HEALTHIER Act of 2019

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 2216 To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a grant program for States that provide flexibility in licensing for health care providers who offer services on a volunteer basis. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APRIL 10, 2019 Mr. BURCHETT (for himself, Mr. DAVID P. ROE of Tennessee, and Mr. DESJARLAIS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a grant program for States that provide flexi- bility in licensing for health care providers who offer services on a volunteer basis. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Health for Each Amer- 4 ican Less fortunate Through Help from medical profes- 5 sionals In Every Rural and impoverished area Act of 6 2019’’ or the ‘‘HEALTHIER Act of 2019’’. 7 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 Apr 19, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2216.IH H2216 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 2216 IH SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM FOR STATES PROVIDING FLEXI- 1 BILITY IN LICENSING FOR HEALTH CARE 2 PROVIDERS WHO OFFER SERVICES ON A VOL- 3 UNTEER BASIS. 4 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 5 Human Services shall establish a two-year grant program 6 under which the Secretary awards grants to States that 7 adopt a volunteer health care provider law during the pe- 8 riod of the grant program and to States that have adopted 9 such a law before such period. 10 (b) VOLUNTEER HEALTH CARE PROVIDER LAW.— 11 For purposes of this section, the term ‘‘volunteer health 12 care provider law’’ means, a law of a State that permits 13 a health care provider to provide health care services in 14 such State (in this subsection referred to as the ‘‘volunteer 15 health care provider law State’’), even though the provider 16 is not licensed in such State to provide such services, if— 17 (1) such services are offered and provided in 18 the volunteer health care provider law State solely 19 on a volunteer basis to rural or impoverished areas 20 (as defined by such volunteer health care provider 21 law State) that are located within such State; and 22 (2) such provider has an active, unencumbered 23 license to practice in another State and such services 24 are within the scope of practice of such provider (as 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 Apr 19, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2216.IH H2216 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 2216 IH defined by such volunteer health care provider law 1 State). 2 (c) ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.— 3 (1) ONE-TIME GRANT.—A State shall be eligible 4 for not more than one grant under this section. 5 (2) AMOUNT OF GRANT.—The amount of a 6 grant awarded a State under this section shall be 7 $1,000,000. 8 (d) ADDITIONAL DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this 9 section: 10 (1) VOLUNTEER BASIS.—The term ‘‘volunteer 11 basis’’ means, with respect to health care services 12 provided by a health care provider, that such serv- 13 ices are provided by such provider— 14 (A) on behalf of a nonprofit organization, 15 such as a church or charity; 16 (B) without receipt by such provider of 17 compensation (other than reasonable reimburse- 18 ment or allowance for expenses actually in- 19 curred) for providing such services; and 20 (C) for a period not to exceed 7 consecu- 21 tive days. 22 (2) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means any of 23 the 50 States and the District of Columbia, the 24 Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 Apr 19, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2216.IH H2216 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 2216 IH Virgin Islands, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, 1 and American Samoa. 2 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 3 authorized to be appropriated $56,000,000 for the period 4 of fiscal years 2020 through 2021 to carry out this sec- 5 tion. 6 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 Apr 19, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H2216.IH H2216 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS