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351 records in US in 2005
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2005
Honor Our Commitment to Veterans Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to administer the health care enrollment system of the Department of Veterans Affairs so as to enroll any eligible veteran who applies. (This directive in effect terminates an administrative freeze on the enrollment of veterans in the lowest priority enrollment category.)
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2005
Environmental Health Research Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to make grants for the development and operation of not more than six centers to conduct multidisciplinary research on environmental factors that may be related to the development of women's health conditions. Requires each center to conduct basic and clinical research, develop training protocols, conduct training, develop model continuing education programs, and disseminate information to professionals and the public, with priority to prevention activities. Allows a center to use grant funds to provide stipends for health and allied health professionals enrolled in training programs. Requires the Director to establish a comprehensive program to: (1) conduct research on the impact of chemicals that affect the health of women and children through disruption of the hormone system; (2) conduct research on the occurrence of hormone-disrupting chemicals in the environment and their effects on ecological and wildlife health; (3) coordinate the design of a multiagency research initiative on hormone disruption; and (4) coordinate research on hormone disruption in the United States with such research conducted in other nations. Requires the Director to establish the Hormone Disruption Research Interagency Commission to advise the Director of the Institute and the Director of the United States Geological Survey on the development of a comprehensive agenda for conducting research on hormone disruption. Establishes a Hormone Disruption Research Panel to advise the Director of the Institute on the scientific hormone-disruption research program.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2005
Lupus Research, Education, Awareness, Communication, and Healthcare Amendments of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases to expand research on lupus to include: (1) basic research to discover the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of the disease; and (2) research to validate lupus biomarkers. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to work with a consortium of academic health institutions to undertake an epidemiological study to determine the prevalence and incidence of lupus in the United States. Requires the Director of CDC to: (1) enter into a cooperative agreement with such consortium to develop, implement, and manage a system for lupus data collection and analysis; and (2) ensure that such consortium represents different geographic areas and includes individuals of racial and ethnic backgrounds disproportionately affected by lupus. Requires the Secretary to enter into a contract with the Institute of Medicine to study and make recommendations related to lupus, to include: (1) evaluating federal and state activities related to lupus and recommending ways to expand such activities; (2) identifying gaps in federal research; and (3) recommending ways to improve the quality of life for people with lupus. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Office on Women's Health, to conduct and support a national lupus public awareness and health professional education campaign, with an emphasis on reaching populations at highest risk for the disease.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2005
State High Risk Pool Funding Extension Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize funds for states to create high risk health insurance pools and to operate existing pools. Amends the formula for appropriating funds to states to operate such pools to give one-half of the funds to eligible states equally and apportion the other half based on the number of uninsured individuals in each state and the number of enrollees in the state's qualified high risk pool. (Currently, all funds are allotted based solely on the number of uninsured individuals in the state.) Authorizes appropriations for the program through FY 2009. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to contract with the Institute of Medicine for a study on the development of a standard model for the certification of individuals as being uninsurable and thereby eligible for health benefits coverage through state high risk pools. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the tax credit for payment of qualified health insurance.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2005
Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants or cooperative agreements to an agency, organization, or political subdivision to: (1) develop lifespan respite care at the state and local level; (2) provide respite care services for family caregivers caring for children or adults; (3) train and recruit respite care workers and volunteers; (4) provide information to caregivers about available respite or support services; and (5) assist caregivers in gaining access to such services. Defines "respite care" to mean planned or emergency care provided to a child or adult with a special need in order to provide temporary relief to the family caregiver. Instructs the Secretary to work cooperatively with existing federal respite program officers to ensure coordination of services for family caregivers. Permits the use of funds for: (1) training programs for family caregivers; (2) other services essential to the provision of respite care; or (3) training and education for new caregivers. Limits grants to five years. Directs the Secretary to award a grant or cooperative agreement to a public or private nonprofit entity to establish the National Resource Center on Lifespan Respite Care to: (1) maintain a national database on lifespan respite care; (2) provide training and technical assistance to state, community, and nonprofit respite care programs; and (3) provide information, referral, and educational programs to the public on lifespan respite care.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2005
State High Risk Pool Funding Extension Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize funds for states to create and operate existing high risk health insurance pools. Increases the maximum allowable premium charged under a qualified high risk pool to 200% of the premium for applicable standard risk rates for those states that use 50% of the grant amount to reduce premiums for enrollees. Defines "standard risk rate" as a rate that: (1) is determined under the state high risk pool by considering the premiums charged by other health insurers in the same market; (2) is established using reasonable actuarial techniques; and (3) reflects anticipated claims experience and expenses. Revises the definition of "qualified high risk pool" to allow a state to elect to meet the requirement to provide all eligible individuals with health insurance coverage by utilizing an acceptable alternative mechanism that includes a high risk pool as a component. Amends the formula for allocating funds to states to operate such pools to provide one-third of the funds to eligible states equally, one third based on the number of uninsured individuals in a state relative to all states, and one third based on the number of enrollees in a state's qualified high risk pool relative to all states. (Currently, all funds are allotted based solely on the number of uninsured individuals in the state.) Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to states with qualified high risk pools for the provision of supplemental consumer benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2005
Caregiver Assistance and Relief Effort Act of 2005 or the CARE Act of 2005 - Amends the Older Americans Act of 1965 to increase and extend the authorization of appropriations for the national family caregiver support program, including caregiver support programs for Native Americans, through FY2006. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow caregivers a tax credit for family members with long-term care needs; (2) allow a tax deduction for long-term care insurance premiums; and (3) apply certain consumer protection provisions to long-term care insurance contracts.
