What This Bill Does
This bill changes how Congress scores the costs of proposed health measures. Specifically, it tells budget analysts to consider long-term savings that come from preventive health programs when evaluating new laws.
Who It Affects
The Director of the Congressional Budget Office (the person who calculates how much bills cost the government) and various Senate and House budget committees.
Key Provisions
• Senate and House budget committee leaders can ask the budget director to determine whether a proposed measure would save money in future years through preventive health services. (Sec. 2(h)(1))
• If the director finds that a measure would result in substantial budget savings from preventive health, the director must describe and estimate those savings in budget projections. (Sec. 2(h)(2)(A))
• The director may prepare budget cost estimates that extend beyond the normal time periods when analyzing preventive health measures. (Sec. 2(h)(2)(B))
What Changes
Budget directors gain the ability to measure long-term savings from preventive health measures over longer time periods than currently allowed. This allows health-focused bills to show their full financial benefits.
Important Definitions
• "Budgetary outyears" means the two consecutive 10-year periods starting 10 years after the budget year in the most recent agreed-to budget plan.
• "Preventive health" means actions that protect and promote health and prevent disease and early death, supported by evidence from research studies, clinical trials and data analysis.
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 114
To amend the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 respecting the scoring
of preventive health savings.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
JANUARY 26, 2023
Mr. CARDIN (for himself, Mr. CRAPO, Mr. KING, and Mr. CRAMER) introduced
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee
on the Budget
A BILL
To amend the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 respecting
the scoring of preventive health savings.
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 ‘‘Preventive Health Sav-
4
ings Act’’.
5
SEC. 2. SCORING OF PREVENTIVE HEALTH SAVINGS.
6
Section 202 of the Congressional Budget and Im-
7
poundment Control Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 602) is amend-
8
ed by adding at the end the following:
9
‘‘(h) SCORING OF PREVENTIVE HEALTH SAVINGS.—
10
VerDate Sep 11 2014
00:22 Feb 03, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\S114.IS
S114
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
2
•S 114 IS
‘‘(1) DETERMINATION
BY
THE
DIRECTOR.—
1
Upon a request by the chairman or ranking minority
2
member of the Committee on the Budget, the Com-
3
mittee on Finance, or the Committee on Health,
4
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, or by
5
the chairman or ranking minority member of the
6
Committee on the Budget, the Committee on Energy
7
and Commerce, or the Committee on Ways and
8
Means of the House of Representatives, the Director
9
shall determine if a proposed measure would result
10
in reductions in budget outlays in budgetary out-
11
years through the use of preventive health and pre-
12
ventive health services.
13
‘‘(2) PROJECTIONS.—If the Director determines
14
that a measure would result in substantial reduc-
15
tions in budget outlays as described in paragraph
16
(1), the Director—
17
‘‘(A) shall include, in any projection pre-
18
pared by the Director, a description and esti-
19
mate of the reductions in budget outlays in the
20
budgetary outyears and a description of the
21
basis for such conclusions; and
22
‘‘(B) may prepare a budget projection that
23
includes some or all of the budgetary outyears,
24
notwithstanding the time periods for projections
25
VerDate Sep 11 2014
00:22 Feb 03, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\S114.IS
S114
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
3
•S 114 IS
described in subsection (e) and sections 308,
1
402, and 424.
2
‘‘(3) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this sub-
3
section—
4
‘‘(A) the term ‘budgetary outyears’ means
5
the 2 consecutive 10-year periods beginning
6
with the first fiscal year that is 10 years after
7
the budget year provided for in the most re-
8
cently agreed to concurrent resolution on the
9
budget; and
10
‘‘(B) the term ‘preventive health’ means an
11
action that focuses on the health of the public,
12
individuals, and defined populations in order to
13
protect, promote, and maintain health and
14
wellness and prevent disease, disability, and
15
premature death that is demonstrated by cred-
16
ible and publicly available evidence from epide-
17
miological projection models, clinical trials, ob-
18
servational studies in humans, longitudinal
19
studies, and meta-analysis.’’.
20
Æ
VerDate Sep 11 2014
00:22 Feb 03, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\S114.IS
S114
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS