[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1390 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1390

To amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to require the Secretary 
   of Health and Human Services to make grants to promote innovative 
   outreach and enrollment efforts under the State children's health 
               insurance program, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 3, 2001

Mr. Bingaman (for himself, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Torricelli, and Mr. Corzine) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
                          Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to require the Secretary 
   of Health and Human Services to make grants to promote innovative 
   outreach and enrollment efforts under the State children's health 
               insurance program, 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 ``Children's Health Coverage 
Improvement Act of 2001''.

SEC. 2. GRANTS TO PROMOTE INNOVATIVE OUTREACH AND ENROLLMENT EFFORTS 
              UNDER SCHIP.

    (a) In General.--Section 2104(f) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1397dd(f)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``The Secretary'' and inserting the 
        following:
            ``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the 
        Secretary''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(2) Grants to promote innovative outreach and enrollment 
        efforts.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Prior to any redistribution 
                under paragraph (1) of unexpended allotments made to 
                States under subsection (b) or (c) for fiscal year 2000 
                and any fiscal year thereafter, the Secretary shall--
                            ``(i) reserve from such unexpended 
                        allotments the lesser of $100,000,000 or the 
                        total amount of such unexpended allotments for 
                        grants under this paragraph for the fiscal year 
                        in which the redistribution occurs; and
                            ``(ii) subject to subparagraph (B), use 
                        such reserved funds to make grants to local and 
                        community-based public or nonprofit 
                        organizations (including organizations involved 
                        in pediatric advocacy, local and county 
                        governments, public health departments, 
                        Federally-qualified health centers, children's 
                        hospitals, and hospitals defined as 
                        disproportionate share hospitals under the 
                        State plan under title XIX) to conduct 
                        innovative outreach and enrollment efforts that 
                        are consistent with section 2102(c) and to 
                        promote parents' understanding of the 
                        importance of health insurance coverage for 
                        children.
                    ``(B) Priority for grants in certain areas.--In 
                making grants under subparagraph (A)(ii), the Secretary 
                shall give priority to grant applicants that propose to 
                target the outreach and enrollment efforts funded under 
                the grant to geographic areas--
                            ``(i) with high rates of eligible but 
                        unenrolled children, including such children 
                        who reside in rural areas; or
                            ``(ii) with high rates of families for whom 
                        English is not their primary language.
                    ``(C) Applications.--An organization that desires 
                to receive a grant under this paragraph shall submit an 
                application to the Secretary in such form and manner, 
                and containing such information, as the Secretary may 
                decide.''.
    (b) Extending Use of Outstationed Workers To Accept Title XXI 
Applications.--Section 1902(a)(55) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(55)) 
is amended by inserting ``, and applications for child health 
assistance under title XXI'' after ``(a)(10)(A)(ii)(IX)''.
                                 <all>