Rural health Legislation - Federal Government

A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide a means for continued improvement in emergency medical services for children. 1/4/2007--Introduced. Wakefield Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to extend by one year the length of time for which a grant may be awarded under the emergency medical services for children grant program, which allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to states or schools of medicine to support projects to expand and improve emergency medical services for children who need treatment for trauma or critical care. Sets forth as the purpose of the program the reduction of child and youth morbidity and mortality by supporting improvements in the quality of all emergency medical care children receive. Requires the Secretary to support emergency medical services for children by supporting projects that: (1) develop and present scientific evidence; (2) promote existing innovative technologies appropriate [...]

show full description

A bill to update and reinvigorate universal service provided under the Communications Act of 1934. 1/4/2007--Introduced. Universal Service for Americans Act or USA Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require each communications service provider to contribute to support universal service (the provision of communications service in rural, insular, and high-cost areas), subject to exemptions. Modifies requirements regarding interconnection and rural telephone companies. Imposes on facilities-based IP-enabled voice service providers the same rights, duties, and obligations as a requesting telecommunications carrier if the provider elects to assert those rights. Prohibits a carrier from refusing to transport or terminate IP-enabled voice traffic solely because it is IP-enabled and prohibits a provider originating, transmitting, or terminating IP-enabled voice traffic from being exempted from paying compensation for interstate traffic solely because the [...]

show full description

A bill to expand access to affordable health care and to strengthen the health care safety net and make health care services more available in rural and underserved areas. 1/4/2007--Introduced. Access to Affordable Health Care Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) tax credits to small businesses for qualified employee health insurance expenses; (2) tax credits for qualified health insurance; (3) deductions for long-term care premiums; and (4) tax credits for individuals with long-term care needs. Requires the Secretary of Labor to award grants to states to assist in planning, developing, and operating qualified small employer purchasing groups for health insurance. Directs the Small Business Administration to award grants to states, local governments, and nonprofit organizations to provide health insurance information to small employers. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) to award demonstration grants for [...]

show full description

Expressing the sense of the Congress that the United States should address the ongoing problem of untouchability in India. 7/23/2007--Passed House amended.    (There is 1 other summary) Expresses the sense of Congress that, as the leaders of the United States and the Republic of India have expressed commitment to the values of human freedom, democracy, and the rule of law, it is in U.S. interests to address the treatment of the Dalits and Tribals in India by: (1) raising the issue of caste discrimination and untouchability; (2) encouraging the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to ensure that the needs of Dalit organizations are incorporated in project development; (3) ensuring that projects that positively impact Dalit and Tribal communities, especially Dalit women, are developed; (4) ensuring that cooperative research programs targeting rural health care, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and rural technology contain proper focus on the [...]

show full description

To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into contracts with community health care providers to improve access to health care for veterans in highly rural areas, and for other purposes. 1/5/2007--Introduced. Help Establish Access to Local Timely Healthcare for Your Vets (HEALTHY Vets) Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in the case of a veteran for whom Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities are geographically inaccessible, to use current authority for contracting out veterans' medical care to non-Department facilities in order to provide the following care to such veterans: (1) primary care; (2) acute or chronic symptom management; (3) nontherapeutic medical services; and (4) other medical services determined appropriate by the director of that geographic service region, after consultation with the Department physician responsible for the veteran's primary care. Outlines conditions [...]

show full description

A bill to provide for innovation in health care through State initiatives that expand coverage and access and improve quality and efficiency in the health care system. 1/17/2007--Introduced. Health Partnership Act - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a State Health Innovation Commission. Requires the Commission to: (1) provide states with reform options for state health care expansion and improvement programs; (2) establish minimum performance measures and goals with respect to coverage, quality, and cost of state programs; (3) review state applications and determine whether to submit a state proposal to Congress; and (4) submit to Congress a list of state applications that the Commission recommends for approval. Deems such proposals to be approved unless a joint resolution has been enacted disapproving such proposal. Sets forth rules for congressional consideration of such proposals. Requires the Secretary to: (1) provide a grant to a [...]

