[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1283 Received in Senate (RDS)]
2d Session
H. R. 1283
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 27 (legislative day, September 17), 2008
Received
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for arthritis
research and public health, 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 ``Arthritis Prevention, Control, and
Cure Act of 2008''.
SEC. 2. ENHANCING THE PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIVITIES RELATED TO ARTHRITIS OF
THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION THROUGH
THE NATIONAL ARTHRITIS ACTION PLAN.
Part B of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 243
et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 314 the following:
``SEC. 315. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL ARTHRITIS ACTION PROGRAM.
``(a) Establishment of Program.--The Secretary may develop and
implement a National Arthritis Action Program (in this section referred
to as the `Program') consistent with this section.
``(b) Control, Prevention, and Surveillance.--
``(1) In general.--Under the Program, the Secretary, acting
through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, may, directly or through competitive grants to
eligible entities, conduct, support, and promote the
coordination of research, investigations, demonstrations,
training, and studies relating to the control, prevention, and
surveillance of arthritis and other rheumatic diseases.
``(2) Training and technical assistance.--With respect to
the planning, development, and operation of any activity
carried out under paragraph (1), the Secretary may provide
training, technical assistance, supplies, equipment, or
services, and may assign any officer or employee of the
Department of Health and Human Services to a State or local
health agency, or to any public or nonprofit entity designated
by a State health agency, in lieu of providing grant funds
under this subsection.
``(3) Arthritis prevention research at the centers for
disease control and prevention centers.--The Secretary may
provide additional grant support under this subsection to
encourage the expansion of research related to the prevention
and management of arthritis at the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention.
``(4) Eligible entity.--For purposes of this subsection,
the term `eligible entity' means a national public or private
nonprofit entity that demonstrates to the satisfaction of the
Secretary, in the application described in subsection (e), the
ability of the entity to carry out the activities described in
paragraph (1).
``(c) Education and Outreach.--
``(1) In general.--Under the Program, the Secretary may
coordinate and carry out national education and outreach
activities, directly or through the provision of grants to
eligible entities, to support, develop, and implement education
initiatives and outreach strategies appropriate for arthritis
and other rheumatic diseases.
``(2) Initiatives and strategies.--Initiatives and
strategies implemented under paragraph (1) may include public
awareness campaigns, public service announcements, and
community partnership workshops, as well as programs targeted
at businesses and employers, managed care organizations, and
health care providers.
``(3) Priority.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the
Secretary--
``(A) may emphasize prevention, early diagnosis,
and appropriate management of arthritis, and
opportunities for effective patient self-management;
and
``(B) may give priority to reaching high-risk or
underserved populations.
``(4) Collaboration.--In carrying out this subsection, the
Secretary shall consult and collaborate with stake-holders from
the public, private, and nonprofit sectors with expertise
relating to arthritis control, prevention, and treatment.
``(5) Eligible entity.--For purposes of this subsection,
the term `eligible entity' means a national public or private
nonprofit entity that demonstrates to the satisfaction of the
Secretary, in the application described in subsection (e), the
ability of the entity to carry out the activities described in
paragraph (1).
``(d) Comprehensive State Grants.--
``(1) In general.--Under the Program, the Secretary may
award grants to eligible entities to provide support for
comprehensive arthritis control and prevention programs and to
enable such entities to provide public health surveillance,
prevention, and control activities related to arthritis and
other rheumatic diseases.
``(2) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant under
this subsection, an entity shall be a State or Indian tribe.
``(3) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under
this subsection, an entity shall submit to the Secretary an
application at such time, in such manner, and containing such
agreements, assurances, and information as the Secretary may
require, including a comprehensive arthritis control and
prevention plan that--
``(A) is developed with the advice of stakeholders
from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors that
have expertise relating to arthritis control,
prevention, and treatment that increase the quality of
life and decrease the level of disability;
``(B) is intended to reduce the morbidity of
arthritis, with priority on preventing and controlling
arthritis in at-risk populations and reducing
disparities in arthritis prevention, diagnosis,
management, and quality of care in underserved
populations;
``(C) describes the arthritis-related services and
activities to be undertaken or supported by the entity;
and
``(D) demonstrates the relationship the entity has
with the community and local entities and how the
entity plans to involve such community and local
entities in carrying out the activities described in
paragraph (1).
``(4) Use of funds.--An eligible entity may use amounts
received under a grant awarded under this subsection to
conduct, in a manner consistent with the comprehensive
arthritis control and prevention plan submitted by the entity
in the application under paragraph (3)--
``(A) public health surveillance and
epidemiological activities relating to the prevalence
of arthritis and assessment of disparities in arthritis
prevention, diagnosis, management, and care;
``(B) public information and education programs;
and
``(C) education, training, and clinical skills
improvement activities for health professionals,
including allied health personnel.
``(e) General Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under
this section, except under subsection (d), an entity shall submit to
the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and
containing such agreements, assurances, and information as the
Secretary may require, including a description of how funds received
under a grant awarded under this section will supplement or fulfill
unmet needs identified in a comprehensive arthritis control and
prevention plan of the entity.
``(f) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
``(1) Indian tribe.--The term `Indian tribe' has the
meaning given such term in section 4(e) of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b(e)).
``(2) State.--The term `State' means any State of the
United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the
Northern Mariana Islands.
