediatric diseases; (2) allow unlimited transfers of vouchers under the program; and (3) require a sponsor intending to use a voucher to notify the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) at least 90 days (currently, 365 days) before submission of the application. Revises provisions regarding the priority review user fee, including to make it payable upon notification of the Secretary of intent to use the voucher. Authorizes the Secretary, upon request of the manufacturer or sponsor of a new drug, to designate that a new drug is: (1) for a rare pediatric disease, and (2) an eligible treatment. Requires the Secretary to deem a rare pediatric disease product application to be incomplete if it does not contain a description of the sponsor's plan to market the product in the United States. Authorizes the Secretary to refuse to issue a priority review voucher upon the approval of a rare pediatric disease application if the Secretary finds that the sponsor lacks a good faith intention to market the product in the United States. Directs the Secretary to issue a guidance document setting forth the evidentiary support necessary to demonstrate such a good faith intention. Requires sponsors of applications under the priority review voucher program to report to the Secretary within five years after the approval of the application on the demand and distribution of the product within the United States.
Bill· SS. 1613 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2011
Pediatric, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancer Survivorship Research and Quality of Life Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to make grants to eligible entities to establish pilot programs to develop, study, or evaluate model systems for monitoring and caring for childhood cancer survivors. Authorizes the Secretary to convene a Workforce Development Collaborative on Medical and Psychosocial Care for Pediatric Cancer to establish a plan to meet specified objectives relating to medical and psychosocial care workforce development, including: (1) disseminating to health care educators information relevant to providing medical and psychosocial services to individuals with pediatric cancers; (2) adapting curricula for continuing education of the existing workforce; and (3) strengthening the emphasis on psychosocial health care in educational accreditation standards and professional licensing and certification. Reauthorizes and expands the National Cancer Institute's pediatric cancer research and awareness program to include research onfollow-up care for pediatric cancer survivors. Authorizes the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to make grants for pediatric cancer research, including research related to: (1) pediatric cancer survivors within minority or other medically underserved populations, and (2) health disparities in pediatric cancer survivorship outcomes.
Bill· SS. 1609 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2011
Medical-Legal Partnership for Health Act - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a nationwide demonstration project to: (1) award matching grants or enter into contracts with medical-legal partnerships to assist patients and their families in navigating health-related programs and activities, and (2) evaluate the effectiveness of such partnerships. Authorizes the Secretary to provide technical assistance to grantees to support the establishment and sustainability of medical-legal partnerships. Requires amounts received under this Act to be used to achieve one or more of the following goals: (1) enhancing access to health care services, (2) improving health outcomes for low-income individuals, (3) reducing health disparities among health disparities populations, (4) enhancing wellness and prevention of chronic conditions and other health problems, (5) reducing cost of care to the health care system, (6) addressing the social determinants of health, and (7) addressing situational contributing factors. Prohibits funds under this Act from being used: (1) for any medical malpractice action or proceeding, (2) to provide any support to an alien who is not a qualified alien or a nonimmigrant under the Immigration and Nationality Act or an alien who is paroled into the United States under such Act for less than one year, (3) to provide legal assistance with respect to any proceeding or litigation which seeks to procure an abortion or to compel any individual or institution to perform or assist in the performance of an abortion, or (4) to initiate or participate in a class action lawsuit. Requires the Secretary to study and report to Congress on the results of such project. to provide any state or local public benefit support to an alien who is ineligible for such a benefit
Bill· SS. 1599 (112th)open
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2011
Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012 - Department of Labor Appropriations Act, 2012 - Makes appropriations for FY2012 to the Department of Labor (DOL). Department of Health and Human Services Appropriations Act, 2012 - Makes appropriations for FY2012 to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Department of Education Appropriations Act, 2012 - Makes appropriations for FY2012 to the Department Education. Makes appropriations for FY2012 to: (1) the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, (2) the Corporation for National and Community Service, (3) the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, (4) the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), (5) the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, (6) the Institute of Museum and Library Services, (7) Medicaid and SCHIP Payment and Access Commission, (8) the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission; (9) the National Council on Disability, (10) the National Health Care Workforce Commission, (11) the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), (12) the National Mediation Board, (13) the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, (14) the Railroad Retirement Board, and (15) the Social Security Administration (SSA). Specifies certain uses and limits on or prohibitions against the use of funds appropriated by this Act.
