Rural Health Quality Advisory Commission Act of 2009 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish the Rural Health Quality Advisory Commission to develop, coordinate, and facilitate implementation of a national plan for rural health quality improvements. Requires that such plan: (1) identify objectives for rural health quality improvement; (2) identify strategies to eliminate known gaps in rural health system capacity and improve rural health quality; and (3) provide for federal programs to identify opportunities for strengthening and aligning policies and programs to improve rural health quality.
Directs the Commission to: (1) design demonstration projects to test alternative models for rural health quality improvement, including with respect to both personal and population health; and (2) monitor progress towards identified objectives.
Requires the Secretary to make grants for demonstration projects to implement and evaluate methods for improving the quality of health care in rural communities that include: (1) alternative community models; (2) innovative approaches to the financing and delivery of health services; and (3) the development of quality improvement support structures to assist rural health systems and professionals. Directs the Secretary to: (1) expedite Medicaid and Medicare waivers as necessary to carry out such demonstration projects; and (2) provide for an independent evaluation of such projects.
[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2599 Introduced in House (IH)]
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2599
To provide for the establishment of the Rural Health Quality Advisory
Commission, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 21, 2009
Ms. Herseth Sandlin (for herself, Mr. Walden, and Mr. Pomeroy)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for the establishment of the Rural Health Quality Advisory
Commission, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Rural Health Quality Advisory
Commission Act of 2009''.
SEC. 2. RURAL HEALTH QUALITY ADVISORY COMMISSION AND DEMONSTRATION
PROJECTS.
(a) Rural Health Quality Advisory Commission.--
(1) Establishment.--Not later than 6 months after the date
of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of Health and
Human Services (in this section referred to as the
``Secretary'') shall establish a commission to be known as the
Rural Health Quality Advisory Commission (in this section
referred to as the ``Commission'').
(2) Duties of commission.--
(A) National plan.--The Commission shall develop,
coordinate, and facilitate implementation of a national
plan for rural health quality improvement. The national
plan shall--
(i) identify objectives for rural health
quality improvement;
(ii) identify strategies to eliminate known
gaps in rural health system capacity and
improve rural health quality; and
(iii) provide for Federal programs to
identify opportunities for strengthening and
aligning policies and programs to improve rural
health quality.
(B) Demonstration projects.--The Commission shall
design demonstration projects to test alternative
models for rural health quality improvement, including
with respect to both personal and population health.
(C) Monitoring.--The Commission shall monitor
progress toward the objectives identified pursuant to
paragraph (1)(A).
(3) Membership.--
(A) Number.--The Commission shall be composed of 11
members appointed by the Secretary.
(B) Selection.--The Secretary shall select the
members of the Commission from among individuals with
significant rural health care and health care quality
expertise, including expertise in clinical health care,
health care quality research, population or public
health, or purchaser organizations.
(4) Contracting authority.--Subject to the availability of
funds, the Commission may enter into contracts and make other
arrangements, as may be necessary to carry out the duties
described in paragraph (2).
(5) Staff.--Upon the request of the Commission, the
Secretary may detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the
personnel of the Office of Rural Health Policy of the Health
Resources and Services Administration, the Agency for Health
Care Quality and Research, or the Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services to the Commission to assist in carrying out
this subsection.
(6) Reports to congress.--Not later than 1 year after the
establishment of the Commission, and annually thereafter, the
Commission shall submit a report to the Congress on rural
health quality. Each such report shall include the following:
(A) An inventory of relevant programs and
recommendations for improved coordination and
integration of policy and programs.
(B) An assessment of achievement of the objectives
identified in the national plan developed under
paragraph (2) and recommendations for realizing such
objectives.
(C) Recommendations on Federal legislation,
regulations, or administrative policies to enhance
rural health quality and outcomes.
(b) Rural Health Quality Demonstration Projects.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 270 days after the date of
the enactment of this section, the Secretary, in consultation
with the Rural Health Quality Advisory Commission, the Office
of Rural Health Policy of the Health Resources and Services
Administration, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality,
and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, shall make
grants to eligible entities for 5 demonstration projects to
implement and evaluate methods for improving the quality of
health care in rural communities. Each such demonstration
project shall include--
(A) alternative community models that--
(i) will achieve greater integration of
personal and population health services; and
(ii) address safety, effectiveness,
patient- or community-centeredness, timeliness,
efficiency, and equity (the six aims identified
by the Institute of Medicine of the National
Academies in its report entitled ``Crossing the
Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st
Century'' released on March 1, 2001);
(B) innovative approaches to the financing and
delivery of health services to achieve rural health
quality goals; and
(C) development of quality improvement support
structures to assist rural health systems and
professionals (such as workforce support structures,
quality monitoring and reporting, clinical care
protocols, and information technology applications).
(2) Eligible entities.--In this subsection, the term
``eligible entity'' means a consortium that--
(A) shall include--
(i) at least one health care provider or
health care delivery system located in a rural
area; and
(ii) at least one organization representing
multiple community stakeholders; and
(B) may include other partners such as rural
research centers.
(3) Consultation.--In developing the program for awarding
grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall consult with
the Administrator of the Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality, rural health care providers, rural health care
researchers, and private and non-profit groups (including
national associations) which are undertaking similar efforts.
(4) Expedited waivers.--The Secretary shall expedite the
processing of any waiver that--
(A) is authorized under title XVIII or XIX of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.); and
(B) is necessary to carry out a demonstration
project under this subsection.
(5) Demonstration project sites.--The Secretary shall
ensure that the 5 demonstration projects funded under this
subsection are conducted at a variety of sites representing the
diversity of rural communities in the Nation.
(6) Duration.--Each demonstration project under this
subsection shall be for a period of 4 years.
(7) Independent evaluation.--The Secretary shall enter into
an arrangement with an entity that has experience working
directly with rural health systems for the conduct of an
independent evaluation of the program carried out under this
subsection.
(8) Report.--Not later than one year after the conclusion
of all of the demonstration projects funded under this
subsection, the Secretary shall submit a report to the Congress
on the results of such projects. The report shall include--
(A) an evaluation of patient access to care,
patient outcomes, and an analysis of the cost
effectiveness of each such project; and
(B) recommendations on Federal legislation,
regulations, or administrative policies to enhance
rural health quality and outcomes.
(c) Appropriation.--
(1) In general.--Out of funds in the Treasury not otherwise
appropriated, there are appropriated to the Secretary to carry
out this section $30,000,000 for the period of fiscal years
2010 through 2014.
(2) Availability.--
(A) In general.--Funds appropriated under paragraph
(1) shall remain available for expenditure through
fiscal year 2014.
(B) Report.--For purposes of carrying out
subsection (b)(8), funds appropriated under paragraph
(1) shall remain available for expenditure through
fiscal year 2015.
(3) Reservation.--Of the amount appropriated under
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall reserve--
(A) $5,000,000 to carry out subsection (a); and
(B) $25,000,000 to carry out subsection (b), of
which--
(i) 2 percent shall be for the provision of
technical assistance to grant recipients; and
(ii) 5 percent shall be for independent
evaluation under subsection (b)(7).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
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