``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section--
``(1) for fiscal year 2009, $32,000,000;
``(2) for fiscal year 2010, $34,000,000;
``(3) for fiscal year 2011, $36,000,000;
``(4) for fiscal year 2012, $38,000,000; and
``(5) for fiscal year 2013, $40,000,000.''.
SEC. 3. ACTIVITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES WITH
RESPECT TO JUVENILE ARTHRITIS AND RELATED CONDITIONS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in
coordination with the Director of the National Institutes of Health,
may expand and intensify programs of the National Institutes of Health
with respect to research and related activities concerning various
forms of juvenile arthritis and related conditions.
(b) Coordination.--The Director of the National Institutes of
Health may coordinate the programs referred to in subsection (a) and
consult with additional Federal officials, voluntary health
associations, medical professional societies, and private entities as
appropriate.
SEC. 4. PUBLIC HEALTH AND SURVEILLANCE ACTIVITIES RELATED TO JUVENILE
ARTHRITIS AT THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND
PREVENTION.
Part B of title III of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 243
et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 320A the following:
``SEC. 320B. SURVEILLANCE AND RESEARCH REGARDING JUVENILE ARTHRITIS.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, may award grants to and
enter into cooperative agreements with public or nonprofit private
entities for the collection, analysis, and reporting of data on
juvenile arthritis.
``(b) Technical Assistance.--In awarding grants and entering into
agreements under subsection (a), the Secretary may provide direct
technical assistance in lieu of cash.
``(c) Coordination With NIH.--The Secretary shall ensure that
epidemiological and other types of information obtained under
subsection (a) is made available to the National Institutes of Health.
``(d) Creation of a National Juvenile Arthritis Population-Based
Database.--The Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention and in collaboration with a national
voluntary health organization with experience serving the juvenile
arthritis population as well as the full spectrum of arthritis-related
conditions, may support the development of a national juvenile
arthritis population-based database to collect specific data for
follow-up studies regarding the prevalence and incidence of juvenile
arthritis, as well as capturing information on evidence-based health
outcomes related to specific therapies and interventions.
``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $25,000,000
for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2013.''
SEC. 5. INVESTMENT IN TOMORROW'S PEDIATRIC RHEUMATOLOGISTS.
(a) Enhanced Support.--
(1) In general.--In order to ensure an adequate future
supply of pediatric rheumatologists, the Secretary of Health
and Human Services, in consultation with the Administrator of
the Health Resources and Services Administration, shall support
activities that provide for--
(A) an increase in the number and size of
institutional training grants awarded to institutions
to support pediatric rheumatology training; and
(B) an expansion of public-private partnerships to
encourage academic institutions, private sector
entities, and health agencies to promote educational
training and fellowship opportunities for pediatric
rheumatologists.
(2) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $3,750,000 for
each of the fiscal years 2009 through 2013.
(b) Pediatric Loan Repayment Program.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human
Services, in consultation with the Administrator of the Health
Resources and Services Administration, shall establish and,
subject to the determination under paragraph (3), carry out a
pediatric rheumatology loan repayment program.
(2) Program administration.--Through the program
established under this subsection, the Secretary shall--
(A) enter into contracts with qualified health
professionals who are pediatric rheumatologists under
which--
(i) such professionals agree to provide
health care in an area with a shortage of
pediatric rheumatologists and that has the
capacity to support pediatric rheumatology, as
determined by the Secretary of Health and Human
Services; and
(ii) the Federal Government agrees to
repay, for each year of such service, not more
than $25,000 of the principal and interest of
the educational loans of such professionals;
and
(B) in addition to making payments under paragraph
(1) on behalf of an individual, make payments to the
individual for the purpose of providing reimbursement
for tax liability resulting from the payments made
under paragraph (1), in an amount equal to 39 percent
of the total amount of the payments made for the
taxable year involved.
(3) Determination of shortage areas.--For purposes of this
subsection, an area shall be determined to be an area with a
shortage of pediatric rheumatologists based on the ratio of the
number of children who reside in such area who are in need of
services of a pediatric rheumatologist to the number of
pediatric rheumatologists who furnish services within 100 miles
of the area.
(4) Periodic assessments.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human
Services shall periodically assess--
(i) the extent to which the loan repayment
program under this section is needed; and
(ii) the extent to which the program is
effective in increasing the number of pediatric
rheumatologists nationally and the number of
pediatric rheumatologists in areas with a
shortage of pediatric rheumatologists.
In the case that the Secretary determines, pursuant to
an assessment under this subparagraph, that there is no
longer a need for the loan repayment program, such
program shall be terminated as of a date specified by
the Secretary.
(B) Annual reports.--The Secretary of Health and
Human Services shall annually report to Congress on the
periodic assessments conducted under subparagraph (A).
(5) Funding.--
(A) In general.--For the purpose of carrying out
this subsection, the Secretary of Health and Human
Services may reserve, from amounts appropriated for the
Health Resources and Services Administration for the
fiscal year involved, such amounts as the Secretary
determines to be appropriate.
(B) Availability of funds.--Amounts made available
to carry out this section shall remain available until
the expiration of the second
fiscal year beginning after the fiscal year for which
such amounts were made available.
Passed the House of Representatives September 27, 2008.
Attest:
LORRAINE C. MILLER,
Clerk.