Bill· HRH.R. 3015 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2011
Pediatric, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancer Survivorship Research and Quality of Life Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to make grants to eligible entities to establish pilot programs to develop, study, or evaluate model systems for monitoring and caring for childhood cancer survivors. Requires the Secretary to convene a Workforce Development Collaborative on Medical and Psychosocial Care for Pediatric Cancer to establish a plan to meet specified objectives relating to medical and psychosocial care workforce development, including: (1) disseminating to health care educators information relevant to providing medical and psychosocial services to persons with pediatric cancers; (2) adapting curricula for continuing education of the existing workforce; and (3) strengthening the emphasis on psychosocial health care in educational accreditation standards and professional licensing and certification. Reauthorizes and expands the National Cancer Institute's pediatric cancer research and awareness program to include research on: (1) pediatric cancer survivors within minority or other medically underserved populations, (2) health disparities in pediatric cancer survivorship outcomes, and (3) follow-up care for pediatric cancer survivors. Requires the Secretary to make grants to eligible entities to establish and operate a clinic for comprehensive long-term follow-up services for pediatric cancer survivors.
Bill· HRH.R. 3032 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2011
Medicare Access to Radiology Care Act of 2011 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to authorize Medicare payment for the services of qualified radiologist assistants.
Bill· HRH.R. 3026 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2011
Safeguarding America's Pharmaceuticals Act of 2011 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require the Secretary of the Treasury to destroy imported counterfeit drugs and adulterated or misbranded imported drugs with a value of less than $2,000. Requires the manufacturer of a prescription drug to provide to its wholesale distributors or dispensers a packing list or comparable document containing identifying information, including the National Drug Code number, container size, and lot number of the drug. Requires each manufacturer or repackager of a prescription drug to: (1) apply a standardized numerical identifier that is unique to each unit of the drug to at least 50% of its drugs by January 1, 2015, and to all of its drugs by January 1, 2016; and (2) notify the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) of the method it will use to meet such requirement. Requires the Secretary to establish an effective drug identification and tracking system to authenticate the wholesale distribution history of any prescription drug that is subject to a requirement for a standardized numerical identifier. Expands the requirements for the licensing of wholesale distributors, including to require mandatory background checks. Disqualifies a person who has been convicted of certain felonies or who has engaged in a pattern of violative behavior. Establishes civil monetary penalties for violations of this Act. Requires penalties paid to the United States to be used by the Secretary of HHS to prevent and address unlawful counterfeiting and diversion of drugs. Authorizes a state to enforce the requirements of this Act under certain circumstances. Requires the Secretary of HHS to study threats to the domestic prescription drug supply chain.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 410 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2011
Expresses supports for the designation of a Worldwide Day of Play.
Bill· SS. 1587 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2011
Medicaid Flexibility for States Act - Authorizes a state to limit the application within the state of specified provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) that expand the program under title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act by enacting a law that: (1) expresses the intent of the state to opt out of one or more of the provisions of PPACA, and (2) contains a list of the provisions that will not apply to the state.
