[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 143 (Wednesday, September 6, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5019-S5020]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NATIONAL CLINICAL CARE COMMISSION ACT
Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 47, S. 920.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 920) to establish a National Clinical Care
Commission.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
Mr. GARDNER. Mr. President, I further ask unanimous consent that the
Shaheen amendment be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be read a
third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered
made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment (No. 807) was agreed to, as follows:
(Purpose: To improve the bill)
On page 5, line 12, strike ``and''.
On page 5, line 20, strike the period and insert ``; and''.
On page 5, between lines 20 and 21, insert the following:
(5) whether there are opportunities for consolidation of
inappropriately overlapping or duplicative Federal programs
related to the diseases and complications described in
subsection (a).
The bill (S. 920), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a
third reading, was read the third time, and passed, as follows:
S. 920
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 ``National Clinical Care
Commission Act''.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL CLINICAL CARE COMMISSION.
(a) Establishment.--There is hereby established, within the
Department of Health and Human Services, a National Clinical
Care Commission (in this section referred to as the
``Commission'') to evaluate and make recommendations
regarding improvements to the coordination and leveraging of
programs within the Department and other Federal agencies
related to awareness and clinical care for at least one, but
not more than two, complex metabolic or autoimmune diseases
resulting from issues related to insulin that represent a
significant disease burden in the United States, which may
include complications due to such diseases.
(b) Membership.--
(1) In general.--The Commission shall be composed of the
following voting members:
(A) The heads of the following Federal agencies and
departments, or their designees:
(i) The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
(ii) The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
(iii) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
(iv) The Indian Health Service.
(v) The Department of Veterans Affairs.
(vi) The National Institutes of Health.
(vii) The Food and Drug Administration.
(viii) The Health Resources and Services Administration.
(ix) The Department of Defense.
(x) The Department of Agriculture.
(xi) The Office of Minority Health.
(B) Twelve additional voting members appointed under
paragraph (2).
(2) Additional members.--The Commission shall include
additional voting members, as may be appointed by the
Secretary, with expertise in the prevention, care, and
epidemiology of any of the diseases and complications
described in subsection (a), including one or more such
members from each of the following categories:
(A) Physician specialties, including clinical
endocrinologists, that play a role in the prevention or
treatment of diseases and complications described in
subsection (a).
(B) Primary care physicians.
(C) Non-physician health care professionals.
(D) Patient advocates.
(E) National experts, including public health experts, in
the duties listed under subsection (c).
(F) Health care providers furnishing services to a patient
population that consists of a high percentage (as specified
by the Secretary) of individuals who are enrolled in a State
plan under title XIX of the Social Security Act or who are
not covered under a health plan or health insurance coverage.
(3) Chairperson.--The members of the Commission shall
select a chairperson from the members appointed under
paragraph (2).
(4) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at least twice,
and not more than four times, a year.
(5) Vacancies.--A vacancy on the Commission shall be filled
in the same manner as the original appointments.
(c) Duties.--The Commission shall evaluate and make
recommendations, as appropriate, to the Secretary of Health
and Human Services and Congress regarding--
(1) Federal programs of the Department of Health and Human
Services that focus on preventing and reducing the incidence
of the diseases and complications described in subsection
(a);
(2) current activities and gaps in Federal efforts to
support clinicians in providing integrated, high-quality care
to individuals with the diseases and complications described
in subsection (a);
(3) the improvement in, and improved coordination of,
Federal education and awareness activities related to the
prevention and treatment of the diseases and complications
described in subsection (a), which may include the
utilization of new and existing technologies;
(4) methods for outreach and dissemination of education and
awareness materials that--
(A) address the diseases and complications described in
subsection (a);
(B) are funded by the Federal Government; and
(C) are intended for health care professionals and the
public; and
(5) whether there are opportunities for consolidation of
inappropriately overlapping or duplicative Federal programs
related to the diseases and complications described in
subsection (a).
(d) Operating Plan.--Not later than 90 days after its first
meeting, the Commission shall submit to the Secretary of
Health and Human Services and the Congress an operating plan
for carrying out the activities of the Commission as
described in subsection (c). Such operating plan may
include--
[[Page S5020]]
(1) a list of specific activities that the Commission plans
to conduct for purposes of carrying out the duties described
in each of the paragraphs in subsection (c);
(2) a plan for completing the activities;
(3) a list of members of the Commission and other
individuals who are not members of the Commission who will
need to be involved to conduct such activities;
(4) an explanation of Federal agency involvement and
coordination needed to conduct such activities;
(5) a budget for conducting such activities; and
(6) other information that the Commission deems
appropriate.
(e) Final Report.--By not later than 3 years after the date
of the Commission's first meeting, the Commission shall
submit to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the
Congress a final report containing all of the findings and
recommendations required by this section.
(f) Sunset.--The Commission shall terminate 60 days after
submitting its final report, but not later than the end of
fiscal year 2021.
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