United States · United States Congress · 12 July 2005
Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to protect patient safety work product from being subject to certain disclosures, including pursuant to a civil or administrative subpoena. Defines "patient safety work product" to mean a document or communication that: (1) is developed by a provider for the purpose of reporting to a patient safety organization (PSO); (2) is created by a PSO; or (3) would reveal deliberations or analytic process of a patient safety evaluation system. Prohibits: (1) a provider from using the good faith reporting of information to a PSO against an individual in an adverse employment action; or (2) a person from disclosing patient safety work product in violation of this Act if such disclosure constitutes a negligent or knowing breach of confidentiality. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) provide for the establishment and maintenance of a database to receive relevant nonidentifiable patient safety work product; (2) establish a process for certifying PSOs; and (3) develop or adopt voluntary national standards that promote the interoperability of information technology systems involved with health care delivery. Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to direct the Secretary to require manufacturers, packagers, or labelers of any drug or biological product to include a unique product identifier on the packaging of such drug or product. Allows the Secretary to make grants to qualified practitioners for the purpose of establishing electronic prescription programs. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), to assess the effectiveness of the use of electronic prescription programs. Requires the Secretary to make grants to hospitals and health care providers for acquiring or implementing information technologies.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2005
Health Care Relief for Military Families Act - Makes federal executive agencies responsible for paying, for any employee who is a member of a reserve component of the armed forces who is called or ordered to active duty for a period of more than 30 days, for the employee's share of the premium for health care coverage provided under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program during such period.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2005
Immediate Access to Medicare for the Disabled Act of 2005 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to waive the 24-month waiting period for Medicare (SSA title XVIII) coverage of certain disabled individuals who have no health insurance coverage.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2005
Recognizes that improving the competitiveness of the U.S. economy depends on congressional action to remove barriers to keeping and creating jobs in the United States, particularly barriers in the areas of: (1) trade restrictions and inequality; (2) bureaucratic red tape; (3) innovation and investment; (4) health care security; (5) lifelong learning; (6) tax burden and complexity; (7) lawsuit abuse and litigation management; and (8) energy self-sufficiency and security. Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that every federal agency should review its rules and policies regarding the competitiveness of the U.S. economy.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2005
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) national and community organizations and health care providers should be recognized for their role in promoting obesity awareness; (2) the federal government has a responsibility to raise awareness about obesity's medical complications and to increase funding for related research, prevention, and treatment, including activities aimed at children and adolescents; (3) the Director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute should continue a leadership role in the fight against obesity through the expansion of genetic research; and (4) a National Obesity Awareness Month should be established.
United States · United States House of Representatives · 30 June 2005
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2005
TAA Health Coverage Improvement Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to revise the tax credit for the health insurance costs of trade adjustment assistance (TAA) workers to, among other things: (1) increase the amount of such credit from 65 to 95 percent; (2) allow for the full amount of such credit and for full payment of TAA worker health insurance premiums for months prior to the issuance of a qualified health insurance costs credit eligibility certificate; and (3) set forth new tax credit eligibility rules for TAA workers and their family members. Requires the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to establish a program to offer TAA workers enrollment in the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program (FEHBP). Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to: (1) prevent a lapse of health care coverage for TAA workers; and (2) align coverage periods under such Act with eligibility periods for TAA workers. Amends the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to require a state or entity to use national emergency grant funds to provide TAA workers and their family members with health insurance coverage for periods prior to their first eligibility month. Amends the Public Health Service Act to extend: (1) through FY2007 funding for the creation and initial operation of state high risk health insurance pools; and (2) through FY2010 funding for allotments for the operation of existing state pools.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2005
Veterans' Enhanced Transition Services Act of 2005 - Requires the Secretary concerned to: (1) require preseparation counseling for members of reserve components who have been serving on active duty continuously for at least 180 days; and (2) ensure that commanders authorize such members to obtain counseling during duty time. Requires preseparation counseling on: (1) certification and licensure requirements for civilian occupations; and (2) civilian occupations that correspond to military occupational specialties. Requires such counseling to include additional information for veterans, including job training programs, small business ownership, veterans' preference, housing counseling, health care benefits, and disability compensation. Extends preseparation counseling to members of the National Guard being separated from long-term duty. Directs the Secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security to require participation in the Department of Labor transitional services program unless members previously participated in the program or are returning to previously held employment or educational pursuits. Requires the Secretary concerned to ensure that commanders authorize such members to obtain counseling during duty time. Directs the Secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs to jointly submit to Congress a plan to maximize access to benefits delivery at discharge programs for members of the Armed Forces. Directs the Secretary of Defense to prescribe minimum content and standards for required medical examinations, including screening for mental health disorders, and to provide follow-up services. Requires the Secretary of Defense to carry out a program to facilitate veteran-to-veteran preseparation counseling.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2005
