[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2105 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2105

   To provide for the establishment of the Federal Health Care Board.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 27, 2007

   Mr. Hagel introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To provide for the establishment of the Federal Health Care Board.

    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 ``Federal Health Care Board Act of 
2007''.

SEC. 2. FEDERAL HEALTH CARE BOARD.

    (a) Federal Health Care Board.--
            (1) Establishment.--
                    (A) In general.--There is established an 
                independent agency in the executive branch of the 
                United States Government to be known as the Federal 
                Health Care Board (in this section referred to as the 
                ``Board'').
                    (B) Composition.--The Board shall be composed of--
                            (i) the members of the Board of Governors 
                        described in paragraph (3); and
                            (ii) the members of the 12 Regional Boards 
                        described in paragraph (4)(B).
            (2) Duties of board.--
                    (A) Access, quality, and cost.--The Board shall--
                            (i) ensure that Americans have access to 
                        health insurance and provide certain basic 
                        facts about health care services prior to 
                        receiving the care;
                            (ii) ensure providers are delivering safe, 
                        evidence-based, high quality care, and are 
                        transparent about pricing through disclosure of 
                        actual costs;
                            (iii) demand transparency for disclosure of 
                        actual costs and pricing from providers and 
                        payers through an information clearinghouse;
                            (iv) establish--
                                    (I) a national standard for a basic 
                                health insurance plan, including a 
                                basic minimum policy and the regional 
                                cost for such policy;
                                    (II) a national protocol and 
                                standard for secure, universal, and 
                                individual electronic medical record;
                                    (III) loan forgiveness programs for 
                                health care providers who serve in 
                                underserved areas;
                                    (IV) scholarship programs for 
                                health care providers who serve in 
                                underserved areas;
                                    (V) a national standard for public 
                                health services, including safety net 
                                providers; and
                                    (VI) model dispute resolution 
                                procedures for malpractice claims that 
                                States may adopt; and
                            (v) carry out the activities as provided 
                        under paragraph (4).
                    (B) Monitoring.--The Board shall monitor progress 
                toward the objectives identified in subparagraph (A).
            (3) Board of governors.--
                    (A) Number.--The Board of Governors shall be 
                composed of 12 members who shall be appointed by the 
                President with the advice and consent of the Senate, of 
                whom 1 shall be appointed from each of the 12 regions 
                described in paragraph (4)(A). The President shall 
                appoint individuals to serve on the Board of Governors 
                not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of 
                this Act.
                    (B) Terms.--
                            (i) In general.--A member of the Board of 
                        Governors shall be appointed for a term of 14 
                        years.
                            (ii) Limitation.--A member of the Board of 
                        Governors shall not be eligible for 
                        reappointment if such individual served a full 
                        term of 14 years.
                    (C) Chairperson; vice-chairperson.--
                            (i) In general.--The President shall 
                        appoint, with the advice and consent of the 
                        Senate, 1 member of the Board of Governors to 
                        be Chairperson of the Board, and 1 member of 
                        such Board to be Vice-Chairperson of the Board.
                            (ii) Term.--A member appointed as 
                        Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson under subclause 
                        (I) shall serve as Chairperson or Vice-
                        Chairperson for a term of 4 years.
                    (D) Vacancies.--
                            (i) In general.--A vacancy on the Board of 
                        Governors shall be filled in the same manner in 
                        which the original appointment was made and 
                        shall be subject to any conditions which 
                        applied to the original appointment.
                            (ii) Filling unexpired term.--An individual 
                        appointed to fill a vacancy shall be appointed 
                        for the unexpired term of the members replaced 
                        and may be reappointed to serve a full 14-year 
                        term.
                    (E) Selection.--The members of the Board of 
                Governors shall be individuals with significant health 
                care expertise, including expertise in clinical health 
                care, health care quality research, public health, 
                health care research, purchaser organizations, rural 
                health care, the uninsured, chronic disease management, 
                long-term care, nursing, primary care, vision care, 
                dental care, mental health care, and health care higher 
                education.
            (4) Regional boards.--
                    (A) Establishment.--Not later than 1 year after the 
                appointment of the initial members of the Board of 
                Governors, the Board of Governors shall establish 12 
                regions of the United States.
                    (B) Regional boards.--
                            (i) In general.--In each of the 12 regions 
                        established under subparagraph (A), there shall 
                        be established a Regional Board. Each Regional 
                        Board shall be based in a major United States 
                        city.
                            (ii) Composition.--Each Regional Board 
                        shall be composed of 8 members who shall be--
                                    (I) health care experts; and
                                    (II) appointed by the members of 
                                the Board of Governors.
                            (iii) Term.--A member of a Regional Board 
                        shall be appointed for a term of 8 years.
                            (iv) Duties of regional boards.--Each 
                        Regional Board shall provide the Board of 
                        Governors with considerations that are relevant 
                        to the population served by such Regional 
                        Board.
            (5) Contracting authority.--Subject to the availability of 
        funds, the Board may enter into contracts and make other 
        arrangements, as may be necessary to carry out the duties 
        described in paragraph (2).
            (6) Staff.--Upon the request of the Board, the President 
        may detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of 
        the Department of Health and Human Services, including the 
        National Institutes of Health, the Health Resources and 
        Services Administration, the Agency for Healthcare Quality and 
        Research, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, to 
        the Board to assist in carrying out this subsection.
            (7) Reports to congress.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        establishment of the Board, and annually thereafter, the Board 
        shall submit a report to Congress. Each such report shall 
        include--
                    (A) an inventory of recommendations for improved 
                coordination and integration of policy and programs;
                    (B) an assessment of achievement of the objectives 
                identified under paragraph (2) and recommendations for 
                realizing such objectives; and
                    (C) recommendations regarding Federal regulations 
                or administrative policies.
    (b) Appropriation.--
            (1) In general.--Out of funds in the Treasury not otherwise 
        appropriated, there are appropriated to carry out this section 
        such sums as may be necessary for the period of fiscal years 
        2008 through 2012.
            (2) Availability.--Funds appropriated under paragraph (1) 
        shall remain available for expenditure through fiscal year 
        2012.
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