Improving Trauma Systems and Emergency Care Act
This bill reauthorizes through FY2027 and modifies activities of the Department of Health and Human Services related to trauma care.
Specific changes include requiring the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response to develop guidance for and otherwise support states (and consortia of states) to coordinate and improve emergency medical services and trauma care during declared emergencies.
The bill also expands eligibility for and revises (1) grants for improving emergency medical services and trauma care in rural areas, and (2) competitive grants for improving regional emergency medical and trauma systems.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8163 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8163
To amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to trauma care.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 21, 2022
Mr. O'Halleran introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to trauma care.
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 ``Improving Trauma Systems and
Emergency Care Act''.
SEC. 2. TRAUMA CARE REAUTHORIZATION.
(a) In General.--Section 1201 of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 300d) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) in paragraph (3)--
(i) by inserting ``analyze,'' after
``compile,''; and
(ii) by inserting ``and medically
underserved areas'' before the semicolon;
(B) in paragraph (4), by adding ``and'' after the
semicolon;
(C) by striking paragraph (5); and
(D) by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph
(5);
(2) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c); and
(3) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
``(b) Trauma Care Readiness and Coordination.--The Secretary,
acting through the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response,
shall support the efforts of States and consortia of States to
coordinate and improve emergency medical services and trauma care
during a public health emergency declared by the Secretary pursuant to
section 319 or a major disaster or emergency declared by the President
under section 401 or 501, respectively, of the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. Such support may
include--
``(1) developing, issuing, and updating guidance, as
appropriate, to support the coordinated medical triage and
evacuation to appropriate medical institutions based on patient
medical need, taking into account regionalized systems of care;
``(2) disseminating, as appropriate, information on
evidence-based or evidence-informed trauma care practices,
taking into consideration emergency medical services and trauma
care systems, including such practices identified through
activities conducted under subsection (a) and which may include
the identification and dissemination of performance metrics, as
applicable and appropriate; and
``(3) other activities, as appropriate, to optimize a
coordinated and flexible approach to the emergency response and
medical surge capacity of hospitals, other health care
facilities, critical care, and emergency medical systems.''.
(b) Grants To Improve Trauma Care in Rural Areas.--Section 1202 of
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300d-3) is amended--
(1) by amending the section heading to read as follows:
``grants to improve trauma care in rural areas'';
(2) by amending subsections (a) and (b) to read as follows:
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall award grants to eligible
entities for the purpose of carrying out research and demonstration
projects to support the improvement of emergency medical services and
trauma care in rural areas through the development of innovative uses
of technology, training and education, transportation of seriously
injured patients for the purposes of receiving such emergency medical
services, access to prehospital care, evaluation of protocols for the
purposes of improvement of outcomes and dissemination of any related
best practices, activities to facilitate clinical research, as
applicable and appropriate, and increasing communication and
coordination with applicable State or Tribal trauma systems.
``(b) Eligible Entities.--
``(1) In general.--To be eligible to receive a grant under
this section, an entity shall be a public or private entity
that provides trauma care in a rural area.
``(2) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that will
provide services under the grant in any rural area identified
by a State under section 1214(d)(1).''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(d) Reports.--An entity that receives a grant under this section
shall submit to the Secretary such reports as the Secretary may require
to inform administration of the program under this section.''.
(c) Pilot Grants for Trauma Centers.--Section 1204 of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300d-6) is amended--
(1) by amending the section heading to read as follows:
``pilot grants for trauma centers'';
(2) in subsection (a)--
(A) by striking ``not fewer than 4'' and inserting
``10'';
(B) by striking ``that design, implement, and
evaluate'' and inserting ``to design, implement, and
evaluate new or existing'';
(C) by striking ``emergency care'' and inserting
``emergency medical''; and
(D) by inserting ``, and improve access to trauma
care within such systems'' before the period;
(3) in subsection (b)(1), by striking subparagraphs (A) and
(B) and inserting the following:
``(A) a State or consortia of States;
``(B) an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization (as
defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination
and Education Assistance Act);
``(C) a consortium of level I, II, or III trauma
centers designated by applicable State or local
agencies within an applicable State or region, and, as
applicable, other emergency services providers; or
``(D) a consortium or partnership of nonprofit
Indian Health Service, Indian Tribal, and urban Indian
trauma centers.'';
(4) in subsection (c)--
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ``that proposes a pilot
project''; and
(ii) by striking ``an emergency medical and
trauma system that--'' and inserting ``a new or
existing emergency medical and trauma system.