Better Healthcare Through Information Technology Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish the Office of the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology to develop a nationwide interoperable health information technology infrastructure. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish the public-private American Health Information Collaborative to recommend to the President uniform policies to support the widespread adoption of health information technology and modifications to standards for the electronic exchange of health information. Requires the President to review and, if appropriate, provide for the adoption of such standards. Prohibits any federal agency from expending federal funds to purchase hardware, software, or support services that are inconsistent with adopted standards. Requires all federal agencies collecting health data to comply with the adopted standards. Requires the Secretary to develop criteria to: (1) ensure uniform and consistent implementation of any standards voluntarily adopted by private entities; and (2) ensure and certify hardware, software, and support services compliance with adopted standards. Allows the Secretary to award grants to: (1) facilitate the purchase and enhance the utilization of qualified health information technology systems; and (2) carry out demonstration projects to develop academic programs integrating qualified health information technology systems in the clinical education of health professionals. Requires the Secretary to: (1) develop quality measurement systems for the purposes of measuring the quality of care patients receive; and (2) study methods to create efficient reimbursement incentives for improving health care quality. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research (AHRQ), to develop a Center for Best Practices for the effective use health information technology. Allows the Director of AHRQ to establish a demonstration program to award grants or contracts to support health information network planning, implementation, and evaluation activities. Amends the Social Security Act to allow physicians to receive financial support regarding the electronic exchange of health information.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2005
Community Health Center Volunteer Provider Protection Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to deem volunteer practitioners at health centers as employees of the Public Health Service for purposes of any civil action that may arise due to providing services to patients at such health centers. Defines "volunteer practitioner" as a licensed physician who: (1) at the request of the entity, provides services to patients of a public or nonprofit entity receiving Federal funds for serving medically underserved areas; (2) provides such service at a site at which the entity operates or at a site designated by the entity; and (3) does not receive any compensation for the provision of services. Requires the Comptroller General to study the adequacy of funding for liability coverage for: (1) public or nonprofit private entities receiving federal funds for health centers; and (2) volunteer practitioners serving such centers.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2005
Domestic Partner Health Benefits Equity Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to certain employer-provided health care benefits, to provide for the treatment of domestic partners on an equal basis with spouses and dependents by designating as a dependent any individual who is an eligible beneficiary under an employer's health care benefits plan.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2005
Sunshine in Litigation Act of 2005 - Amends the federal judicial code to prohibit a court from entering an order restricting the disclosure of information obtained through discovery, approving a settlement disagreement that would restrict such disclosure, or restricting access to court records in a civil case, unless the court has found that: (1) such order would not restrict the disclosure of information which is relevant to the protection of public health or safety; or (2) the public interest in the disclosure of potential health or safety hazards is outweighed by a specific and substantial interest in maintaining the confidentiality of the information, and the requested protective order is no broader than necessary to protect the privacy interest. Prohibits any party from requesting, as a condition for the production of discovery, that another party stipulate to an order that would violate this Act. Prohibits a court from: (1) approving or enforcing an order prohibited under this Act, or any provision of an agreement between parties to a civil action, that restricts a party from disclosing information to any federal or state agency with authority to enforce laws regulating an activity relating to such information; or (2) enforcing any provision of a settlement agreement that prohibits a party from disclosing that a settlement was reached or the terms of the settlement, other than the amount paid, or from discussing a case or evidence that involves matters related to public health or safety, except where the court finds that the public interest in disclosure of potential health and safety hazards is outweighed by a confidentiality interest.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2005
Improved Access to Osteoporosis Testing Act of 2005 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to eliminate cost-sharing under Medicare for bone mass measurements, thus making the Federal payment 100 percent.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2005
Medicare Value Purchasing (MVP) Act of 2005 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) to add a new part E (Value-Based Purchasing) under which the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall develop measurement systems to provide value-based payments to: (1) hospitals; (2) physicians and practitioners; (3) health plans; (4) end stage renal disease (ESRD) providers and facilities; and (5) home health agencies. Directs the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MEDPAC) to study how the Medicare value-based purchasing programs will impact Medicare beneficiaries, Medicare providers, and the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund. Directs the Secretary to establish a program under which value-based payments are provided each fiscal year to hospitals that demonstrate a high quality health care for inpatients entitled to benefits under Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance). Directs the Secretary to make a value-based payment to a hospital with respect to a fiscal year if the Secretary determines that the quality of the care provided in that year to