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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8955 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8955

    To amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to ensure that, 
whenever the Indian Health Service undertakes an investigation into the 
professional conduct of a licensee of a State, the Service notifies the 
         relevant State medical board, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              July 9, 2024

 Mr. Johnson of South Dakota introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the 
   Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
    To amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to ensure that, 
whenever the Indian Health Service undertakes an investigation into the 
professional conduct of a licensee of a State, the Service notifies the 
         relevant State medical board, and for other purposes.

    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 ``IHS Provider Integrity Act''.

SEC. 2. NOTIFICATION OF INVESTIGATION REGARDING PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT; 
              SUBMISSION OF RECORDS.

    Title VIII of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 
1671 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 833. NOTIFICATION OF INVESTIGATION REGARDING PROFESSIONAL 
              CONDUCT; SUBMISSION OF RECORDS.

    ``(a) Report.--Not later than 14 calendar days after the date on 
which the Service undertakes an investigation into the professional 
conduct of a licensee of a State, the Secretary, acting through the 
Service, shall notify the relevant State medical board of the 
investigation.
    ``(b) Submission of Records.--Not later than 14 calendar days after 
the date on which the Service generates records relating to an 
investigation conducted by the Service into the professional conduct of 
a licensee of a State, the Secretary, acting through the Service, shall 
provide the records to the relevant State medical board.''.

SEC. 3. FITNESS OF HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.

    (a) In General.--Title VIII of the Indian Health Care Improvement 
Act is amended by inserting after section 802 (25 U.S.C. 1672) the 
following:

``SEC. 803. FITNESS OF HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.

    ``(a) Additional Requirements for Hiring of Health Care Providers 
by Service.--As part of the hiring process for each health care 
provider position at the Service after the date of enactment of the IHS 
Provider Integrity Act, the Director shall require from the medical 
board of each State in which the health care provider has or had a 
medical license--
            ``(1) information on any violation of the requirements of 
        the medical license of the health care provider during the 20-
        year period ending on the date on which the health care 
        provider is being considered for a position at the Service; and
            ``(2) information on whether the health care provider has 
        entered into any settlement agreement for a disciplinary charge 
        relating to the practice of medicine by the health care 
        provider.
    ``(b) Provision of Information on Service Health Care Providers to 
State Medical Boards.--Notwithstanding section 552a of title 5, United 
States Code, with respect to each health care provider of the Service 
who has violated a requirement of the medical license of the health 
care provider, the Director shall provide to the medical board of each 
State in which the health care provider is licensed detailed 
information with respect to the violation, regardless of whether the 
medical board has formally requested that information.''.
    (b) Report on Compliance by Indian Health Service With Reviews of 
Health Care Providers Leaving Service or Transferring to Other 
Facilities.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Director of the Indian Health Service shall submit to the 
Committee on Indian Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Natural 
Resources of the House of Representatives a report on the compliance by 
the Indian Health Service with the policy of the Indian Health 
Service--
            (1) to conduct a review of each health care provider of the 
        Indian Health Service who transfers to another medical facility 
        of the Indian Health Service, resigns, retires, or is 
        terminated to determine whether there are any concerns, 
        complaints, or allegations of violations relating to the 
        medical practice of the health care provider; and
            (2) to take appropriate action with respect to any concern, 
        complaint, or allegation described in subparagraph (A).
                                 <all>
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