[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5657 Introduced in House (IH)]
109th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5657
To promote preventive health care for Americans.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 21, 2006
Mr. Knollenberg introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee
on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To promote preventive health care for Americans.
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 ``Preventive Medicine for a Healthier
America Act of 2006''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows:
(1) Improving the health of the population and reducing
medical costs requires implementation of preventive methods.
(2) Organizations throughout the United States have
expressed the need for an increase of public health
professionals.
(3) There are only approximately 6,000 physicians board
certified in preventive medicine.
(4) Many health care costs are spent on chronic conditions
that could be avoided by implementing preventive methods.
(5) The number of preventive medicine residency programs
and individuals pursuing preventive medicine has significantly
decreased in recent years.
(6) Preventive medicine physicians are uniquely trained to
serve patients and communities.
(7) A strong public health system requires a strong
preventive medicine workforce.
SEC. 3. LOAN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE FOR PREVENTIVE MEDICINE PHYSICIANS.
(a) Payments.--On behalf of any eligible preventive medicine
physician, the Secretary of Health and Human Services may pay up to
$20,000 of the medical education loans incurred by the physician.
(b) Application.--To request a payment under this section, an
eligible preventive medicine physician shall submit an application to
the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such
information as the Secretary may require.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``eligible preventive medicine physician''
means a practicing physician who receives board certification
in preventive medicine during the period of fiscal years 2007
through 2011.
(2) The term ``medical education loan'' means the
outstanding principal of and interest on a loan incurred for
the cost of attendance (including tuition, other reasonable
educational expenses, and reasonable living costs) at a school
of medicine.
(3) The term ``school of medicine'' has the meaning given
to that term in section 799B of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 295p).
(4) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Health
and Human Services.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section,
there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary
for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2011.
SEC. 4. WELLNESS PROGRAM CREDIT.
(a) In General.--Subpart D of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to business related
credits) is amended by inserting after section 45M the following new
section:
``SEC. 45N. WELLNESS PROGRAM CREDIT.
``(a) General Rule.--For purposes of section 38, the wellness
program credit determined under this section for any taxable year is an
amount equal to $200 per qualified employee employed by the eligible
employer during the taxable year.
``(b) Dollar Limitation.--The amount of the credit determined under
this section for any taxable year shall not exceed 25 percent of the
eligible employer's regular tax liability (as defined in section
26(b)).
``(c) Definitions.--For purposes of this section--
``(1) Eligible employer.--With respect to a taxable year,
the term `eligible employer' means an employer who--
``(A) develops and implements a qualified wellness
program, and
``(B) keeps accurate records of the preventive
health screenings and other programs in which the
eligible employer's employees have participated during
the taxable year.
``(2) Qualified wellness program.--With respect to an
eligible employer, the term `qualified wellness program' means
a program--
``(A) that is developed and implemented by the
eligible employer, in consultation with a physician (as
defined in section 213(d)) who is board certified in
preventive medicine,
``(B) that provides at least 2 preventive health
screenings for the benefit of the eligible employer's
employees,
``(C) that provides counseling, seminars, self-help
materials, and other resources related to at least 3 of
the following:
``(i) smoking,
``(ii) obesity,
``(iii) stress management,
``(iv) physical fitness,
``(v) nutrition,
``(vi) substance abuse,
``(vii) depression,
``(viii) mental health,
``(ix) heart disease, and
``(x) maternal and infant health, and
``(D) whose qualified participants include not less
than 50 percent of the eligible employer's full-time
employees.
``(3) Qualified employee.--With respect to an eligible
employer, the term `qualified employee' means an individual who
is--
``(A) a full-time employee of the eligible
employer, and
``(B) a qualified participant in the eligible
employer's qualified wellness program.
``(4) Qualified participant.--With respect to a taxable
year, the term `qualified participant' means an individual who
participates in at least 2 of the preventive health screenings
or other programs offered through a qualified wellness program
during the taxable year, as determined by the eligible employer
who has developed and implemented such qualified wellness
program.
``(d) Termination.--This section shall not apply in taxable years
beginning after December 31, 2011.''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Section 38(b) of such Code is amended by striking
``and'' at the end of paragraph (29), by striking the period at
the end of paragraph (30) and inserting ``, and'', and by
adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(31) the wellness program credit determined under section
45N(a).''.
(2) The table of sections for subpart D of part IV of
subchapter A of chapter 1 of such Code is amended by inserting
after the item relating to section 45M the following new item:
``Sec. 45N. Wellness program credit.''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall
apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2006.
SEC. 5. NATIONAL EDUCATION CAMPAIGN.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting
through the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality,
shall carry out a national education campaign to encourage the use of
preventive health screenings by individuals, employers, physicians,
hospitals, State and local health departments, community health
centers, industrial sites, occupational health centers, academic
centers, private practices, the military, and Federal departments and
agencies.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section,
there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary
for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2011.
<all>