Care That's Fair Act
This bill authorizes and provides funds for a grant program to analyze racial and ethnic disparities or other factors that may affect health outcomes for Medicaid enrollees. Specifically, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services may award grants to states to analyze (1) variations in health care outcomes and utilization that are related to race and ethnicity for clinically similar enrollees, or (2) clinical and social factors that contribute to poor infant and maternal health outcomes for enrollees.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4554 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4554
To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide grants for
support for States to identify and act on racial disparities, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 20, 2021
Mr. Butterfield (for himself and Mr. Joyce of Pennsylvania) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide grants for
support for States to identify and act on racial disparities, 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 ``Care That's Fair Act''.
SEC. 2. GRANTS TO SUPPORT FOR STATES TO IDENTIFY AND ACT ON RACIAL
DISPARITIES UNDER MEDICAID.
Section 1946 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. is amended by
adding the following new subsection:
``(d) Support for States To Identify and Act on Racial
Disparities.--
``(1) In general.--The Administrator is authorized to award
grants to States in accordance with this section to analyze
Medicaid claims and clinical data to study--
``(A) variation in Medicaid health outcomes and
health care service utilization that are correlated to
race and ethnicity for clinically similar patients; or
``(B) the contributing clinical and social factors
to poor infant and maternal health outcomes in
Medicaid.
``(2) State application.--A State seeking approval of a
grant shall submit an application to the Administrator, after
April 1, 2021, and prior to September 1, 2024, in such format
as the Administrator requires.
``(3) Limitations.--No State shall receive--
``(A) more than one grant in any fiscal year; or
``(B) a grant that exceeds $500,000.
``(4) Action report.--Each State receiving a grant under
this subsection must submit to the Administrator an action
report no later than 2 fiscal years after being awarded the
grant, which the Administrator must make public on the Centers
for Medicare & Medicaid Services website and provide analysis
comparing the results of the action reports across each
grantee, taking into account variation in the demographics and
clinical needs in each State.
``(5) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
``(A) Administrator.--The term `Administrator'
means the Administrator for the Center for Medicare and
Medicaid Services.
``(B) State.--The term `State' means any of the 50
States or the District of Columbia.
``(C) Clinically similar.--The term `clinically
similar' means, with respect to a State Medicaid
program, Medicaid enrollees that have the same health
status, burden of illness, comorbid conditions, and
need for services.
``(D) Health outcomes.--The term `health outcomes'
means, with respect to a State Medicaid program, a
change in health status for a Medicaid enrollee as a
result of care interventions.
``(E) Health care service utilization.--The term
`health care service utilization' means, with respect
to a State Medicaid program, the rate of use of a
particular health care service, procedure, test,
process, or care intervention.
``(F) Social factors.--The term `social factors'
may include, but is not limited to--
``(i) housing;
``(ii) transportation;
``(iii) food insecurity;
``(iv) environmental conditions;
``(v) economic insecurity;
``(vi) health literacy;
``(vii) family and community instability;
and
``(viii) interpersonal violence.
``(G) Action report.--The term `action report'
means, with respect to a State Medicaid program--
``(i) a summary at the aggregate level of
the results from the State analysis performed
under paragraph (1);
``(ii) a summary of the characteristics of
the study, including population included, time
period covered, methodologies used, and any
limitations encountered;
``(iii) the actions the State plans to take
or would like to take under the State Medicaid
program in the next 5 years to address
paragraph (1)(A) or (1)(B); and
``(iv) what regulatory barriers exist in
enacting the steps under clause (ii).
``(6) Appropriations.--In general, there are appropriated,
from any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for
grants to carry out this section--
``(A) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2021;
``(B) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2022; and
``(C) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2023.''.
<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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