Medicare inpatients: (1) has substantially improved over the prior year; or (2) exceeds a threshold established by the Secretary. Prescribes a formula for the amount of such value-based payments, ranging from 1% of their Medicare payments for FY2007 by specified increments up to 2% for FY2011 and after. Directs the MEDPAC to study and report to Congress and the Secretary on the advisability and feasibility of establishing Medicare value-based purchasing programs, including ones for prescription drugs and renal dialysis facilities. Directs the Secretary to establish: (1) a Medicare value-based purchasing demonstration program for critical access hospitals; and (2) a demonstration project to determine the threshold amount of information technology connectivity necessary to improve the ability of rural and frontier physicians and practitioners to collect and use quality of care data. Outlines a Medicare Advantage Plans value-based purchasing program. Amends the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 to direct the Secretary to implement a value-based purchasing program for providers and facilities participating in the demonstration of bundled case-mix adjusted payment system for ESRD services. Requires the Secretary to establish chronic kidney disease demonstration projects. Outlines a value-based purchasing program for home health agencies and for skilled nursing facilities. Directs the Secretary to study and report to Congress on appropriate measures to evaluate the quality of health care provided by skilled nursing facilities to Medicare patients. Provides for a national health information network pilot project. Requires the Secretary to study and report to Congress on telehealth and telemedicine.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2005
ALS Registry Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to: (1) develop a system to collect data on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); and (2) establish a national registry for the collection and storage of ALS data. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director, to establish the Advisory Committee on the National ALS Registry to study and make recommendations to the Secretary concerning: (1) the development and maintenance of the registry; (2) the type of information to be included; (3) the manner in which data is to be collected; (4) the use and availability of such data; and (5) the collection of information about diseases and disorders that primarily affect motor neurons that are considered essential to furthering the study and cure of ALS. Allows the Secretary, acting through the Director, to award grants to, and enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with, public or private nonprofit entities for the collection, analysis, and reporting of data on ALS. Requires the Secretary, acting through the Director, to: (1) identify, build upon, expand, and coordinate among existing data and surveillance systems, surveys, registries, and other federal public health and environmental infrastructure wherever possible; and (2) provide for public access to an electronic national database that accepts data from state registries, health care professionals, and others as recommended by the Advisory Committee in a manner that protects personal privacy. Requires the Secretary to ensure that epidemiological and other types of information is made available to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2005
Meat and Poultry Pathogen Reduction and Enforcement Act - Amends the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act, respectively, to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to prescribe: (1) surveys to determine foodborne pathogen contamination levels for raw meat and raw poultry, and meat and poultry products processed in establishments inspected under such Acts; (2) public health goals; and (3) initial and final pathogen reduction performance standards to reduce pathogen contamination and achieve public health goals. Directs the Secretary to: (1) identify, and publish a list of, such pathogens; (2) initiate pathogen surveys to determine existing levels of meat and poultry contamination; (3) establish public health goals and objectives to achieve foodborne illness reduction; and (4) report on the scientific feasibility of establishing health-based performance standards for pathogens. Directs the Secretary to establish a National Advisory Committee for Microbiology Criteria for Foods. Directs the Secretary to enforce Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) System requirements and other sanitation requirements in any official establishment. Authorizes the Secretary to prohibit non-complying establishments from labeling any meat or meat product, or poultry or poultry product, as "inspected and passed."
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2005
Respect for Life Pluripotent Stem Cell Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to provide for the conduct and support of basic and applied research in isolating, deriving, and using pluripotent stems cells without creating or harming human embryos. Provides that such research may include: (1) research in animals to develop and test techniques for deriving cells from embryos without doing harm to embryos; (2) research to develop and test techniques for producing human pluripotent stems cells without creating or making use of embryos; and (3) research to isolate, develop, and test pluripotent stem cells from postnatal tissues, umbilical cord blood, and placenta. Prohibits research under this Act that: (1) involves the use of human embryos; (2) involves the use of stem cells not otherwise eligible for NIH funds; (3) involves the use of any stem cell to create or to attempt to create a human embryo; or (4) poses a significant risk of creating a human embryo by any means.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2005
Infectious Diseases Research and Development Act of 2005 - Limits the liability of manufacturers of qualified infectious disease products by limiting: (1) punitive damages unless the manufacturer acted with malicious intent to injure the individual or deliberately failed to avoid unnecessary injury that the manufacturer knew the individual was substantially certain to suffer; and (2) non-economic damages to $250,000. Sets forth circumstances under which the term of a patent may be extended for qualified infectious disease products. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to designate qualified infectious disease products as fast-track products for approval. Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to expand and intensify efforts to assist small manufacturers to conduct end-stage clinical trials on qualified infectious disease products. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish an infectious disease research credit and a qualified infectious disease products manufacturing facilities investment credit. Authorizes appropriations for activities related to antimicrobial resistance. Establishes the Commission on Infectious Diseases Product Development to identify infectious pathogens that are a significant threat to public health and make recommendations to the Secretary on how best to address such pathogens. Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require the Secretary, acting through the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, to issue guidelines for the conduct of clinical trials with respect to antibiotic drugs.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2005