Such eligible entity shall use amounts awarded
under this subsection to carry out 2 or more of
the following activities:'';
(B) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ``coordinates'' and
inserting ``Strengthening coordination and
communication''; and
(ii) by striking ``an approach to emergency
medical and trauma system access throughout the
region, including 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering
Points and emergency medical dispatch;'' and
inserting ``approaches to improve situational
awareness and emergency medical and trauma
system access, including distribution of
patients during a mass casualty incident,
throughout the region.'';
(C) in paragraph (2)--
(i) by striking ``includes'' and inserting
``Providing'';
(ii) by inserting ``support patient
movement to'' after ``region to''; and
(iii) by striking the semicolon and
inserting a period;
(D) in paragraph (3)--
(i) by striking ``allows for'' and
inserting ``Improving''; and
(ii) by striking ``; and'' and inserting a
period;
(E) in paragraph (4), by striking ``includes a
consistent'' and inserting ``Supporting a consistent'';
and
(F) by adding at the end the following:
``(5) Establishing, implementing, and disseminating, or
utilizing existing, as applicable, evidence-based or evidence-
informed practices across facilities within such emergency
medical and trauma system to improve health outcomes, including
such practices related to management of injuries, and the
ability of such facilities to surge.
``(6) Conducting activities to facilitate clinical
research, as applicable and appropriate.'';
(5) in subsection (d)(2)--
(A) in subparagraph (A)--
(i) in the matter preceding clause (i), by
striking ``the proposed'' and inserting ``the
applicable emergency medical and trauma
system'';
(ii) in clause (i), by inserting ``or
Tribal entity'' after ``equivalent State
office''; and
(iii) in clause (vi), by striking ``; and''
and inserting a semicolon;
(B) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as
subparagraph (C); and
(C) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the
following:
``(B) for eligible entities described in
subparagraph (C) or (D) of subsection (b)(1), a
description of, and evidence of, coordination with the
applicable State Office of Emergency Medical Services
(or equivalent State Office) or applicable such office
for a Tribe or Tribal organization; and'';
(6) in subsection (e)--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``$1 for each
$3'' and inserting ``$1 for each $5''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) Waiver.--The Secretary may waive all or part of the
matching requirement described in paragraph (1) for any fiscal
year for a State, consortia of States, Indian Tribe or Tribal
organization, or trauma center, if the Secretary determines
that applying such matching requirement would result in serious
hardship or an inability to carry out the purposes of the pilot
program.'';
(7) in subsection (f), by striking ``population in a
medically underserved area'' and inserting ``medically
underserved population'';
(8) in subsection (g)--
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by
striking ``described in'';
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``the system
characteristics that contribute to'' and inserting
``opportunities for improvement, including
recommendations for how to improve'';
(C) by striking paragraph (4);
(D) by redesignating paragraphs (5) and (6) as
paragraphs (4) and (5), respectively;
(E) in paragraph (4), as so redesignated, by
striking ``; and'' and inserting a semicolon;
(F) in paragraph (5), as so redesignated, by
striking the period and inserting ``; and''; and
(G) by adding at the end the following:
``(6) any evidence-based or evidence-informed strategies
developed or utilized pursuant to subsection (c)(5).''; and
(9) by amending subsection (h) to read as follows:
``(h) Dissemination of Findings.--Not later than 1 year after the
completion of the final project under subsection (a), the Secretary
shall submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of
Representatives a report describing the information contained in each
report submitted pursuant to subsection (g) and any additional actions
planned by the Secretary related to regionalized emergency care and
trauma systems.''.
(d) Program Funding.--Section 1232(a) of the Public Health Service
Act (42 U.S.C. 300d-32(a)) is amended by striking ``2010 through 2014''
and inserting ``2023 through 2027''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote .
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 55 - 1.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 117-514.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 117-514.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 385.
Mr. Pallone moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
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Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H8150-8152)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 8163.
At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 1396, proceedings on H.R. 8163 are considered vacated.
Passed/agreed to in House: Pursuant to section 10 of H. Res. 1396, and the motion offered by Mr. Hoyer, the following bills passed under suspension of the rules: H.R. 1638, as amended; H.R. 3304, as amended; H.R. 4081, as amended; H.R. 4821, as amended; H.R. 6889, as amended; H.R. 6967, as amended; H.R. 8163, as amended; H.R. 8510, as amended; H.R. 8681, as amended; H.R. 8875, as amended; H.R. 8956; S. 1198; and agree to the Senate amendments to H.R. 5641.
Pursuant to section 10 of H. Res. 1396, and the motion offered by Mr. Hoyer, the following bills passed under suspension of the rules: H.R. 1638, as amended; H.R. 3304, as amended; H.R. 4081, as amended; H.R. 4821, as amended; H.R. 6889, as amended; H.R. 6967, as amended; H.R. 8163, as amended; H.R. 8510, as amended; H.R. 8681, as amended; H.R. 8875, as amended; H.R. 8956; S. 1198; and agree to the Senate amendments to H.R. 5641. (text: CR H8150-8151)
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.