[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 170 (Tuesday, November 29, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6525-S6526]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EXPANDING CAPACITY FOR HEALTH OUTCOMES ACT
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions is discharged from and the
Senate will proceed to the consideration of S. 2873, which the clerk
will report.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 2873) to require studies and reports examining
the use of, and opportunities to use, technology-enabled
collaborative learning and capacity building models to
improve programs of the Department of Health and Human
Services, and for other purposes.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, there will be 30
minutes of debate, equally divided in the usual form.
The Senator from Hawaii.
Mr. SCHATZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the time be
equally divided between both sides during the quorum call.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. SCHATZ. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for
the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Amendment No. 5110
Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 5110 and ask
unanimous consent that it be reported by number.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The clerk will report the amendment by number.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
The Senator from Montana [Mr. Daines], for Mr. Alexander,
proposes an amendment numbered 5110.
The amendment is as follows:
(Purpose: In the nature of a substitute)
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Expanding Capacity for
Health Outcomes Act'' or the ``ECHO Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Health professional shortage area.--The term ``health
professional shortage area'' means a health professional
shortage area designated under section 332 of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254e).
(2) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian tribe'' has the
meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
(3) Medically underserved area.--The term ``medically
underserved area'' has the meaning given the term ``medically
underserved community'' in section 799B of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 295p).
(4) Medically underserved population.--The term ``medically
underserved population'' has the meaning given the term in
section 330(b) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
254b(b)).
(5) Native americans.--The term ``Native Americans'' has
the meaning given the term in section 736 of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 293) and includes Indian tribes
and tribal organizations.
(6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Health and Human Services.
(7) Technology-enabled collaborative learning and capacity
building model.--The term ``technology-enabled collaborative
learning and capacity building model'' means a distance
health education model that connects specialists with
multiple other health care professionals through simultaneous
interactive videoconferencing for the purpose of facilitating
case-based learning, disseminating best practices, and
evaluating outcomes.
(8) Tribal organization.--The term ``tribal organization''
has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian
Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C.
5304).
SEC. 3. EXAMINATION AND REPORT ON TECHNOLOGY-ENABLED
COLLABORATIVE LEARNING AND CAPACITY BUILDING
MODELS.
(a) Examination.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall examine technology-
enabled collaborative learning and capacity building models
and their impact on--
(A) addressing mental and substance use disorders, chronic
diseases and conditions, prenatal and maternal health,
pediatric care, pain management, and palliative care;
(B) addressing health care workforce issues, such as
specialty care shortages and primary care workforce
recruitment, retention, and support for lifelong learning;
(C) the implementation of public health programs, including
those related to disease prevention, infectious disease
outbreaks, and public health surveillance;
(D) the delivery of health care services in rural areas,
frontier areas, health professional shortage areas, and
medically underserved areas, and to medically underserved
populations and Native Americans; and
(E) addressing other issues the Secretary determines
appropriate.
[[Page S6526]]
(2) Consultation.--In the examination required under
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consult public and private
stakeholders with expertise in using technology-enabled
collaborative learning and capacity building models in health
care settings.
(b) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the
Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House
of Representatives, and post on the appropriate website of
the Department of Health and Human Services, a report based
on the examination under subsection (a).
(2) Contents.--The report required under paragraph (1)
shall include findings from the examination under subsection
(a) and each of the following:
(A) An analysis of--
(i) the use and integration of technology-enabled
collaborative learning and capacity building models by health
care providers;
(ii) the impact of such models on health care provider
retention, including in health professional shortage areas in
the States and communities in which such models have been
adopted;
(iii) the impact of such models on the quality of, and
access to, care for patients in the States and communities in
which such models have been adopted;
(iv) the barriers faced by health care providers, States,
and communities in adopting such models;
(v) the impact of such models on the ability of local
health care providers and specialists to practice to the full
extent of their education, training, and licensure, including
the effects on patient wait times for specialty care; and
(vi) efficient and effective practices used by States and
communities that have adopted such models, including
potential cost-effectiveness of such models.
(B) A list of such models that have been funded by the
Secretary in the 5 years immediately preceding such report,
including the Federal programs that have provided funding for
such models.
(C) Recommendations to reduce barriers for using and
integrating such models, and opportunities to improve
adoption of, and support for, such models as appropriate.
