118 HR 6743 IH: We’re Addressing the Realities of Menopause Act of 2023
U.S. House of Representatives
2023-12-13
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I
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6743
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 13, 2023
Ms. Blunt Rochester (for herself and Mrs. Harshbarger) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to include public awareness about menopause and related chronic conditions, and for other purposes.
1.

Short title
This Act may be cited as the “We’re Addressing the Realities of Menopause Act of 2023” or the “WARM Act of 2023”.
2.

Menopause public awareness program
(a)

In general
Section 317 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247b) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
“(o)

Menopause public awareness program
(1)

In general
The Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall carry out a national program to increase awareness of—
(A)
symptoms and trajectories of changes across the menopausal transition and the postmenopausal transition;
(B)
related chronic conditions; and
(C)
the entire range of treatment and therapy options that may, consistent with Federal law, be prescribed by a health care provider for those symptoms, changes, and conditions.
(2)

Consultation
In carrying out the national campaign required by paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consult with the Director of the National Institutes of Health, the Director of the National Institute on Aging, the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Director of the Defense Health Agency, the Director of the Indian Health Service, health care providers, public health associations, nonprofit organizations that promote the health and quality of life of women during midlife and beyond, and nonprofit organizations with expertise in menopause research and advocacy, to solicit input on evidence-informed information for policy development and program development, implementation, and evaluation.
(3)

Requirements
The national campaign required by paragraph (1) may—
(A)
include the use of evidence-informed media and public engagement;
(B)
include the development of educational programs, materials, and public service announcements;
(C)
include the development of culturally and linguistically competent resources tailored for—
(i)
communities or groups with more severe or frequent symptoms of menopause or lower rates of treatment for symptoms of menopause;
(ii)
rural communities; and
(iii)
other communities as the Secretary determines appropriate;
(D)
include the dissemination of educational programs, materials, and public service announcements to—
(i)
health care providers, health care facilities (including primary care providers, community health centers, rural health clinics, obstetricians, and gynecologists), and State and local public health departments; and
(ii)
other entities as the Secretary determines appropriate to increase awareness as described in paragraph (1);
(E)
be complementary to, and coordinated with, any other Federal efforts with respect to menopause education and treatment; and
(F)
include message testing to identify culturally competent and effective messages for behavioral change.
(4)

Options for dissemination of information
The national campaign required by paragraph (1) may—
(A)
include the use of—
(i)
social media, television, radio, print, the internet, and other media;
(ii)
in-person or virtual public communications; and
(iii)
licensed health care providers and members of target communities or groups specified in paragraph (3)(C);
(B)
be targeted to specific groups and communities specified in paragraph (3)(C); and
(C)
be carried out through grants or cooperative agreements to private nonprofit entities with a history of developing and implementing similar campaigns.
(5)

Authorization of appropriations
Of amounts made available to the Secretary for other purposes, the Secretary may use up to $70,000,000 of such amounts for the period of fiscal years 2025 through 2028 for the purpose of carrying out the program under this section.”.
(b)

Report to Congress
Not later than the end of calendar year 2025, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Committee on Ways and Means, the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and the Committee on Oversight and Reform of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, the Committee on Finance, the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate a report that contains—
(1)
a qualitative assessment of the public awareness program under section 317(o) of the Public Health Service Act, as added by subsection (a); and
(2)
a description of the activities conducted under such campaign.
3.

Menopause education and training grants
Part D of title VII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 294 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 757 (42 U.S.C. 294f) the following:
“758.

Menopause education and training grants
(a)

In general
The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, in consultation with the Director of the National Institute on Aging, the directors of other institutes, centers, and offices of the National Institutes of Health as determined appropriate by the Secretary, the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Director of the Defense Health Agency, and the Director of the Indian Health Service, shall award grants to eligible entities for the purposes described in subsection (b).
(b)

Use of funds
A grant received under this section shall be used for any of the following:
(1)
Training (including for individuals completing a residency, fellowship, or other clinical training for licensure) for physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, registered nurses, and pharmacists to improve communication and provider preparedness in the management of menopausal symptoms and related chronic conditions.
(2)
Establishing, maintaining, or improving academic units or programs that provide training for students or faculty, including through clinical experiences and research, to improve the ability to be able to recognize, diagnose, and treat menopause symptoms and related chronic conditions.
(3)
Developing evidence-informed practices or recommendations for the design of units or programs referred to in paragraph (2), including curriculum content standards.
(c)

Eligibility
To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an entity shall be located in the United States and—
(1)
a school of medicine or osteopathic medicine, a school of nursing (as defined in section 801), a physician assistant training program, a school of pharmacy, an accredited public or nonprofit private hospital, or an accredited medical residency program; or
(2)
a public or private nonprofit entity which the Secretary has determined is capable of carrying out the program or activities to be funded through the grant.
(d)

Equitable distribution
In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall ensure, to the greatest extent possible, that such grants are equitably distributed among the geographical regions of the United States.
(e)

