1.This Act may be cited as
the Federal Health Care Board Act of
2007
.
2.Federal Health
Care Board
(a)Federal health
care board
(1)
(A)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)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)
(A)Access,
quality, and costThe 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)The
Board shall monitor progress toward the objectives identified in subparagraph
(A).
(3)
(A)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)
(i)A member of the Board of Governors shall be appointed for
a term of 14 years.
(ii)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)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)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)
(i)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)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)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)
(A)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)
(i)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)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)A
member of a Regional Board shall be appointed for a term of 8 years.
(iv)Duties of
regional boardsEach Regional Board shall provide the Board of
Governors with considerations that are relevant to the population served by
such Regional Board.
(5)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)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)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)
(1)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)Funds
appropriated under paragraph (1) shall remain available for expenditure through
fiscal year 2012.