II 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4015 

To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants 

to eligible entities for creating or enhancing capacity to treat patients 

with Long COVID through a multidisciplinary approach. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 6, 2022 

Ms. DUCKWORTH (for herself, Mr. MARKEY, and Mr. KAINE) introduced the 

following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

A BILL 

To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services 

to award grants to eligible entities for creating or enhancing capacity to treat patients with Long COVID 

through a multidisciplinary approach. 

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

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Targeting Resources 

5 for Equitable Access to Treatment for Long COVID Act’’ 

6 or the ‘‘TREAT Long COVID Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM TO SUPPORT MULTIDISCI2 PLINARY LONG COVID CLINICS. 

3 (a) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.—The Secretary 

4 of Health and Human Services (in this section referred 

5 to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall award grants on a competitive 

6 basis to eligible entities for the purpose of creating or en7 hancing capacity to treat patients with Long COVID (also 

8 referred to as post-acute sequelae of COVID–19 and post9 COVID conditions) through a multidisciplinary approach. 

10 (b) USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible entity receiving a 

11 grant under this section shall use the grant, for the pur12 pose described in subsection (a), to— 

13 (1) enhance the capacity of one or more exist14 ing multidisciplinary Long COVID clinics to serve 

15 the Long COVID population; or 

16 (2) create one or more multidisciplinary clinics 

17 to address the physical and mental health needs of 

18 Long COVID patients. 

19 (c) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—To be eligible to receive a 

20 grant under this section, an entity shall be a health care 

21 provider, Federally qualified health center (as defined in 

22 section 1861(aa) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 

23 1395x(aa)), rural health clinic (as defined in such section), 

24 urban Indian health center, or State or local public health 

25 department, that— 


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1 (1)(A) operates an existing multidisciplinary 

2 Long COVID clinic or other specialized Long 

3 COVID program; or 

4 (B) demonstrates an intent to create a multi5 disciplinary Long COVID clinic or other specialized 

6 Long COVID program; and 

7 (2) submits to the Secretary an application at 

8 such time, in such manner, and containing such in9 formation and assurances as the Secretary may re10 quire. 

11 (d) EQUITABLE ACCESS.—In order to ensure equi12 table access to treatment— 

13 (1) no grantee under this section shall deny ac14 cess to treatment with respect to Long COVID 

15 based on insurance coverage, date or method of di16 agnosis, or previous hospitalization; 

17 (2) a grantee under this section shall with re18 spect to Long COVID— 

19 (A) offer equity-centered resources, infor20 mation, and training to safety net health sys21 tems; and 

22 (B) disseminate best practices and treat23 ment approaches that enhance access to high24 quality care to everyone where they live; and 


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1 (3) treatment for Long COVID shall be in2 cluded as a COVID–19 treatment, consistent with 

3 the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 

4 117–2). 

5 (e) GRANT AMOUNT.—The amount of a grant award6 ed under this section shall not exceed $2,000,000. 

7 (f) GRANT PERIOD.—The period of a grant under 

8 this section shall not exceed 3 years, with an opportunity 

9 for renewal. 

10 (g) PRIORITY.—In awarding grants under this sec11 tion, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities 

12 that— 

13 (1) submit a plan to engage with medically un14 derserved communities, and with populations dis15 proportionately impacted by COVID–19, in a degree 

16 sufficient to advance health care equity in Long 

17 COVID treatment and outcomes; 

18 (2) demonstrate capacity (or an intent to build 

19 capacity) to facilitate patient access to multidisci20 plinary health care providers with expertise in treat21 ing Long COVID symptoms and other complex post22 viral conditions, including such providers who are 

23 primary and specialty care physicians (such as 

24 physiatrists, neurologists, cardiologists, immunol25 ogists, and pulmonologists), therapists, nurses, care 


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1 coordinators, social workers, nutritionists, and be2 havioral health specialists; and 

3 (3) submit a plan to ensure ongoing multidisci4 plinary continuing education on infection-triggered 

5 conditions for— 

6 (A) physicians treating Long COVID; and 

7 (B) other physicians and health care work8 ers who are not treating Long COVID, but are 

9 otherwise serving patients in the community. 

10 (h) REPORTS.— 

11 (1) ANNUAL REPORTS BY GRANTEES TO SEC12 RETARY.—On an annual basis, a recipient of a grant 

13 under this section shall— 

14 (A) submit to the Secretary, and make 

15 publicly available, a report on the activities car16 ried out through the grant; and 

17 (B) include quantitative and qualitative 

18 evaluations of such activities, including the ex19 perience of individuals who received health care 

20 through such grant. 

21 (2) ANNUAL REPORTS BY SECRETARY TO CON22 GRESS.—Not later than the last day of each of fiscal 

23 years 2023 through 2025, the Secretary shall submit 

24 to the Congress, and make publicly available, a re25 port that— 


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1 (A) summarizes the reports received under 

2 paragraph (1); 

3 (B) evaluates the effectiveness of grants 

4 under this section; and 

5 (C) makes recommendations with respect 

6 to expanding coverage for clinical care for Long 

7 COVID. 

8 (i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry 

9 out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated 

10 such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 

11 2023 through 2025. 

Æ 


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