Partnership required
As a condition on receipt of a grant under this section, an eligible entity shall agree to carry out the program or activities to be funded through the grant in partnership with one or more organizations such as an education accrediting organization (such as the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation, the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, or the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant).
(f)

Application
(1)

In general
To seek a grant under this section, an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary, at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as may be specified by the Secretary.
(2)

Minimum contents
At a minimum, an application under paragraph (1) shall include—
(A)
a description of how the eligible entity intends to implement the activities required by subsection (b); and
(B)
a description of benchmarks to be used to measure the success of the implementation of such activities.
(g)

Administrative provisions
(1)

Period of grants
A grant awarded to an eligible entity under this section shall be for the period beginning on the date of the award and ending on the date that is 5 years after the establishment of the grant program under this section.
(2)

Priority
In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that—
(A)
demonstrate sufficient size, scope, and capacity to carry out the training described in subsection (b) with respect to an appropriate number of physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, registered nurses, and pharmacists each year to meet the needs of the area to be served;
(B)
demonstrate experience in training providers to practice team-based care that integrates menopause training and treatment protocols with primary care in community-based settings; and
(C)
have the capacity to expand access to menopause training and treatment services in areas with demonstrated need, as determined by the Secretary, such as Tribal, rural, or other underserved communities.
(h)

Data submission; reporting
(1)

Data submission by grantees
Not later than 90 days after the first year of a training program funded through a grant under this section, and not later than 90 days after each subsequent year of such training program during which such funding continues, the recipient of the grant shall submit to the Secretary such data as the Secretary may require for purposes of preparing the report under paragraph (2).
(2)

Report to Congress
Not later than 1 year after receipt under paragraph (1) of data from grantees for a year, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Committee on Ways and Means, the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and the Committee on Oversight and Reform of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, the Committee on Finance, the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate a report that includes—
(A)
the findings and conclusions of the Secretary with respect to menopause curricula in schools and training programs receiving funding through a grant under this section;
(B)
an assessment of the benefits of the grant program under this section for—
(i)
establishing best practices for health care providers to treat patients in the clinical setting;
(ii)
providing greater awareness of menopause and related chronic conditions to—
(I)
physicians and other health care professionals; and
(II)
patients of such physicians and professionals; and
(iii)
improving the quality, quantity, and distribution of menopause treatment and training; and
(C)
a description of the benefits of, and barriers to, integrating menopause curricula at health professions schools and training programs.
(i)

Authorization of appropriations
Of amounts made available to the Secretary for other purposes, the Secretary may use up to $31,700,000 of such amounts for the period of fiscal years 2025 through 2028 for the purpose of carrying out the program under this section.”.
4.

Regional centers of excellence in menopause education
Part D of title VII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 294 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 758 (as added by section 3) the following:
“758A.

Regional centers of excellence in menopause education
(a)

In general
The Secretary, in consultation with such other officials as the Secretary determines appropriate, shall award cooperative agreements to eligible entities for—
(1)
the designation of such entities as Regional Centers of Excellence in Menopause Education; and
(2)
the support of such Regional Centers of Excellence to enhance and improve how health professionals are educated in menopause through development, evaluation, and distribution of evidence-based curricula for health professions schools.
(b)

Selection of Regional Centers of Excellence
(1)

Eligible entities
To be eligible to receive a cooperative agreement under subsection (a), an entity shall—
(A)
be an entity offering education to students in various health professions, such as—
(i)
a health system;
(ii)
a teaching hospital;
(iii)
a medical school, a school of nursing (as defined in section 801), a school offering a physician assistant education program, or a school of pharmacy; and
(iv)
any other health profession school, school of public health, or institution of higher education engaged in an aspect of the management of menopause;
(B)
be accredited by the appropriate educational accreditation body;
(C)
demonstrate an existing strategy, and have in place a plan for continuing such strategy, or have a proposed strategy, to implement a curriculum based on best practices for menopause treatment and education; and
(D)
provide to the Secretary such information, at such time, and in such manner, as the Secretary may require.
(2)

Diversity
In awarding cooperative agreements under subsection (a), the Secretary shall—
(A)
take into account regional differences among eligible entities; and
(B)
make an effort to ensure geographic diversity.
(c)

Dissemination of information
(1)

Public posting
The Secretary shall make information provided to the Secretary under subsection (b)(1)(D) publicly available on the website of the Department of Health and Human Services.
(2)

Evaluation
The Secretary shall—
(A)
evaluate each project carried out by a Regional Center of Excellence in Menopause Education through funding received under this section; and
(B)
disseminate the results of each such evaluation to appropriate public and private entities.
(d)

Authorization of appropriations
Of amounts made available to the Secretary for other purposes, the Secretary may use such sums as may be necessary for the period of fiscal years 2025 through 2028 for the purpose of carrying out the program under this section.”.