Preventive Care Awareness Act of 2022

To provide for a national public health education campaign, grant program, and task force for recommended preventive health care services during the COVID–19 pandemic and future pandemics, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Preventive Care Awareness Act of 2022 2. Public health campaign regarding preventative health The Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this Act as the Secretary 3. COVID–19 preventive health care grant program (a) Use of allotments Section 1904 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 300w–3 (1) in subsection (a)(1)— (A) by redesignating subparagraphs (E) through (G) as subparagraphs (F) through (H), respectively; (B) in subparagraph (G), as redesignated, by striking (A) through (E) (A) through (F) (C) in subparagraph (H), as redesignated, by striking (A) through (F) (A) through (G) (D) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following: (E) Activities to increase patient uptake of recommended clinical preventive health care services during the COVID–19 pandemic, with particular consideration for decreasing disparities in utilization of such preventive health care services by reaching individuals in geographically diverse rural and underserved communities who have delayed or forgone receiving recommended clinical preventive health care services during the COVID–19 pandemic. ; and (2) in subsection (b), in the matter following paragraph (5), by striking subsection (a)(1)(E) subsection (a)(1)(F) (b) Allotted amount Subsection (a) of section 1904 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 300w–3 (4) Of the total amount paid to the States under section 1903 for each of fiscal years 2023 and 2024, the Secretary shall ensure that the States, in the aggregate, use at least $50,000,000 for activities under paragraph (1)(E). . (c) Authorization of appropriations Section 1920(a) of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 300x–9(a) In addition to the amounts authorized to be appropriated by the preceding sentence, for the purpose of carrying out paragraphs (1)(E) and (4) of section 1904, there is authorized to be appropriated $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 and 2024. 4. Task force on preventive health care during public health emergencies (a) Task force on preventive health care in response to the COVID–19 public health emergency (1) Establishment The Secretary shall convene a task force to develop Federal recommendations regarding preventive health care during the COVID–19 pandemic and future pandemics. (2) Duties The task force established under paragraph (1) shall develop and publicly post, in a manner than is accessible for those with disabilities or limited English proficiency, Federal recommendations to promote preventive health care visits and improve health outcomes during and after the COVID–19 pandemic and during future pandemics, with particular consideration for outcomes of rural or underserved communities. Such recommendations shall— (A) address, with particular attention to ensuring equitable services, reducing disparities in health outcomes, and promoting culturally and linguistically appropriate care— (i) measures to facilitate preventive health care; (ii) strategies to increase access to care for individuals at high risk or with elevated risk factors; (iii) how to identify, prevent, and treat mental health and substance use disorders which may have arisen or increased during the COVID–19 pandemic; (iv) strategies to address provision of preventive health care services, maintain the delivery of common health services and preventive health care services, and increase the ability to accommodate patient care preferences while maintaining safety and quality; and (v) such other matters as the task force determines appropriate; (B) identify barriers to the implementation of the recommendations; (C) take into consideration existing State programs and other programs that have demonstrated effectiveness in promoting preventive health care during the COVID–19 pandemic, for purposes of future public health emergencies; and (D) identify— (i) policies specific to COVID–19 that, as the public health emergency declared with respect to COVID–19 under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 247d (ii) policies implemented during such public health emergency that should be continued. (3) Membership The task force established under paragraph (1) shall be comprised of the following: (A) One representative of each of the following: (i) The Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (ii) The Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration. (iii) The Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use. (iv) The Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (v) The Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (vi) The Director of the Indian Health Service. (vii) The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health. (viii) The Director of the Office on Women’s Health. (ix) The Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response. (B) Such other members as the Secretary determines appropriate.

Summary: Preventive Care Awareness Act of 2022 This bill requires activities to promote the use of preventive health care services with a particular focus on decreasing disparities in accessing preventive services for individuals in rural and underserved communities who delayed or forewent recommended preventive services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must carry out a campaign to increase public awareness about and use of recommended preventive services. HHS must also convene a task force to develop recommendations regarding preventive services during and after the COVID-19 pandemic and future pandemics. The recommendations must address, among other considerations, reducing disparities in health outcomes and identifying barriers to implementing the recommendations. Additionally, the bill allows states, Indian tribes, and territories to use a portion of their Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant funding for FY2023 and FY2024 on activities to increase patient uptake of recommended preventive services.