[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4819 Introduced in House (IH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4819

  To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a 
  grant program for States that provide flexibility in licensing for 
     health care providers who offer services on a volunteer basis.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 21, 2016

    Mr. Duncan of Tennessee (for himself, Mr. Roe of Tennessee, Mr. 
 Fleischmann, and Mr. DesJarlais) introduced the following bill; which 
 was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition 
  to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a 
  grant program for States that provide flexibility in licensing for 
     health care providers who offer services on a volunteer basis.

    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 ``Health for Each American Less 
fortunate Through Help from medical professionals In Every Rural and 
impoverished area Act of 2016'' or the ``HEALTHIER Act of 2016''.

SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM FOR STATES PROVIDING FLEXIBILITY IN LICENSING FOR 
              HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS WHO OFFER SERVICES ON A VOLUNTEER 
              BASIS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
establish a two-year grant program under which the Secretary awards 
grants to States that adopt a volunteer health care provider law during 
the period of the grant program and to States that have adopted such a 
law before such period.
    (b) Volunteer Health Care Provider Law.--For purposes of this 
section, the term ``volunteer health care provider law'' means, a law 
of a State that permits a health care provider to provide health care 
services in such State (in this subsection referred to as the 
``volunteer health care provider law State''), even though the provider 
is not licensed in such State to provide such services, if--
            (1) such services are offered and provided in the volunteer 
        health care provider law State solely on a volunteer basis to 
        rural or impoverished areas (as defined by such volunteer 
        health care provider law State) that are located within such 
        State; and
            (2) such provider has an active, unencumbered license to 
        practice in another State and such services are within the 
        scope of practice of such provider (as defined by such 
        volunteer health care provider law State).
    (c) Administrative Provisions.--
            (1) One-time grant.--A State shall be eligible for not more 
        than one grant under this section.
            (2) Amount of grant.--The amount of a grant awarded a State 
        under this section shall be $1,000,000.
    (d) Additional Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
            (1) Volunteer basis.--The term ``volunteer basis'' means, 
        with respect to health care services provided by a health care 
        provider, that such services are provided by such provider--
                    (A) on behalf of a nonprofit organization, such as 
                a church or charity;
                    (B) without receipt by such provider of 
                compensation (other than reasonable reimbursement or 
                allowance for expenses actually incurred) for providing 
                such services; and
                    (C) for a period not to exceed 7 consecutive days.
            (2) State.--The term ``State'' means any of the 50 States 
        and the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 
        the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, Northern Mariana 
        Islands, and American Samoa.
    (e) Funding From Contingency Fund for State Welfare Programs.--
            (1) In general.--There is transferred, from amounts 
        appropriated to the Contingency Fund for State Welfare Programs 
        under section 403(b) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
        603(b)) for fiscal year 2017, $56,000,000 to the Secretary of 
        Health and Human Services for the purposes of carrying out the 
        grant program established under subsection (a). Such funds 
        shall remain available for such purposes through fiscal year 
        2018. Of the funds transferred under this paragraph, any amount 
        that has not been obligated by September 30, 2018, shall be 
        restored to the Contingency Fund for State Welfare Programs.
            (2) Conforming amendment.--Section 403(b)(2) of the Social 
        Security Act (42 U.S.C. 603(b)(2)) is amended by inserting ``, 
        subject to section 2(e)(1) of the HEALTHIER Act of 2016,'' 
        after ``there are appropriated''.
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