Bill· HRH.R. 2990 (112th)open
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2011
National Emergency Employment Defense Act of 2011 - Replaces Federal Reserve notes with United States Money. Instructs the Secretary of the Treasury to originate United States Money to address any negative fund balances resulting from a shortfall in available government receipts to fund government appropriations. Subjects to criminal and civil penalties any person who creates or originates United States Money by lending against deposits through "fractional reserve banking." Prohibits borrowing by the Secretary or by any federal agency or department, independent establishment of the executive branch, or any other instrumentality of the United States (other than a national bank, federal savings association, or federal credit union) from any source other than the Secretary. Requires the Secretary to begin to retire all outstanding instruments of U.S. indebtedness by payment in full of the amount legally due the bearer in United States Money. Prescribes requirements for the entry of United States Money into circulation. Directs the Secretary to purchase all net assets in the Federal Reserve System, including the Federal reserve banks. Requires return to any member bank in the form of United States Money of any reserves held by any Federal reserve bank. Establishes: (1) the Monetary Authority to establish monetary supply policy and monitor the nation's monetary status, (2) the Bureau of the Federal Reserve to administer the origination and entry into circulation of United States Money, (3) the Emergency Board to recommend to Congress when a national emergency requires the President to issue a certification of emergency for the exercise of authority by the Monetary Authority as lender of last resort, and (4) a revolving loan fund in the Treasury for relending to banking institutions. Sets forth a conversion process to replace fractional reserve banking with the lending of United States Money. Sets a ceiling on interest rates. Requires the Monetary Authority to instruct the Secretary to disperse monetary grants to states for public infrastructure, education, health care and rehabilitation, pensions, and paying for unfunded federal mandates. Directs the Secretary to make recommendations to Congress for payment of a tax-free Citizens Dividend to all U.S. citizens residing in the United States in order to provide liquidity to the banking system at the commencement of this Act, before governmental infrastructure expenditures have had a chance to work into circulation. Prescribes requirements for federal funding of education programs, coverage of any deficits in Social Security Trust Fund account, a universal health care plan, resolution of aspects of the mortgage crisis, and a program of interest-free lending of United States Money to state and local governmental entities.
Bill· HRH.R. 3000 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2011
Empowering Patients First Act - Repeals the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the health care provisions of the Health Care and Education and Reconciliation Act of 2010, effective as of their enactment. Restores or revives provisions amended or repealed by such Act or such health care provisions. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit for qualified health insurance costs to residents of a state that implements a high-risk pool, a reinsurance pool, or other risk-adjustment mechanism. Amends the Public Health Service Act to provide for the establishment and governance of individual membership associations (IMAs) to make health benefits coverage available to IMA members and their dependents. Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2011 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to provide for establishment and governance of association health plans, which are group health plans whose sponsors are trade, industry, professional, chamber of commerce, or similar business associations and which meet certain ERISA certification requirements. Directs that the laws of the state designated by a health insurance issuer (primary state) shall apply to individual health insurance coverage offered by that issuer in the primary state and in any other state (secondary state), but only if the coverage and issuer comply with conditions of this Act. Amends title XXI (Children's Health Insurance) (CHIP, formerly known as SCHIP) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to: (1) require a state CHIP plan to specify how it will achieve coverage for 90% of targeted low-income children; and (2) prohibit CHIP payments for children with family income above 300% of the applicable poverty line. Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act of 2011 - Sets forth provisions governing lawsuits arising from health care liability claims regarding health care goods or services or any medical product affecting interstate commerce. Establishes a statute of limitations and limits noneconomic and punitive damages. Permits a group health plan to vary premiums and cost-sharing by up to 50% of the benefits based on participation (or lack of participation) in a wellness program. Requires a health insurance issuer to provide claims information, on request, to a plan, plan sponsor, or plan administrator. Prohibits the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) from using comparative effectiveness research to deny coverage of an item or service under a federal health care program. Authorizes a state to establish a Health Plan and Provider Portal website to standardize information on health insurance plans available in the state. Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of SSA to permit Medicare beneficiaries to contract with a physician or practitioner for health care items or services. Prohibits states from imposing limits on the amount of charges for health care services furnished by an eligible professional. Sets forth provisions regarding students loans and loan repayment for health care professionals. Exempts health care professionals from federal and state antitrust laws in connection with negotiations with a health plan regarding contract terms under which the professionals provide health care items or services for which plan benefits are provided. Establishes discretionary spending limits for FY2012-FY2021 for new budget authority in the nondefense category.
Bill· HRH.R. 3003 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2011
Directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate to arrange for the presentation of a congressional gold medal to Dr. Balazs "Ernie" Bodai in recognition of his many outstanding contributions to the nation, including a tireless commitment to breast cancer research.
Bill· SS. 1584 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2011
Drug Safety and Accountability Act of 2011 - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) to require each registered drug producer to have in effect and implement a quality management plan to ensure the quality and safety of: (1) each drug, (2) each active and inactive ingredient of each drug, and (3) materials used in the manufacture of each active ingredient. Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to order an establishment to promptly revise its quality management plan in response to a significant threat to public health. Requires each registered drug producer to report on each producer, manufacturer, distributor, and shipper involved in the production of a drug or the production or transport of the active ingredients of a drug. Requires the Secretary to develop and maintain information systems to track and assess every establishment that is involved in the manufacturing, preparation, propagation, compounding, or processing of a drug or active ingredient of a drug. Deems a drug to be adulterated if it was produced in an establishment that does not comply with the requirements of this Act. Gives the Secretary authority to: (1) order an immediate cessation of distribution, or a recall, of a drug; and (2) administer oaths and issue subpoenas. Revises provisions regarding civil penalties for FFDCA violations related to drugs for human use, including to consider each day a violation continues to be a separate violation. Authorizes the Secretary to share information subject to a trade secret exemption with: (1) other federal, state, or local agencies, foreign government agencies, and relevant international organizations; and (2) the public, as necessary to protect the public health. Sets forth whistleblower protection provisions.
Bill· SS. 1582 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2011
Clean Coastal Environment and Public Health Act of 2011 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): (1) upon the publication of the new or revised water quality criteria, to publish a list of all pathogens and pathogen indicators studied in developing such criteria; and (2) specify in performance criteria for monitoring and assessing coastal recreation waters adjacent to beaches or similar points of interest (waters) available methods for monitoring protocols that are most likely to detect pathogenic contamination and the source of that contamination. Requires coastal recreation water quality monitoring and notification programs to include monitoring consistent with such criteria, monitoring, public notification, storm event testing, source tracking, and sanitary surveys. Authorizes such programs to include prevention efforts, not already funded under such Act, to address identified sources of contamination by pathogens and pathogen indicators in such waters that are used by the public. Revises requirements applicable to state recipients of monitoring and notification program grants, including to require recipients to identify: (1) a rapid testing method to detect levels of pathogens or pathogen indicators that are harmful to human health; and (2) measures for communicating the results of a water sample concerning pollutants within two hours of receipt to specified officials, for ensuring that closures or advisories are made within two hours after the receipt of a water quality sample exceeding standards, and for informing the public of identified sources of pathogenic contamination. Sets forth provisions concerning: (1) rapid testing methods, including provisions requiring EPA to publish guidance that requires the use, at waters that are used by the public, of rapid testing methods that will enhance the protection of public health and safety through rapid public notification of any exceedance of applicable water quality standards for pathogens and pathogen indicators; and (2) compliance review. Authorizes appropriations: (1) for grants to states and local governments for developing and implementing monitoring and notification programs for FY2011-FY2015, and (2) to implement the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act of 2000 through FY2015. Requires the Administrator to review and update existing monitoring protocols for mercury affecting the coastal recreation waters of the Great Lakes and develop updated recommendations on testing for the presence of mercury affecting such waters, including the presence of mercury in Great Lakes sediment and fish tissue. Requires EPA to update within a year and biennially thereafter (currently, periodically) the list indicating which coastal recreation waters adjacent to beaches used by the public are, and which are not, subject to a monitoring and notification program. Requires EPA to study and report to Congress on: (1) possible revision of the formula for the distribution of monitoring and notification program grants, (2) the long-term impact of climate change on pollution of coastal recreation waters, and (3) the impacts of nutrient excesses and algae blooms on coastal recreation waters.