(D) Opportunities for increased adoption of such models
into programs of the Department of Health and Human Services
that are in existence as of the report.
(E) Recommendations regarding the role of such models in
continuing medical education and lifelong learning, including
the role of academic medical centers, provider organizations,
and community providers in such education and lifelong
learning.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, amendment No. 5110
is agreed to.
Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, Montanans have always been on the cutting
edge of frontier medicine, using ingenuity to overcome the challenges
in frontier and rural America to make sure we have access to high-
quality health care. In fact, going back to the time my great-great-
grandmother homesteaded near Conrad, MT, our health care providers have
worked and continue to work to increase access despite geography,
weather, limited resources, and government regulation.
Rural Montanans are often hours away from a hospital and even farther
away from any kind of trauma center. Our local providers are the first-
line responders. They tackle everything from the common cold to
emergency situations. It is their actions that can make the difference
between life and death. Rural providers give Montanans access to
preventive and behavioral health services. They help ward off chronic
illness with early detection and provide care and support through
cancer and other debilitating diseases. They deserve our respect and
the resources that will help them better serve Montanans. That is why I
am honored to join my colleagues in supporting the ECHO Act and making
sure it is passed and signed into law. I am thankful for the leadership
of the senior Senator from Utah, Senator Hatch, who has been out front
leading in this effort.
Geographic location should not dictate the quality of care. This bill
will promote opportunities to improve access to high-quality care in
rural communities, such as access to specialists and support and
training for rural health care providers. In fact, this year the
Billings Clinic launched the Montana-based Project ECHO hub in an
effort to address a lack of access to mental health and substance abuse
resources. The hub connects rural providers with a team of specialists
to collaborate, share case studies, and offer support. The hub is built
to be flexible, allowing teleclinics on any topic or any disease. It
also allows Montana's providers to collaborate with specialists at
academic centers, such as the University of Washington and the
University of New Mexico. Because of the success of this first hub, the
Billings Clinic will launch two more teleclinics next year to help
primary care sites across Montana integrate behavioral health services
in their practices.
The ECHO Act will promote these programs throughout the country and
increase access for all Americans. I am thankful to see strong
bipartisan support on the passage of this bill as we work together to
improve rural health care.
I thank the Presiding Officer.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for
the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent all time be
yielded back.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, all time is yielded back.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading and was read
the third time.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the bill having been
read the third time, the question is, Shall it pass?
Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
There appears to be a sufficient second.
The clerk will call the roll.
The bill clerk called the roll.
Mr. CORNYN. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the
Senator from Tennessee (Mr. Corker) and the Senator from Colorado (Mr.
Gardner).
Further, if present and voting, the Senator from Tennessee (Mr.
Corker) would have voted ``yea'' and the Senator from Colorado (Mr.
Gardner) would have voted ``yea.''
Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Sanders) is
necessarily absent.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Cruz). Are there any other Senators in the
Chamber desiring to vote?
The result was announced--yeas 97, nays 0, as follows:
[Rollcall Vote No. 154 Leg.]
Yeas--97
Alexander
Ayotte
Baldwin
Barrasso
Bennet
Blumenthal
Blunt
Booker
Boozman
Boxer
Brown
Burr
Cantwell
Capito
Cardin
Carper
Casey
Cassidy
Coats
Cochran
Collins
Coons
Cornyn
Cotton
Crapo
Cruz
Daines
Donnelly
Durbin
Enzi
Ernst
Feinstein
Fischer
Flake
Franken
Gillibrand
Graham
Grassley
Hatch
Heinrich
Heitkamp
Heller
Hirono
Hoeven
Inhofe
Isakson
Johnson
Kaine
King
Kirk
Klobuchar
Lankford
Leahy
Lee
Manchin
Markey
McCain
McCaskill
McConnell
Menendez
Merkley
Mikulski
Moran
Murkowski
Murphy
Murray
Nelson
Paul
Perdue
Peters
Portman
Reed
Reid
Risch
Roberts
Rounds
Rubio
Sasse
Schatz
Schumer
Scott
Sessions
Shaheen
Shelby
Stabenow
Sullivan
Tester
Thune
Tillis
Toomey
Udall
Vitter
Warner
Warren
Whitehouse
Wicker
Wyden
NOT VOTING--3
Corker
Gardner
Sanders
The bill (S. 2873), as amended, was passed.
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