I 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3577 

To establish the Commission on Health Care Savings through Innovative 

Wireless Technologies. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 21, 2013 

Mr. PETERS of California (for himself, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. HONDA, Mr. VARGAS, 

Mr. SWALWELL of California, and Mr. GARAMENDI) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To establish the Commission on Health Care Savings 

through Innovative Wireless Technologies. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. ESTABLISHMENT. 

4 There is established in the legislative branch a com5 mission to be known as the ‘‘Commission on Health Care 

6 Savings through Innovative Wireless Technologies’’ (in 

7 this Act referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’). 

8 SEC. 2. DUTIES OF COMMISSION. 

9 The duties of the Commission shall be the following: 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 3577 IH

1 (1) Examine the cost savings to the United 

2 States health care system, if any, that can be 

3 achieved by increasing the use of wireless health in4 formation technologies (including technologies re5 lated to digital health, mobile health (mHealth), tele6 health, telemedicine, e-Care, remote patient moni7 toring, and the collection of patient-generated health 

8 data) by patients, caregivers, and health care pro9 viders. 

10 (2) Examine existing scientific research study11 ing the medical effectiveness of wireless health infor12 mation technologies that deliver health care. 

13 (3) Examine existing payment models and in14 centive payment programs that provide Federal fi15 nancial reimbursement or funding for the use of 

16 wireless health information technologies. 

17 (4) Examine options for Congress and for ap18 propriate Federal agencies to incentivize and pro19 mote innovation and technological advancements in 

20 the area of wireless health information technologies. 

21 (5) Examine barriers to marketplace entry, 

22 whether technical or systemic, that impede efforts by 

23 persons and entities to develop new wireless health 

24 information technologies and to improve existing 

25 wireless health information technologies. 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 3577 IH

1 (6) Identify appropriate situations for the inte2 gration of wireless health information technologies 

3 into Federal health care programs, and recommend 

4 methods for integrating such technologies into such 

5 programs. 

6 (7) Develop a proposal based on the findings of 

7 its examinations under this section for the establish8 ment, implementation, and financing of a com9 prehensive program to encourage the further inte10 gration of wireless health information technologies 

11 into existing Federal health care programs. 

12 (8) Develop cost estimate approaches that the 

13 Congressional Budget Office can consider utilizing in 

14 order to more accurately assess the cost savings that 

15 the Federal Government can achieve by increasing 

16 the use of wireless health information technologies 

17 by patients, caregivers, and health care providers in 

18 the United States. 

19 SEC. 3. MEMBERSHIP. 

20 (a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission 

21 shall be composed of 19 individuals (such as the individ22 uals described in subsection (b)) who have demonstrated 

23 experience or expertise with respect to wireless health in24 formation technologies and that are appointed not later 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 3577 IH

1 than 45 days after the date of the enactment of this Act 

2 as follows: 

3 (1) Three members appointed by the President. 

4 (2) Two members appointed by the Speaker of 

5 the House of Representatives. 

6 (3) Two members appointed by the minority 

7 leader of the House of Representatives. 

8 (4) Two members appointed by the majority 

9 leader of the Senate. 

10 (5) Two members appointed by the minority 

11 leader of the Senate. 

12 (6) Four members appointed by the Secretary 

13 of Health and Human Services. 

14 (7) Four members appointed by the Chairman 

15 of the Federal Communications Commission. 

16 (b) EXAMPLES OF INDIVIDUALS.—For purposes of 

17 subsection (a), individuals described in this subsection 

18 are— 

19 (1) representatives of— 

20 (A) health care providers; 

21 (B) group health plans, health insurance 

22 coverage offered in the group or individual mar23 ket, and other third-party payers; 

24 (C) health information technology vendors; 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 3577 IH

1 (D) small businesses or startup companies 

2 in the wireless health information technologies 

3 industry; 

4 (E) major research and academic institu5 tions; and 

6 (F) patient advocacy groups; 

7 (2) health care professionals; 

8 (3) venture capital investors; and 

9 (4) individuals who have received health care 

10 treatment that included the use of wireless health in11 formation technologies and caregivers of such indi12 viduals. 

13 (c) PROHIBITION ON FEDERAL OFFICERS, EMPLOY14 EES, AND MEMBERS OF CONGRESS SERVING AS MEM15 BERS.—No members appointed under subsection (a) may 

16 be officers or employees of the Federal Government or 

17 Members of Congress. 

18 (d) TERMS.—Each member shall be appointed for the 

19 life of the Commission. 

20 (e) BASIC PAY AND TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Members 

21 shall serve without pay and without receipt of travel ex22 penses. 