Bill· SS. 1580 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2011
Protecting Public Safety and Sacred Sites from the Utah Prairie Dog Act of 2011 - Requires the Secretary of the Interior to amend the special rule concerning takings of the Utah prarie dog to permit the taking of such prairie dog under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 in any airport or cemetery in such prairie dog's range in which a state demonstrates that: (1) the prairie dog's entry or existence causes a threat to public health and safety or to the sanctity of a burial site, and (2) all practicable measures to eliminate that threat have been carried out without success. Defines "practicable measures" as: (1) the construction of fences around such areas, and (2) translocation of the prairie dogs by methods used by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service or the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
Bill· HRH.R. 2969 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2011
Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act of 2011 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Benefits) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to extend the months of coverage of immunosuppressive drugs for kidney transplant patients. Amends SSA title XVIII (Medicare) to make eligible for enrollment in Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance), solely for the purpose of such drug coverage, every individual whose insurance benefits under Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance) have ended by reason of a kidney transplant or the end of any requirement for a regular course of dialysis. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to determine a monthly premium rate for such individuals equal to 35% of the monthly actuarial rate for enrollees age 65 and over. Prescribes a formula for detemination of a government contribution to such a premium.
Bill· HRH.R. 2973 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2011
Protecting Public Safety and Sacred Sites from the Utah Prairie Dog Act of 2011 - Requires the Secretary of the Interior to amend the special rule concerning takings of the Utah prarie dog to permit the taking of such prairie dog under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 in any airport or cemetery in such prairie dog's range in which a state demonstrates that: (1) the prairie dog's entry or existence causes a threat to public health and safety or to the sanctity of a burial site, and (2) all practicable measures to eliminate that threat have been carried out without success. Defines "practicable measures" as: (1) the construction of fences around such areas, and (2) translocation of the prairie dogs by methods used by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service or the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 403 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2011
Honors the people whose lives have been taken by, and those who continue to struggle with, bacterial meningitis. Expresses support for all the work for the eradication of bacterial meningitis in the United States.
Resolution· HRESH.Res. 407 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2011
Expresses support for the designation of National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.
Bill· HRH.R. 2954 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2011
Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act, the Social Security Act, and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to expand the collection and analysis of data in programs of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Sets forth provisions to improve cultural competence in federal health care programs and services, including by establishing the Robert T. Matsui Center for Cultural and Linguistic Competence in Health Care. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary) to engage in activities to improve health workforce diversity, including by: (1) establishing a working group, a technical clearinghouse, and an advisory committee; (2) awarding grants to academic institutions, (3) establishing a health and health care disparities education program, and (4) providing for scholarships, loan repayment and loan forgiveness, and research fellowships. Health Empowerment Zone Act of 2011 - Provides for the establishment of health empowerment zones in communities that experience disproportionate disparities in health status and health care. Requires the Secretary to engage in activities to improve the quality of and access to health care, including by expanding access to health care and health care insurance for immigrants, increasing Medicaid payments to territories and to Native Hawaiian health centers, and providing for border health grants. Sets forth programs to reduce health disparities affecting minorities and rural residents. Establishes an Office of Minority Health in the Department of Veterans Affairs Sets forth provisions to improve health for women and children, including by expanding access to federal programs for immigrant women and children, creating public awareness campaigns, engaging in activities to eliminate disparities in maternal health outcomes, and establishing programs to reduce teenage pregnancies. Expands Medicare coverage of marriage and family therapist services and mental health counselor services. Provides for community mental health services to be offered through federally-qualified behavioral health centers. Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act of 2011 - Requires the Secretary to implement the Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Program to achieve a reduction of at least 25% in the mortality rate of lung cancer by 2017. Prostate Research, Outreach, Screening, Testing, Access, and Treatment Effectiveness Act of 2011 or the PROSTATE Act - Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to take action to address prostate cancer, including by establishing the Interagency Prostate Cancer Coordination and Education Task Force. Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act of 2011 - Requires the Secretary to implement programs to address hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Bone Marrow Failure Disease Research and Treatment Act of 2011 - Requires the Secretary to establish the National Acquired Bone Marrow Failure Disease Registry. Requires the Secretary to carry out activities to expand the Minority HIV/AIDS Initiative. National Black Clergy for the Elimination of HIV/AIDS Act of 2011 - Provides for a program of grants to public health agencies and faith-based organizations to address HIV/AIDS in the African-American community. Justice for the Unprotected Against Sexually Transmitted Infections among the Confined and Exposed Act or the JUSTICE Act - Permits community organizations to distribute sexual barrier protection devices (e.g., condoms) and to engage in sexually transmitted infection counseling and prevention education in federal correctional facilities. Stop AIDS in Prison Act of 2011 - Requires the Bureau of Prisons to develop a comprehensive policy to provide HIV testing, treatment, and prevention for inmates. Minority Diabetes Initiative Act - Requires the Secretary to conduct research and other activities with respect to diabetes in minority populations. Sets forth provisions regarding the use of health information technology to reduce health disparities. Prohibits discrimination in federal health programs or activities. Requires the Secretary to establish the Office of Health Disparities in the Office for Civil Rights and to establish civil rights compliance offices in each HHS agency that administers health programs. Directs the President to enforce Executive Order 12898 (requires federal agencies to take actions to achieve environmental justice) as federal law. Amends the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to establish in the Department of Agriculture (USDA) a Healthy Food Financing Initiative.
Bill· HRH.R. 2961 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2011
Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to rescind any funds awarded to a state for an American Health Benefit Exchange (a state health insurance exchange) upon the state notifying the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) that it will not use any remaining funds under the award. Requires such funds to be returned to the general fund of the Treasury for deficit reduction.
Bill· HRH.R. 2960 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2011
National Diabetes Clinical Care Commission Act - Establishes within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) the National Diabetes Clinical Care Commission to evaluate and make recommendations regarding better coordination and leveraging of federal programs that relate in any way to supporting appropriate clinical care for people with pre-diabetes and diabetes. Sets forth the duties of the Commission, which shall include: (1) evaluating HHS programs; (2) identifying current activities and critical gaps in federal efforts to support clinicians in providing care to people with pre-diabetes and diabetes; (3) using outcomes-based registry data to evaluate various care models and methods; (4) evaluating and expanding education and awareness to health care professionals regarding clinical practices for the prevention of diabetes and the precursor conditions of diabetes; and (5) developing and testing appropriate methods for outreach and dissemination of educational resources related to diabetes prevention and treatments. Requires the Commission to submit to the Secretary and Congress an operating plan for carrying out the activities of the Commission that includes specific activities the Commission plans to conduct and a budget for such activities.
Bill· HRH.R. 2951 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2011
Patients First Act of 2011 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct and support basic and applied research to develop techniques for the isolation, derivation, production, testing, and human clinical use of stem cells that may result in improved understanding of, or treatments for, diseases and other adverse health conditions, including pluripotent stem cells that have the flexibility of embryonic stem cells (whether or not such pluripotent stem cells have an embryonic source), provided that such techniques will not involve: (1) the creation of a human embryo for research purposes; (2) the destruction or discarding of, or risk of injury to, a living human embryo; or (3) the use of any stem cell the derivation or provision of which would be inconsistent with this Act. Requires the Secretary to issue guidelines implementing this Act to ensure that any research (including any clinical trial) supported under this Act: (1) is clearly consistent with the standards established in this Act, if conducted using human cells; and (2) is prioritized in terms of potential for near-term clinical benefit in human patients. Requires the Secretary to report on peer reviewed stem cell research proposals that were not funded.