Paid Family and Medical Leave Act of 2005 - Directs the Secretary of Labor to establish a Family and Medical Insurance Program, with benefits to be administered by each state (or by the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration in any state whose Governor requests this). Entitles eligible employees to Program benefits, including 55% of weekly basic earnings for 12 workweeks of leave during any 12-month period. Requires certification by health care providers of employees or of their eligible family or household members. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish a tax on employers to finance a Family and Medical Leave Trust Fund in the Treasury to for Program benefits. Exempts from such tax employers with voluntary plans approved by the Secretary as equivalent or better than the Program. Allows self-employers to elect to pay such tax to receive Program benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2005
Violence Against Women Act of 2005 - Amends the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) of 1994, VAWA of 2000 (VAWA-2000), the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (OCCSSA), the Public Health Service Act (PHSA), the Social Security Act (SSA), the Higher Education Amendments of 1998, the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000, the Safe Homes for Women Act of 1994, the United states Housing Act of 1937, the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act, the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, the Battered Immigrant Women Protection Act of 2000, and the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to reauthorize, revise, and establish various programs for prevention and treatment of violence against women, including domestic violence, child abuse, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking (violence). Establishes VAWA grant programs: (1) by the Department of Justice (Justice) for assisting children and youth exposed to violence, and for engaging men, women, and youth in preventing violence; and (2) by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for services, education, protection, and justice for young victims of violence, and for research on effective interventions in the healthcare setting. Revises and reauthorizes: (1) grants under the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 to reduce violence against women on campus; (2) safe havens for children under the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000. Reauthorizes PHSA rape prevention and education programs, including the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. Establishes related PHSA grants. Establishes VAWA grant programs to address the housing needs of victims of violence. Supporting Teens through Education and Protection Act of 2005 - STEP Act - Authorizes the Attorney General, through the Director of the Office on Violence Against Women (Justice), to make grants to combat domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in middle and high schools. Security and Financial Empowerment Act - Sets forth entitlement standards and implementation guidelines for employee use of emergency leave to address domestic or sexual violence. Authorizes state use of funds under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) to provide nonrecurrent short-term emergency benefits for emergency leave precipitated by domestic or sexual violence . Amends the Internal Revenue Code relating to approval of state unemployment compensation laws to prohibit denial of compensation where an individual is separated from employment due to circumstances resulting from the individual's experience of domestic or sexual violence. Victims' Employment Sustainability Act - Prohibits certain discriminatory employer practices relating to terms or conditions of employment in connection with victims of domestic or sexual violence. Victims of Abuse Insurance Protection Act - Prohibits denial or restriction of insurance coverage based on the status of the applicant or insured regarding abuse or abuse-related claims. Authorizes the Attorney General to provide a grant for a clearinghouse and resource center to provide information and assistance to employers, labor organizations, and advocates on behalf of victims of domestic or sexual violence. Immigrant Victims of Violence Protection Act of 2005 - Revises the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and the Battered Immigrant Women Protection Act of 2000 (under VAWA-2000) with respect to victims of violence, including victims of crimes of human trafficking, VAWA petitioners, and children. Prescribes requirements regarding the safety of Indian women. Best Help for Rape Victims Act - Amends the Violence Against Women Act of 2000 to require the Attorney General to include within the national protocol on sexual assault forensic examinations a recommendation that a victim of sexual assault who is at risk of pregnancy from rape should be: (1) offered information about emergency contraception; and (2) provided with such contraception on site at the victim's request. Amends the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 and the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide various protections for victims of trafficking. Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a special unit to investigate trafficking in persons.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2005
Meat and Poultry Pathogen Reduction and Enforcement Act - Amends the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act, respectively, to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to prescribe: (1) surveys to determine foodborne pathogen contamination levels for raw meat and raw poultry, and meat and poultry products processed in establishments inspected under such Acts; (2) public health goals; and (3) initial and final pathogen reduction performance standards to reduce pathogen contamination and achieve public health goals. Directs the Secretary to: (1) identify, and publish a list of, such pathogens; (2) initiate pathogen surveys to determine existing levels of meat and poultry contamination; (3) establish public health goals and objectives to achieve foodborne illness reduction; and (4) report on the scientific feasibility of establishing health-based performance standards for pathogens. Directs the Secretary to establish a National Advisory Committee for Microbiology Criteria for Foods. Directs the Secretary to enforce Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) System requirements and other sanitation requirements in any official establishment. Authorizes the Secretary to prohibit non-complying establishments from labeling any meat or meat product, or poultry or poultry product, as "inspected and passed."
