A bill to improve the health of children.
(Sec. 103) Makes a child born to a woman receiving such pregnancy-related assistance automatically eligible for child health assistance.
(Sec. 104) Provides for the expanded availability of funding for administrative costs related to certain outreach and eligibility determinations under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program with regard to children and pregnant women.
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a procedure with regard to the participation of local and community-based public or nonprofit organizations in outreach and enrollment activities if States do not otherwise obligate the amounts made available for such activities.
Subtitle B: Patient Rights With Respect to Care - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) to require group health plans (other than fully insured plans) that provide coverage for gynecological or obstetric care and provide for designation of a participating primary care provider to: (1) allow a participant to designate a non-specialist without authorization or referral by the primary care provider; and (2) treat the ordering of other routine care related to obstetrical or gynecological care by the participating physician as the authorization of the primary care provider with respect to such care.
Requires a group health plan that provides for a participant to designate a participating pediatric primary care provider for a child of such participant to: (1) permit the participant to designate a provider who specializes in pediatrics as the child's primary care provider; and (2) consider appropriate pediatric expertise in mandatorily assigning a participant to a pediatric primary care provider if a participant has not designated such a provider.
Requires such plans, in the case of a covered child with a mental or physical condition, disability, or disease of sufficient seriousness to require diagnosis or treatment by a specialist, to provide for referral to a specialist who has extensive experience or training and is available and accessible to provide treatment, including referrals to nonparticipating providers in cases where the plan does not have an appropriate specialist. Provides that services pursuant to referrals to nonparticipating providers shall be provided at no additional cost beyond what the participant would pay to a participating provider.
Directs such plans, with respect to the coverage of children, to make certain information regarding structures, processes, and outcomes regarding each offered health insurance product publicly available.
(Sec. 112) Amends ERISA to require group health plans or health insurance issuers, in connection with the provisions of coverage, to establish, with respect to the coverage of children, a system to provide for the resolution of complaints and appeals regarding such coverage. Sets forth requirements for an independent external review process in connection with such coverage.
(Sec. 113) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to incorporate ERISA requirements for patients' rights described by this Act.
Title II: Payments to Children's Hospitals That Operate GME Programs - Pediatric Medical Education, Training, and Research Act of 1999 - Directs the Secretary of HHS to make payment as specified to each children's hospital for each hospital cost reporting period under Medicare (title XVIII of the SSA) beginning after FY 1999 and before FY 2004 for the direct and indirect expenses associated with operating approved medical residency training programs.
Makes appropriations for such payments.
Provides that such payments are in lieu of certain Medicare payments to hospitals for medical education, but shall not affect the amounts otherwise payable to such hospitals under a State Medicaid (SSA title XIX) plan.
Title III: Pediatric Public Health Promotion - Subtitle A: National Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention - Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish a National Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Transfers to the Center all activities, budgets, and personnel of the National Center for Environmental Health that relate to birth defects, folic acid, cerebral palsy, mental retardation, child development, newborn screening, autism, fragile X syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, pediatric genetics, and disability prevention.
Authorizes appropriations.
Subtitle B: Pregnant Mothers and Infants Health Promotion - Pregnant Mothers and Infants Health Protection Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to carry out programs to: (1) collect, analyze, and make available data on prenatal smoking and alcohol and illegal drug usage; (2) conduct applied epidemiological research on the prevention of prenatal and postnatal smoking and alcohol and illegal drug usage; (3) support, conduct, and evaluate the effectiveness of educational and cessation programs; and (4) provide information and education to the public on the prevention and implications of prenatal and postnatal smoking and alcohol and illegal drug usage.
Authorizes grants to, and contracts with, public and nonprofit entities as well as technical assistance for carrying out this subtitle.
Authorizes appropriations.
Subtitle C: Safe Motherhood Monitoring and Prevention Research - Safe Motherhood Monitoring and Prevention Research Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to: (1) establish a national monitoring and surveillance program to identify and promote the investigation of deaths and severe complications that occur during pregnancy; (2) expand the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System to provide surveillance and collect data in each State; and (3) expand the Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Program to provide technical support, financial assistance, or the time-limited assignment of senior epidemiologists to maternal and child health programs in each State.
Authorizes appropriations.
Permits the Secretary, acting through the Centers, to: (1) expand research relating to specified maternal health topics; and (2) carry out activities to promote safe motherhood.
Authorizes appropriations.
Subtitle D: Poison Control Center Enhancement - Poison Control Center Enhancement and Awareness Act - Directs the Secretary of HHS to provide coordination and assistance to regional poison control centers for the establishment of a nationwide toll-free phone number to be used to access such centers. Authorizes appropriations.
(Sec. 335) Mandates a national media campaign to educate the public about poison prevention and the availability of local poison control resources and to conduct advertising campaigns concerning the nationwide toll-free number. Authorizes appropriations.
(Sec. 336) Mandates grants for certified regional poison control centers to achieve financial stability and to prevent, and provide treatment recommendations for, poisoning. Mandates other grant uses. Sets forth center certification requirements. Authorizes appropriations.
Title IV: Pediatric Research - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a Pediatric Research Initiative within the Office of the Director of the National Institutes of Health.
Authorizes appropriations.
(Sec. 402) Directs the Secretary, acting through the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, to provide support for extramural activities relating to the training and career development of pediatric researchers. Permits the Secretary to establish a pediatric research loan repayment program.
Authorizes appropriations.
Introduced in Senate
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2579-2581)
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
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