Bill· HRH.R. 2939 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2011
Pharmaceutical Stewardship Act of 2011 - Establishes the National Pharmaceutical Stewardship Organization as a nonprofit private corporation whose board of directors shall be appointed by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Requires the Organization to begin implementation of a certified national pharmaceutical stewardship program within two years. Requires each manufacturer and brand owner of a drug marketed in the United States to participate in such program or another certified national pharmaceutical stewardship program. Establishes requirements for program certification, including requirements to: (1) provide a system to facilitate the collection and disposal of any drug that is a household waste, as defined under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, that is delivered to the program by an individual in the United States; and (2) collect and dispose of drugs in a manner that is safe and secure, that results in incineration of the drug in accordance with the hazardous waste incineration requirements under the Solid Waste Disposal Act, that protects patient information, and that is accessible and, in the case of a controlled substance, consistent with the Controlled Substances Act. Prohibits programs from imposing fees on individuals for delivery or disposal of a drug. Establishes a program certification process, including requiring the Administrator to consult with the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on the adequacy of the proposed program's security measures for collection, transportation, and disposal of drugs, disposal systems, and mechanisms for secure tracking and handling. Authorizes the Administrator to suspend certification of a program if necessary to protect the public from imminent danger. Requires the Director of National Drug Control Policy to establish a campaign to increase public awareness of how drugs may be lawfully disposed consistent with public safety, public health, and environmental protection. Requires the Administrator to establish an interagency commission, to be known as the Commission on Drug Disposal and its Public Safety, Public Health, and Environmental Impacts, to develop a strategy to: (1) prevent the entry of drugs into the nation's water supply and environment consistent with current public safety standards, and (2) protect public health and promote public safety by reducing diversion and the risk of abuse and accidental overdose. Requires the Comptroller General (GAO) to report on drugs and drug byproducts in surface water and groundwater in the United States within a year.
Bill· SS. 1560 (112th)referred
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2011
Nursing Home Resident Pain Relief Act of 2011 - Amends the Controlled Substances Act to authorize a medical practitioner to enter into an agreement with the administrator of an institutional long-term care facility (facility) authorizing the administrator to designate qualified individuals to act as facility designees for the purpose of dispensing a controlled substance to facility residents. Authorizes an administrator to delegate the authority to act as a facility designee to a qualified health care professional who is directly employed by, and subject to the supervision and control of, the facility. Requires an administrator to: (1) maintain a list of all practitioners who have entered into such an authorizing agreement and all facility designees of each practitioner, and (2) provide the list to all pharmacies to which the facility submits prescriptions and to each such practitioner. Authorizes a practitioner who is providing or supervising medical care to a facility resident to issue an oral prescription for the resident for a controlled substance that is a prescription drug. Allows the oral prescription to be communicated through a facility designee acting under an authorizing agreement. Requires the facility designee to promptly create a document that reduces such an oral prescription to writing and to transmit the written document to a pharmacy for dispensing. Allows: (1) an oral prescription for a schedule II controlled substance to be issued through or transmitted by a facility designee during an emergency situation only, limited to an amount adequate to treat the patient during that situation; and (2) a schedule II controlled substance to be dispensed for treatment of a facility resident in a non-emergency situation if the prescription is in writing and signed by the practitioner. Requires each practitioner who issues such an oral prescription to a facility designee to: (1) create a contemporaneous record of the prescription, and (2) maintain the record in a written or electronic log at the registered location of the practitioner. Directs the Attorney General to specify the contents and retention requirements for such record. Requires: (1) a pharmacy, not later than 72 hours after dispensing a controlled substance pursuant to such an oral prescription, to transmit a copy of the prescription document received from the facility designee, clearly marked as having been dispensed, to the prescribing practitioner; and (2) the practitioner to certify the prescription's accuracy by physically affixing his or her signature to it and to return it to the pharmacy within 5 business days. Sets forth actions that the pharmacy must take if it does not receive an endorsed prescription within that period, including notifying the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Requires each facility to: (1) maintain a written or electronic logbook of each instance in which a facility designee memorializes and transmits an oral prescription for a controlled substance to a pharmacy on behalf of a practitioner; (2) keep the logbook and copies of specified associated documents on its premises; and (3) retain copies of specified documents for five years. Requires every registrant who prescribes a controlled substance for a facility resident to maintain the prescribing log. Applies civil and criminal penalties for the distribution or dispensing of a controlled substance in violation of such Act to distribution or dispensing by such a facility. Sets forth penalties for violations of recordkeeping requirements.