show full description

A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure and foster continued patient quality of care by establishing facility and patient criteria for long-term care hospitals and related improvements under the Medicare program. 1/18/2007--Introduced. Medicare Long-Term Care Hospital Improvement Act of 2007 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to prescribe requirements for a long-term care hospital (LTCH) and patient criteria for prospective payment to an LTCH.Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) determine a list of medical conditions associated with a high severity of illness of patients who are appropriate for treatment in long-term care hospitals, as indicated by the presence of clinical comorbidities in accordance with a methodology specified by the Secretary; and (2) study and report to Congress on appropriate quality measures for Medicare beneficiaries receiving care in LTCHs. Directs the Secretary to [...]

show full description

To amend the Public Health Service Act regarding residential treatment programs for pregnant and parenting women, a program to reduce substance abuse among nonviolent offenders, and for other purposes. 1/11/2007--Introduced. Family-Based Meth Treatment Access Act of 2007 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to expand the grant program to provide residential substance abuse treatment to pregnant and postpartum women to include: (1) parenting women substance abuse treatment (including treatment for addiction to methamphetamine); and (2) outpatient treatment services. Requires that such treatment programs be accessible to pregnant and parenting women in health disparity populations. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to expand, intensify, and coordinate efforts to provide treatment for methamphetamine addiction to pregnant and parenting women.Requires the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services [...]

show full description

To amend the Public Health Service Act to strengthen education, prevention, and treatment programs relating to stroke, and for other purposes. 3/27/2007--Passed House amended.    (There is 1 other summary) Stroke Treatment and Ongoing Prevention Act - (Sec. 2) Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out an education and information campaign to promote stroke prevention and to increase the number of stroke patients who seek immediate treatment. Allows the Secretary to: (1) make public service announcements about the warning signs of stroke and the importance of treating stroke as a medical emergency; and (2) provide education regarding ways to prevent stroke and the effectiveness of stroke treatment. Requires the Secretary to evaluate the campaign and measure its impact every two years.Requires the Secretary, acting through the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), to maintain the Paul Coverdell [...]

show full description

A bill to preserve access to healthcare under the Medicare and Medicaid programs. 9/30/2008--Introduced. Preserving Access to Healthcare (PATH) Act of 2008 - Declares that between October 1, 2008, and March 31, 2009, specified regulations regarding the formula for determining the federal rate for inpatient hospital capital-related costs under the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) shall apply without the mandatory phase out of the indirect medical education adjustment factor. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to delay for six months following enactment of this Act any implementation of the Medicaid outpatient hospital services regulation proposed on September 28, 2007. Prohibits the Secretary from phasing out or eliminating the Medicare hospice wage index budget neutrality adjustment factor before April 1, 2009. Directs the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and upon the [...]

show full description

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for temporary improvements to the Medicare inpatient hospital payment adjustment for low-volume hospitals and to provide for the use of the non-wage adjusted PPS rate under the Medicare-dependent hospital (MDH) program, and for other purposes. 9/16/2008--Introduced. Rural Hospital Assistance Act of 2008 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act with respect to the additional inpatient hospital service payment (payment adjustment) for low-volume hospitals (usually meaning a "subsection (d) hospital" located more than 25 road miles from another subsection (d) hospital and having less than 800 discharges during the fiscal year.) Redefines low-volume hospital, for discharges occurring during FY2009 only, as a "subsection (d) hospital" located more than 15 (instead of 25) road miles from another "subsection (d) hospital" and having less than 1,500 (instead of 800) discharges [...]

show full description

To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for the establishment of a drug-free workplace information clearinghouse, to support residential methamphetamine treatment programs for pregnant and parenting women, to improve the prevention and treatment of methamphetamine addiction, and for other purposes. 9/15/2008--Introduced. Meth Free Families and Communities Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment to collaborate with professionals in the addiction field and primary health care providers to raise awareness about how to: (1) recognize the signs of a substance abuse disorder; and (2) apply evidence-based practices for screening and treating individuals with, or at-risk for developing, an addiction.Revises provisions governing a grant program for substance abuse residential treatment for pregnant and parenting women (currently, for postpartum women), to: (1) include treatment for addiction to [...]