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2005
Fair Access to Clinical Trials Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to establish and operate a data bank of registry information on clinical trials for drugs, biological products, and devices. Requires the Secretary to collect, catalog, store, and disseminate such information. Specifies information required for registration of clinical trials, including the purpose and results of the trial. Requires the responsible person to submit clinical trial information to the Secretary. Sets forth provisions regarding periodic updates of data bank information, compliance with requirements, and violations of this Act. Allows the Secretary to identify any false or misleading information in the data bank and include an accurate version of the information. Requires the Secretary to: (1) disseminate data bank information through an Internet site and through other appropriate means; (2) establish procedures to allow voluntary submission of clinical trial information not required by this Act; and (3) enter into a contract with the Institute of Medicine to study the extent to which data submitted to the data bank has impacted the public health.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2005
Veterans Road to Health Care Act of 2005 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to pay the travel expenses of a veteran whose travel is in connection with treatment or care for a non-service-connected disability at a non-Department of Veterans Affairs facility if the treatment or care: (1) is provided upon the recommendation of Department medical personnel; and (2) is not available at the Department medical center or clinic at which the recommendation is made. Requires the Secretary, in calculating travel expenses under the Veterans Beneficiary Travel Program, to utilize the current Federal mileage reimbursement rates for the use on official business of privately owned vehicles.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2005
Livestock Identification and Marketing Opportunities Act - Establishes the Livestock Identification Board which shall: (1) establish an electronic livestock identification system (livestock system) that is capable of tracing all U.S. livestock from the time of first movement from its original premise to the time of slaughter in less than 48 hours, and tracking all relevant livestock information (identification number, species, date of birth); (2) maintain a centralized livestock data system; and (3) determine the official livestock system identification technology. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to: (1) establish a U.S. premise identification system; and (2) verify that each animal, or group of animals subject to the livestock system, is properly identified upon first entry of the animal into commerce. Authorizes the owner of an animal or group of animals that is not subject to the livestock livestock system to voluntarily subject such animal, or group of animals, to system tracking. Exempts information obtained through the livestock or premise systems from Freedom of Information Act disclosure. States that information obtained through the livestock or premise systems: (1) may not be released; (2) shall not be considered public domain information; and (3) shall be considered privileged and confidential commercial information. Authorizes the Board to release livestock or premise system information for reasons of public health or disease or pest control. Requires the Board to release livestock or premise system information to: (1) a livestock owner upon request; (2) the Secretary, a state, or a tribal agency for animal disease surveillance; (3) the Attorney General for criminal investigation or prosecution; (4) the Secretary of Homeland Security for national security; (5) the Secretary of Health and Human Services for public health protection; and (6) a foreign government if necessary to trace livestock threatened by disease or pest, as determined by the Secretary. Defines "livestock" as cattle, swine, sheep, goats, and poultry.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2005
Medicare Medically Necessary Dental Care Act of 2005 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage under part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) of medically necessary dental procedures.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2005
Amends part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to remove the exclusion of benzodiazepines from required coverage under the Medicare prescription drug program.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2005
Healthy Start Reauthorization Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to consider certain criteria in making grants under the Healthy Start Initiative, including: (1) factors that contribute to infant mortality, such as low birthweight; and (2) the extent to which applicants for grants facilitate a community-based approach to the delivery of services and a comprehensive approach to women's health care to improve perinatal outcomes. Eliminates authority for the Secretary to make additional grants to: (1) assist communities with technical assistance, replication of successful projects, and state policy formation to reduce infant and maternal mortality and morbidity; and (2) conduct and support research and to provide additional health care services for pregnant woman and infants.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2005
Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to make grants for research centers (each to be known as a Center for Clinical Discovery) to accelerate next-generation approaches to the development of new therapies and diagnostics by: (1) bringing together patients, researchers with specialized expertise, and sophisticated technologies; and (2) basing such development on individual genotypes and individual variations in cell and molecular physiology.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2005
Dietary Supplement Access and Awareness Act - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require manufacturers and processors of dietary supplements to report certain information to the Secretary of Health and Human Services annually, including a list of supplements manufactured and the labeling and major ingredients for such supplements. Requires manufacturers and distributors to report to the Secretary any serious adverse experiences regarding a supplement. Authorizes the Secretary to require a manufacturer to: (1) conduct postmarket surveillance if there is a reasonable possibility of a supplement causing adverse health consequences; and (2) demonstrate that a supplement is not adulterated. Requires the Secretary to establish criteria for making a determination that a dietary supplement may pose a significant risk to minors. Deems the act of selling a dietary supplement to a minor after the Secretary has made such a determination to be an act which results in a supplement being misbranded while held for sale. Deems a dietary supplement to be adulterated if the manufacturer fails to comply with the Secretary's order to demonstrate the drug's safety. Requires the Secretary to consider a dietary supplement or ingredient as presenting an unreasonable risk of injury or illness if the Secretary determines that the risks of such product outweighs its benefits. Allows the Secretary to consider even a relatively small risk of a serious adverse health effect to be unreasonable. Directs the Secretary, acting through the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, to carry out dietary supplement education programs for health care professionals and consumers.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2005
