[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 206 (Tuesday, November 30, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H6695-H6696]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




COLLECTING AND ANALYZING RESOURCES INTEGRAL AND NECESSARY FOR GUIDANCE 
                  FOR SOCIAL DETERMINANTS ACT OF 2021

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3894) to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
to issue and disseminate guidance to States to clarify strategies to 
address social determinants of health under the Medicaid program and 
the Children's Health Insurance Program, and for other purposes, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3894

       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 ``Collecting and Analyzing 
     Resources Integral and Necessary for Guidance for Social 
     Determinants Act of 2021'' or the ``CARING for Social 
     Determinants Act of 2021''.

     SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT TO ISSUE GUIDANCE TO CLARIFY STRATEGIES 
                   TO ADDRESS SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH IN THE 
                   MEDICAID PROGRAM AND THE CHILDREN'S HEALTH 
                   INSURANCE PROGRAM.

       Not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, and not less frequently than once every 3 years 
     thereafter, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
     update the State Health Office letter 21-001, issued on 
     January 7, 2021, to clarify strategies to address social 
     determinants of health under the Medicaid program and the 
     Children's Health Insurance Program. Such update shall 
     include the following:
       (1) Guidance to State Medicaid agencies regarding the 
     strategies that States can implement under authorities in 
     existence as of such update under title XIX of the Social 
     Security Act, title XXI of such Act, or section 1115 of such 
     Act to address social determinants of health in the provision 
     of health care, including strategies specifically targeting 
     children receiving medical assistance under a State plan 
     under title XIX of such Act (or a waiver of such plan) or 
     child health assistance under a State child health plan under 
     title XXI of such Act.
       (2) Guidance on how States can encourage and incentivize 
     managed care entities to address social determinants of 
     health through contracts with such entities.
       (3) Updated examples from States with respect to how States 
     are addressing social determinants of health in the provision 
     of health care under the Medicaid program under title XIX of 
     the Social Security Act and the Children's Health Insurance 
     Program under title XXI of such Act, including through 
     payment models.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Pallone) and the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.


                             General Leave

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 3894.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, environmental factors can have a tremendous effect on an 
individual's health. Where a person lives, their level of education, 
their food security, and many other aspects of a person's life, can 
affect their health and well-being. These are often called the social 
determinants of health.
  Healthcare providers and insurance plans are looking more and more at 
addressing some of these social determinants in order to improve 
individual health. State Medicaid programs have been especially engaged 
on this front.
  Unfortunately, it can sometimes be difficult for States and insurance 
plans to understand the various authorities available in Medicaid to 
address the social determinants of health. Likewise, it can also be 
difficult to see how other States are using those authorities in 
creative new ways.
  H.R. 3894, the Collecting and Analyzing Resources Integral and 
Necessary for Guidance for Social Determinants Act, will give States a 
valuable new resource to ensure that they are able to use Medicaid to 
the fullest extent possible.
  H.R. 3894 will ensure that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid 
Services regularly updates its guidance to States on how they can use 
Medicaid to address the social determinants of health. It will also 
require CMS to provide examples of how other States are using Medicaid 
to address the social and environmental factors that can affect 
people's health.
  I want to thank Representatives Blunt Rochester and Burgess for their 
work on this important bill, and I urge my colleagues to support this 
bipartisan legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3894, the CARING for 
Social Determinants Act of 2021, a bill led by

[[Page H6696]]

Representatives Blunt Rochester and Bilirakis.
  Research shows that socioeconomic conditions, such as job loss, lack 
of transportation, inadequate housing, among others, can contribute to 
poor health outcomes.
  The Trump administration took a key step at the beginning of this 
year by releasing guidance to States on how to better utilize Medicaid 
to support social determinants of health. It provided real-world 
examples that States are taking to improve outcomes for beneficiaries.
  For example, Medicaid managed care plans in my home State of Kentucky 
are leading the way by using care coordinators to connect vulnerable 
beneficiaries to social support services like food pantries and daycare 
services.
  The CARING for Social Determinants Act would require HHS to update 
this guidance every 3 years in order to drive future innovation in 
State Medicaid programs.
  I am proud of the important steps this bill takes to improve health 
outcomes for some of our most vulnerable populations.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I have no Members who wish to speak, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis).
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member and the 
chairman of the committee and, of course, the ranking member of the 
full committee, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, for their work on this bill.
  I am honored to be here today to speak in support of H.R. 3894 and 
would like to thank my colleague and friend, Representative Blunt 
Rochester, for sponsoring this important piece of legislation. This is 
a really good bill.
  I also want to thank my esteemed colleagues on the Energy and 
Commerce Committee for their continued bipartisan efforts to benefit 
American patients under innovative delivery models through increased 
data.
  The CARING for Social Determinants Act, which I proudly co-lead, 
would provide routine guidance and strategies to States to address the 
social determinants of health under the Medicaid and the Children's 
Health Insurance Program, or CHIP program.
  This bill also solidifies States' authority to continue innovative 
waiver payment models, which consequently improves Medicaid 
beneficiaries' health outcomes.
  This is really a great bill, Mr. Speaker, and I want to thank the 
chairman. We truly do work in a bipartisan fashion in this committee, 
in most cases.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in support of this bill.
  Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I would urge my colleagues to support this 
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3894, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mrs. BOEBERT. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

                          ____________________