[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3577 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3577

 To establish the Commission on Health Care Savings through Innovative 
                         Wireless Technologies.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 21, 2013

   Mr. Peters of California (for himself, Ms. Speier, Mr. Honda, Mr. 
 Vargas, Mr. Swalwell of California, and Mr. Garamendi) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                                Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish the Commission on Health Care Savings through Innovative 
                         Wireless Technologies.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT.

    There is established in the legislative branch a commission to be 
known as the ``Commission on Health Care Savings through Innovative 
Wireless Technologies'' (in this Act referred to as the 
``Commission'').

SEC. 2. DUTIES OF COMMISSION.

    The duties of the Commission shall be the following:
            (1) Examine the cost savings to the United States health 
        care system, if any, that can be achieved by increasing the use 
        of wireless health information technologies (including 
        technologies related to digital health, mobile health 
        (mHealth), telehealth, telemedicine, e-Care, remote patient 
        monitoring, and the collection of patient-generated health 
        data) by patients, caregivers, and health care providers.
            (2) Examine existing scientific research studying the 
        medical effectiveness of wireless health information 
        technologies that deliver health care.
            (3) Examine existing payment models and incentive payment 
        programs that provide Federal financial reimbursement or 
        funding for the use of wireless health information 
        technologies.
            (4) Examine options for Congress and for appropriate 
        Federal agencies to incentivize and promote innovation and 
        technological advancements in the area of wireless health 
        information technologies.
            (5) Examine barriers to marketplace entry, whether 
        technical or systemic, that impede efforts by persons and 
        entities to develop new wireless health information 
        technologies and to improve existing wireless health 
        information technologies.
            (6) Identify appropriate situations for the integration of 
        wireless health information technologies into Federal health 
        care programs, and recommend methods for integrating such 
        technologies into such programs.
            (7) Develop a proposal based on the findings of its 
        examinations under this section for the establishment, 
        implementation, and financing of a comprehensive program to 
        encourage the further integration of wireless health 
        information technologies into existing Federal health care 
        programs.
            (8) Develop cost estimate approaches that the Congressional 
        Budget Office can consider utilizing in order to more 
        accurately assess the cost savings that the Federal Government 
        can achieve by increasing the use of wireless health 
        information technologies by patients, caregivers, and health 
        care providers in the United States.

SEC. 3. MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 19 
individuals (such as the individuals described in subsection (b)) who 
have demonstrated experience or expertise with respect to wireless 
health information technologies and that are appointed not later than 
45 days after the date of the enactment of this Act as follows:
            (1) Three members appointed by the President.
            (2) Two members appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
        Representatives.
            (3) Two members appointed by the minority leader of the 
        House of Representatives.
            (4) Two members appointed by the majority leader of the 
        Senate.
            (5) Two members appointed by the minority leader of the 
        Senate.
            (6) Four members appointed by the Secretary of Health and 
        Human Services.
            (7) Four members appointed by the Chairman of the Federal 
        Communications Commission.
    (b) Examples of Individuals.--For purposes of subsection (a), 
individuals described in this subsection are--
            (1) representatives of--
                    (A) health care providers;
                    (B) group health plans, health insurance coverage 
                offered in the group or individual market, and other 
                third-party payers;
                    (C) health information technology vendors;
                    (D) small businesses or startup companies in the 
                wireless health information technologies industry;
                    (E) major research and academic institutions; and
                    (F) patient advocacy groups;
            (2) health care professionals;
            (3) venture capital investors; and
            (4) individuals who have received health care treatment 
        that included the use of wireless health information 
        technologies and caregivers of such individuals.
    (c) Prohibition on Federal Officers, Employees, and Members of 
Congress Serving as Members.--No members appointed under subsection (a) 
may be officers or employees of the Federal Government or Members of 
Congress.
    (d) Terms.--Each member shall be appointed for the life of the 
Commission.
    (e) Basic Pay and Travel Expenses.--Members shall serve without pay 
and without receipt of travel expenses.
    (f) Quorum.--Nine members of the Commission shall constitute a 
quorum but a lesser number may hold hearings.
    (g) Chairperson.--The Chairperson of the Commission shall be 
elected by the members.
    (h) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of the 
Chairperson and may not meet fewer than nine times.

SEC. 4. DIRECTOR AND STAFF OF COMMISSION; EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.

    (a) Director.--The Commission shall have a Director who shall be 
appointed by the Commission to the extent or in the amounts provided in 
advance in appropriation Acts, the Director shall be paid at the rate 
of basic pay for level 4 of the Executive Schedule.
    (b) Staff.--The Commission may appoint personnel as it considers 
appropriate.
    (c) Applicability of Certain Civil Service Laws.--The Director and 
staff of the Commission shall be appointed subject to the provisions of 
title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive 
service, and shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of chapter 
51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of that title relating to 
classification and General Schedule pay rates.
    (d) Experts and Consultants.--The Commission may procure temporary 
and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United 
States Code.
    (e) Staff of Federal Agencies.--Upon request of the Commission, the 
head of any Federal department or agency may detail, on a reimbursable 
basis, any of the personnel of that department or agency to the 
Commission to assist it in carrying out its duties under this Act.

SEC. 5. POWERS OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Hearings and Sessions.--Subject to rules prescribed by the 
Commission, the Commission may, for the purpose of carrying out this 
Act, hold hearings, sit and act at times and places, take testimony, 
and receive evidence as the Commission considers appropriate.
    (b) Powers of Members and Agents.--Any member or agent of the 
Commission may, if authorized by the Commission, take any action which 
the Commission is authorized to take by this section.
    (c) Obtaining Official Data.--The Commission may secure directly 
from any department or agency of the United States information 
necessary to enable it to carry out this Act. Upon request of the 
Chairperson of the Commission, the head of that department or agency 
shall furnish that information to the Commission.
    (d) Gifts, Bequests, and Devises.--To the extent or in the amounts 
provided in advance in appropriation Acts, the Commission may accept, 
use, and dispose of gifts, bequests, or devises of services or 
property, both real and personal, for the purpose of aiding or 
facilitating the work of the Commission. Gifts, bequests, or devises of 
money and proceeds from sales of other property received as gifts, 
bequests, or devises shall be deposited in the Treasury and shall be 
available for disbursement upon order of the Commission.
    (e) Mails.--The Commission may use the United States mails in the 
same manner and under the same conditions as other departments and 
agencies of the United States.
    (f) Administrative Support Services.--Upon the request of the 
Commission, the Administrator of General Services shall provide to the 
Commission, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative support 
services necessary for the Commission to carry out its responsibilities 
under this Act.
    (g) Contract Authority.--To the extent or in the amounts provided 
in advance in appropriation Acts, the Commission may contract with and 
compensate government and private agencies or persons for services, 
without regard to section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5).

SEC. 6. REPORTS.

    (a) Interim Reports.--The Commission shall submit to the President, 
the Congress, and such agencies as the Commission determines to be 
appropriate an interim report not later than 9 months after the final 
member is appointed to the Commission and such other interim reports as 
the Commission considers appropriate.
    (b) Final Report.--The Commission shall transmit a final report to 
the President, the Congress, and such agencies as the Commission 
determines to be appropriate not later than 18 months after the final 
member is appointed to the Commission. The final report shall contain a 
detailed statement of the findings and conclusions of the Commission, 
together with its recommendations for legislation and administrative 
actions the Commission considers appropriate.

SEC. 7. TERMINATION.

    The Commission shall terminate on the date that is 60 days after 
submitting its final report pursuant to section 6(b).
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