Hospital Price Reporting and Disclosure Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require a hospital or ambulatory surgical center to: (1) report data to the Secretary of Health and Human Services regarding the frequency of performing certain services and administering certain drugs and the charge by the hospital or center for such services or drugs; and (2) prominently post such information at each admission site. Requires the Secretary to: (1) publicly post such information in a manner that promotes charge comparisons among hospitals and centers; and (2) select which services or drugs are to be reported based on how frequently each service is performed or each drug is administered. Allows the Secretary to impose a civil monetary penalty for violations of this Act.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2005
Justice for Medicare Beneficiaries Act of 2005 - Amends the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 to require administrative law judges in the Department of Health and Human Services involved with the Medicare appeals process to be bound only by applicable statutes, regulations, and rulings issued in accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act. Declares that such judges shall not be required to give substantial deference to local coverage determinations, local medical review policies, or Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services program guidance. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to ensure, in providing for the geographic distribution of administrative law judges, that: (1) there is at least one site in each state, the District of Columbia, and each territory for in-person hearings before a judge; and (2) there are at least two such sites in the five states with the largest populations, geographically distributed within each state. Directs the Secretary to ensure that: (1) if an individual entitled to or enrolled for Medicare benefits requests a hearing before an administrative law judge, it shall be in-person unless he or she requests that it be conducted using tele- or video-conferencing technologies; and (2) the time frame to decide an appeal is not different for either kind of hearing. Delays from October 1, 2005, until October 1, 2006, the transfer of the adjudication authority of administrative law judges responsible for hearing Medicare cases from the Commissioner of Social Security and the Social Security Administration to the Secretary and the Department of Health and Human Services.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2005
Fair and Reliable Medical Justice Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award up to ten demonstration grants to states for the development, implementation, and evaluation of alternatives to current tort litigation for resolving disputes over injuries allegedly caused by health care providers or health care organizations. Requires such states to: (1) develop such an alternative to current tort litigation; and (2) promote a reduction of health care errors by allowing for patient safety data related to such disputes to be collected and analyzed by organizations that engage in voluntary efforts to improve patient safety and the quality of health care delivery. Sets forth model alternatives to current tort litigation that states may utilize.
United States · United States Congress · 29 June 2005
Small Business Health Care Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow certain small employers (with between two and 100 employees) a business tax credit for a specified percentage of the health insurance costs of their employees. Directs the Internal Revenue Service, in conjunction with the Small Business Administration, to develop and implement an educational program to inform businesses of the health insurance tax credit provided by this Act. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make matching grants to state and local governments for the operation of health insurance purchasing pools.
United States · United States House of Representatives · 28 June 2005
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2005
Improved Nutrition and Physical Activity Act or the IMPACT Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to expand an existing grant program for training for health profession students to include the treatment of overweight, obesity, and eating disorders. Allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants for the training of primary care physicians and other health professions on how to identify, treat, and prevent obesity or eating disorders and aid individuals who are overweight, obese, or who suffer from eating disorders. Requires the Secretary, acting though the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to award grants for the planning and implementation of programs that promote healthy eating behaviors and physical activity. Allows the Secretary, acting through the National Center for Health Statistics, to provide for the collection and analysis of data for determining the fitness levels and energy expenditures of children and data collected as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Requires the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to review the research to determine if the information might be important for the health disparities report. Permits states to use preventive health and health services block grants for activities and community education programs designed to address and prevent obesity and eating disorders. Requires the Secretary to report to the relevant congressional committees on: (1) the causes and health implications of being overweight, obese, or having an eating disorder; and (2) the effectiveness of campaigns to change children's behaviors and reduce obesity.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2005
Calls for Congress to support: (1) efforts to promote awareness of cancer in children; (2) increased investment in childhood cancer research; (3) incentives to encourage medical trainees and investigators to enter the field of pediatric oncology; (4) incentives to encourage the development of drugs and biologics designed to treat pediatric cancers; (5) policies that encourage participation in clinical trials; (6) medical education curricula designed to improve pain management for cancer patients; and (7) enhanced education, services, and other resources related to late effects from treatment.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2005