show full description

Making appropriations for military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2009, and for other purposes. 8/1/2008--Passed House amended.    (There are 2 other summaries) Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2009 - Title I: Department of Defense - Appropriates funds for FY2009 for the Department of Defense (DOD) for: (1) military construction for the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, and Air Force (military departments), DOD, the Army and Air National Guard, and the Army, Navy, and Air Force reserves; (2) the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Security Investment Program; (3) family housing construction and related operation and maintenance for the military departments and DOD; (4) the Department of Defense Family Housing Improvement Fund; (5) the Homeowners Assistance Fund; (6) chemical demilitarization construction; and (7) the Department of Defense [...]

show full description

A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for temporary improvements to the Medicare inpatient hospital payment adjustment for low-volume hospitals and to provide for the use of the non-wage adjusted PPS rate under the Medicare-dependent hospital (MDH) program, and for other purposes. 7/22/2008--Introduced. Rural Hospital Assistance Act of 2008 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act with respect to the additional inpatient hospital service payment (payment adjustment) for low-volume hospitals (usually meaning a "subsection (d) hospital" located more than 25 road miles from another subsection (d) hospital and having less than 800 discharges during the fiscal year.) Redefines low-volume hospital, for discharges occurring during FY2009 only, as a "subsection (d) hospital" located more than 15 (instead of 25) road miles from another "subsection (d) hospital" and having less than 1,500 (instead of [...]

show full description

To reform the collection and distribution of universal service support under the Communications Act of 1934. 6/24/2008--Introduced. Universal Service Reform, Accountability, and Efficiency Act of 2008 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to revise the policies concerning the principles for the advancement of universal service to require that the policies be based on the principles of affordability, efficiency, certain contribution and distribution requirements, transparency, consumer focus, and access to advanced telecommunications services for schools, libraries, and rural health care providers. Requires that universal service support be used solely to provide voice (including IP-enabled voice) communications in high cost areas and to low-income households. Authorizes the FCC to select any contribution mechanism that is consistent with the above principles and that: (1) is based exclusively on providing voice communications service; (2) does not assess broadband [...]

show full description

To amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to extend expiring provisions under the Medicare Program, to improve beneficiary access to preventive and mental health services, to enhance low-income benefit programs, and to maintain access to care in rural areas, including pharmacy access, and for other purposes. 7/15/2008--Public Law.    (There are 3 other summaries) (This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on June 24, 2008. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 - Title I: Medicare - Subtitle A: Beneficiary Improvements - Part 1: Prevention, Mental Health, and Marketing - (Sec. 101) Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA), as amended by the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007, to cover additional preventive services. Includes body mass index and end-of-life planning among initial [...]

show full description

A bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to preserve beneficiary access to care by preventing a reduction in the Medicare physician fee schedule, to improve the quality of care by advancing value based purchasing, electronic health records, and electronic prescribing, and to maintain and improve access to care in rural areas, and for other purposes. 6/11/2008--Introduced. Preserving Access to Medicare Act of 2008 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2008 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to: (1) revise the payment adjustment for low-volume hospitals; (2) extend increased Medicare payments for ground ambulance services; (3) extend the authorization for Medicare rural hospital flexibility program grants; (4) provide for rebasing for sole community hospitals; and (5) extend the rural home health add-on policy through 2009. Revises the formula for payments for physician services to provide an update [...]

show full description

To amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to extend expiring provisions under the Medicare Program, to improve beneficiary access to preventive and mental health services, to enhance low-income benefit programs, and to maintain access to care in rural areas, including pharmacy access, and for other purposes. 6/9/2008--Introduced. Medicare Efficiency and Development of Improvement of Care and Services Act (MEDICS Act) of 2008 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to provide for coverage of additional preventive services.Provides for gradual elimination of copayment rates for Medicare psychiatric services.Places prohibitions and limitations on certain sales and marketing activities under Medicare Advantage (MA) plans and prescription drug plans.Requires offering of a range of Medicare supplemental policies