23 (f) QUORUM.—Nine members of the Commission 

24 shall constitute a quorum but a lesser number may hold 

25 hearings. 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 3577 IH

1 (g) CHAIRPERSON.—The Chairperson of the Commis2 sion shall be elected by the members. 

3 (h) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet at the 

4 call of the Chairperson and may not meet fewer than nine 

5 times. 

6 SEC. 4. DIRECTOR AND STAFF OF COMMISSION; EXPERTS 

7 AND CONSULTANTS. 

8 (a) DIRECTOR.—The Commission shall have a Direc9 tor who shall be appointed by the Commission to the ex10 tent or in the amounts provided in advance in appropria11 tion Acts, the Director shall be paid at the rate of basic 

12 pay for level 4 of the Executive Schedule. 

13 (b) STAFF.—The Commission may appoint personnel 

14 as it considers appropriate. 

15 (c) APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN CIVIL SERVICE

16 LAWS.—The Director and staff of the Commission shall 

17 be appointed subject to the provisions of title 5, United 

18 States Code, governing appointments in the competitive 

19 service, and shall be paid in accordance with the provisions 

20 of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of that 

21 title relating to classification and General Schedule pay 

22 rates. 

23 (d) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—The Commission 

24 may procure temporary and intermittent services under 

25 section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code. 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
7 

•HR 3577 IH

1 (e) STAFF OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Upon request 

2 of the Commission, the head of any Federal department 

3 or agency may detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the 

4 personnel of that department or agency to the Commission 

5 to assist it in carrying out its duties under this Act. 

6 SEC. 5. POWERS OF COMMISSION. 

7 (a) HEARINGS AND SESSIONS.—Subject to rules pre8 scribed by the Commission, the Commission may, for the 

9 purpose of carrying out this Act, hold hearings, sit and 

10 act at times and places, take testimony, and receive evi11 dence as the Commission considers appropriate. 

12 (b) POWERS OF MEMBERS AND AGENTS.—Any mem13 ber or agent of the Commission may, if authorized by the 

14 Commission, take any action which the Commission is au15 thorized to take by this section. 

16 (c) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Commission 

17 may secure directly from any department or agency of the 

18 United States information necessary to enable it to carry 

19 out this Act. Upon request of the Chairperson of the Com20 mission, the head of that department or agency shall fur21 nish that information to the Commission. 

22 (d) GIFTS, BEQUESTS, AND DEVISES.—To the extent 

23 or in the amounts provided in advance in appropriation 

24 Acts, the Commission may accept, use, and dispose of 

25 gifts, bequests, or devises of services or property, both real 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
8 

•HR 3577 IH

1 and personal, for the purpose of aiding or facilitating the 

2 work of the Commission. Gifts, bequests, or devises of 

3 money and proceeds from sales of other property received 

4 as gifts, bequests, or devises shall be deposited in the 

5 Treasury and shall be available for disbursement upon 

6 order of the Commission. 

7 (e) MAILS.—The Commission may use the United 

8 States mails in the same manner and under the same con9 ditions as other departments and agencies of the United 

10 States. 

11 (f) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.—Upon the 

12 request of the Commission, the Administrator of General 

13 Services shall provide to the Commission, on a reimburs14 able basis, the administrative support services necessary 

15 for the Commission to carry out its responsibilities under 

16 this Act. 

17 (g) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—To the extent or in the 

18 amounts provided in advance in appropriation Acts, the 

19 Commission may contract with and compensate govern20 ment and private agencies or persons for services, without 

21 regard to section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 

22 5). 

23 SEC. 6. REPORTS. 

24 (a) INTERIM REPORTS.—The Commission shall sub25 mit to the President, the Congress, and such agencies as 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
9 

•HR 3577 IH

1 the Commission determines to be appropriate an interim 

2 report not later than 9 months after the final member is 

3 appointed to the Commission and such other interim re4 ports as the Commission considers appropriate. 

5 (b) FINAL REPORT.—The Commission shall transmit 

6 a final report to the President, the Congress, and such 

7 agencies as the Commission determines to be appropriate 

8 not later than 18 months after the final member is ap9 pointed to the Commission. The final report shall contain 

10 a detailed statement of the findings and conclusions of the 

11 Commission, together with its recommendations for legis12 lation and administrative actions the Commission con13 siders appropriate. 

14 SEC. 7. TERMINATION. 

15 The Commission shall terminate on the date that is 

16 60 days after submitting its final report pursuant to sec17 tion 6(b). 

Æ 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS