II 110th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 2424 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES December 6, 2007 Mr. Coleman (for himself, Mr. Harkin, Mr. Domenici, Ms. Klobuchar, Ms. Collins, and Ms. Landrieu) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To ensure that all Americans have basic health literacy skills to function effectively as patients and health care consumers.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the National Health Literacy Act of 2007.

2.

Findings

Congress makes the following findings: (1)Low health literacy is a problem for half of all American adults, or 100,000,000 individuals. (2)Health literacy problems impact health care cost, quality of care, and health outcomes. (3)Ensuring that individuals have health literacy skills is critical to their ability to function effectively as patients and health care consumers. (4)Health literacy skills are needed to communicate with health care providers, to understand self-care instructions, to understand and complete medical forms, to comply with treatment regimens, and to complete a host of other important health care tasks. (5)Low health literacy costs billions of dollars each year in avoidable health care expenses, the majority of which is borne by the Medicare and Medicaid programs. (6)The elderly and chronically ill are among those most at-risk of low health literacy. Those with the greatest health care needs are the heaviest users of health care and may be least able to respond to their health situation. (7)The Institute of Medicine's landmark report published in 2004, Health Literacy: A Prescription to End Confusion, identifies health literacy as critical to successful health care. (8)Former Surgeon General Carmona concluded that health literacy can save lives, save money, and improve the health and well-being of millions of Americans.

3.

Health Literacy: Strategic Planning, Research and Coordination

Part A of title IX of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 299 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

904.

Health Literacy: Strategic Planning, Research and Coordination

(a)

Definitions

In this section: (1)

Health literacy

The term health literacy means an individual’s ability to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health care decisions. (2)

Center

The term Center means the Health Literacy Implementation Center established under subsection (b). (b)

Health Literacy Implementation Center

(1)

Establishment

The Director shall establish within the Agency a Health Literacy Implementation Center, to be headed by a Director to be appointed by the Secretary, to enhance efforts to help eliminate the problem of low health literacy by improving measurements, research, development, and information dissemination. (2)

Duties

The Center shall— (A)gather health literacy resources from public and private sources and make such resources available to researchers, health care providers, and the general public; (B)sponsor demonstration and evaluation projects to establish the feasibility and utility of health literacy interventions and tools in various settings; (C)develop the next generation of health literacy interventions and tools, including curricula, measures, and health information decision support, with specific attention placed on elementary and secondary schools, colleges and universities (including community colleges), and adult and vocational education programs and language barriers and cultural differences that contribute to low health literacy rates; (D)identify and fill research gaps relating to health literacy that have direct applicability to quality improvement; (E)assist appropriate Federal agencies in establishing specific objectives and strategies for carrying out the purpose of the Center and in monitoring the programs of such agencies; (F)enter into implementation partnerships with organizations and agencies, including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, and the National Committee for Quality Assurance, to promote the adoption of interventions and tools developed under this section; and (G)enter into an interagency agreement with the Secretary of Education to facilitate the coordination of Federal health literacy activities within the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education. (3)

Public meetings

The Center shall convene at least one annual public meeting to help raise awareness about the problem of health literacy and Federal and State efforts to address the issue. The Center shall invite representatives from the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education, State officials, private sector groups, and other interested parties involved in health literacy activities. (4)

Report

The Center shall annually submit to Congress a report that includes— (A)a comprehensive and detailed description of the operations, activities, financial condition, and accomplishments of the Center in the field of health literacy; and (B)a description of how plans for the operation of the Center for the succeeding fiscal year will facilitate achievement of the goals of the Center. (5)

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection, such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012. (c)

State health literacy resource centers

(1)

Grants

The Director of the Center shall award grants to States to provide for the establishment of a network of State or regional health literacy resource centers to facilitate efforts to eliminate low health literacy. (2)

Eligibility

To be eligible for a grant under subsection (a), a State shall submit to the Director of the Center an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Director may require, including a description of how the State will structure and provide services through the resource center established under the grant. (3)

Use of funds

A State shall use amounts received under a grant under this section to— (A)support efforts to better understand the nature and scope of low health literacy among the State’s population; (B)assist public and private efforts in the State in coordinating and delivering health literacy services; (C)encourage State and local government and industry partnerships to coordinate efforts to address low health literacy; (D)provide technical and policy assistance to State and local governments and service providers; and (E)monitor and evaluate programs conducted under this grant. (4)

Meetings

A State health literacy resource center shall meet at least once each year to share models of best practices. A summary report with respect to such meeting shall be made available to the public to facilitate the dissemination of effective State-based practices (5)

Report

Not later than September 30, or each fiscal year for which a grant is received by a State under this section, the State shall submit to the Director of the Center a report that shall describe the programs supported by the grant and the results of monitoring and evaluation of those programs. (6)

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection, $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.

.

4.

Institute of Medicine study and report

(a)

Study

The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall enter into a contract with the Institute of Medicine to conduct a study to identify opportunities within the Department of Health and Human Services to improve the public's health literacy through the Medicare and Medicaid programs under titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 and 1396 et seq.) and at the Food and Drug Administration. (b)

Report

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Institute of Medicine shall submit to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the appropriate committees of Congress, a report concerning the results of the study conducted under subsection (a).