Drug Free Sports Act - Directs the Secretary of Commerce to issue regulations requiring professional sports associations to adopt and enforce policies and procedures for the random testing of athletes (a minimum of five times throughout each year, without advance notification) for the use of performance-enhancing substances. Requires the Secretary to: (1) prescribe the substances for which each athlete is to be tested and include prohibited substances as determined by the World Anti-Doping Agency and substances designed to conceal the presence of performance-enhancing substances in the body; (2) establish criteria for exemptions for documented legitimate medical or therapeutic usage; (3) establish criteria for tests to be administered by an independent party; and (4) establish criteria for suspension reduction for an athlete who has tested positive but who establishes that he or she bears no fault or negligence or no significant fault or negligence. Directs that the penalty for a positive test result is suspension for one-half of the season of play for the first violation, one full season of play for the second violation, and permanent suspension for a third violation. Requires disclosure to the public of the name of any athlete that tests positive. Provides for an opportunity for a prompt hearing and an appeal before an arbiter. Allows the Secretary to fine any such association for failure to adopt and enforce testing policies and procedures consistent with the regulations. Requires the Comptroller General to study the testing policies and practices for the use of performance-enhancing substances by college and secondary school athletes.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2005
Renewable Fuels Act of 2005 - Amends the Clean Air Act to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a program to require U.S. motor vehicle fuel to contain a certain volume of renewable fuel. Defines "renewable fuel" to include cellulosic biomass ethanol, waste derived ethanol, and biodiesel. Establishes a system of: (1) tradeable credits for motor vehicle fuel containing more renewable fuel than required; (2) waivers for states and small refineries; and (3) safe harbor standards to protect manufacturers of renewable fuels from civil liability. Amends the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to require federal agency heads to ensure that ethanol-blended gasoline and biodiesel-blended diesel fuel are purchased for agency vehicles in areas where such fuel is available at competitive prices. Amends the Clean Air Act to eliminate the oxygen content requirement for reformulated gasoline. Requires the Administrator: (1) to establish standards for toxic air pollutants from the use of reformulated gasoline; and (2) within 30 days of enactment of this Act, to determine the adequacy of any petition from a state governor to exempt gasoline sold in the state from certain requirements for reformulated gasoline. Directs the Administrator (currently, discretionary) to require fuel manufacturers to conduct tests to determine potential public health and environmental effects of fuels and fuel additives prior to registering such fuels. Permits states in the ozone transport region to opt into the reformulated gasoline program. Requires the Administrator, at the request of a state, to enforce state controls on fuel and fuel additives. Sets forth various data collection and reporting requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2005
Kidney Patient More Frequent Dialysis Quality Act of 2005 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to publish final regulations for equivalent per treatment prospective payment rates for more frequent hemodialysis treatments furnished to qualified individuals at home and in a facility (commonly known as composite Method I and Method II Cap rates), and prospective payment rates for in-facility training for more frequent hemodialysis.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2005
WISEWOMAN Expansion Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to: (1) remove the limit on the number of states that may receive preventive heath services grants; (2) require a competitive review process; and (3) include among the uses for such grants health education, counseling, and interventions for behavioral risk factors and diseases. Authorizes appropriations.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2005
Bone Marrow and Cord Blood Therapy and Research Act of 2005 - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to contract with qualified cord blood stem cell banks to assist in the collection and maintenance of cord blood to be made available for transplantation through the Bone Marrow and Cord Blood Cell Transplantation Program. Requires the Secretary to require that recipients of such contracts: (1) acquire and store donated units of human cord blood; and (2) make collected cord blood units available for stem cell transplantation or, if not appropriate for clinical use, available for peer-reviewed research. Requires the Secretary to establish a demonstration project for the collection and storage of cord blood units for a family where a relative has been diagnosed with a condition that will benefit from transplantation. Amends the Public Health Service Act to rewrite provisions requiring the Secretary to establish and maintain a National Bone Marrow Donor Registry to require the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), to establish and maintain the Bone Marrow and Cord Blood Cell Transplantation Program to increase the number of transplants for recipients suitably matched to biologically unrelated donors of bone marrow and cord blood. Requires the Secretary to establish a related Advisory Council. Prescribes new requirements for the Program, including: (1) operating a system for listing, searching, and facilitating the distribution of donated cord blood units; (2) maintaining and expanding medical contingency response capabilities to prepare for and respond effectively to biological, chemical, or radiological attacks and other ublic health emergencies that can damage marrow; and (3) carrying out recruitment programs and educational activities. Requires the Secretary to: (1) enforce quality standards and donor selection criteria; (2) establish an office of patient advocacy; and (3) establish a scientific database of outcome information.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2005
Quality Health Care Coalition Act of 2005 - Exempts health care professionals that are negotiating with a health plan regarding contract terms under which the professionals provide health care items or services for which plan benefits are provided from federal antitrust laws in connection with such negotiations. Declares that this Act: (1) applies only to health care professionals excluded from the National Labor Relations Act; and (2) does not apply to such negotiations relating to Medicare or Medicaid programs, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), medical and dental care for members of the uniformed services, veterans' medical care, the federal employees health benefits program, or the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.
United States · United States Congress · 27 June 2005
Cancer and Terminal Illness Patient Health Care Act of 2005 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to waive the employee portion of the Social Security tax for any period in which a taxpayer has been certified by a physician as having cancer or a terminal illness or is the primary caregiver for a spouse, parent, or child with cancer or a terminal disease. Reduces by 50 percent the rates of tax levied on a self-employed individual for old age, survivors and disability insurance and hospital insurance if a physician has certified that such individual has a terminal disease or cancer throughout the taxable year or is the primary caregiver for a spouse, parent, or child with a terminal disease or cancer.