[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 99 (Wednesday, July 14, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1540-E1541]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


      INTRODUCTION OF THE HEALTH RESEARCH AND QUALITY ACT OF 1999

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL BILIRAKIS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 14, 1999

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing, along with my 
colleagues, Representatives Sherrod Brown and Jim Greenwood, the Health 
Research and Quality Act of 1999. We are introducing this bipartisan 
legislation to reauthorize and and redefine the mission of the Agency 
for Health Care Policy and Research. Our bill renames it as the Agency 
for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ-pronounced ``arc'').
  The purpose of this new name, and the reauthorization, is to foster 
comprehensive improvements in our health care system. Our bill 
refocuses the efforts of this critical agency to support private sector 
initiatives. Building on its current activities, the new agency will 
become a key partner to the private sector in improving the quality of 
health cae in America.
  Specifically, our bill directs the new agency to take action to 
improve health care quality by: Conducting and supporting research to 
reduce errors in medicine; supporting the Medical Expenditure Panel 
Survey (MEPS) and expanding its sample size to provide information on 
the quality of patient care; supporting research to evaluate and 
initiatives to advance

[[Page E1541]]

the use of information systems for the study of health care quality and 
other information initiatives; maintaining the Center for Primary Care 
Research and continuing primary care research; and establishing grants 
for regional centers to improve and increase access to preventive 
health care services.
  We realize the importance of supporting public-private solutions to 
improve health care quality in our nation, and we hope that Congress 
will support the reauthorization of this important agency. A brief 
summary of the legislation follows:

       Summary of the Health Research and Quality Act of 1999--
     (Legislation to Reauthorize the Agency for Health Care Policy 
     and Research)


                Part A: Establishment and General Duties

       Redesignates the agency as the ``Agency for Health Research 
     and Quality'' (AHRQ, pronounced ``arc''), and changes the 
     agency head's title from administrator to ``director.'' 
     Revises the agency's mission to emphasize its role as a 
     partner to the private sector, with responsibility for 
     promoting health care quality through research, synthesizing 
     and disseminating scientific evidence, and advancing private 
     and public efforts to improve health care quality.
       Prohibits the agency from mandating ``national standards of 
     clinical practice or quality health care standards.''
       Emphasizes the agency's non-regulatory role in building the 
     science of quality, while private and public sector 
     purchasers and accreditation agencies set quality 
     ``standards.''


                Part B: Health Care Improvement Research

       Directs the agency to take specific action to improve the 
     quality of health care by:
       1. Identifying and disseminating methods for rating the 
     scientific strength of research studies;
       2. Conducting and supporting research, and building 
     partnerships to support research, in order to reduce errors 
     in medicine;
       3. Supporting the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) 
     and expanding its sample size to provide information on the 
     quality of patient care;
       4. Supporting research to evaluate and initiatives to 
     advance the use of information systems for the study of 
     health care quality and other information initiatives; and
       5. Maintaining the Center for Primary Care Research and 
     continuing primary care research.
       Authorizes the Secretary of HHS, acting through the 
     Director, to coordinate all research, evaluations, and 
     demonstrations related to health services research and 
     quality measurement and improvement supported by the federal 
     government.
       Requires the Secretary to contract with the Institute of 
     Medicine to develop two reports on the organization and 
     coordination of the quality improvement, research, and 
     oversight activities of the federal government.


                       Part C: General Provisions

       Reauthorizes the agency's existing national advisory 
     council and standardizes membership among the groups 
     represented.
       Directs the council to more broadly focus on overall 
     priorities for health care research (quality, outcomes, cost, 
     use, and access to care), the field of health services 
     research, and identification of opportunities for public-
     private sector partnerships.
       Increases the limit on small grants from $50,000 to 
     $100,000 to reflect inflation.
       Revises the authorization of appropriations to reflect 
     congressional intent to increase research funding related to 
     health care quality and improvement (authorizes $250 million 
     in funding for FY 2000 and ``such sums as necessary'' for 
     Fiscal Years 2001-2006).
       Amends Title III of the Public Health Service Act to 
     establish grants for regional centers to improve and increase 
     access to preventive health care services.

     

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