I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5782 
To ensure access to cost-free rabies postexposure prophylaxis. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 28, 2023 
Mr. BERA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways 
and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the juris-
diction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To ensure access to cost-free rabies postexposure prophylaxis. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Affordable Rabies 
Treatment for All Act of 2023’’. 
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SEC. 2. REQUIRING THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND 
HUMAN SERVICES TO ESTABLISH A PRO-
GRAM TO REIMBURSE HEALTH CARE PRO-
VIDERS 
FOR 
FURNISHING 
RABIES 
POSTEXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS AND RELATED 
SERVICES TO UNINSURED INDIVIDUALS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services shall establish a program under which— 
(1) program-registered providers submit claims 
to the Secretary with respect to the furnishing of 
medically necessary rabies postexposure prohylaxis 
and related items and services (as defined in sub-
section (b)) to uninsured individuals; and 
(2) the Secretary, subject to the availability of 
appropriations, pays each such provider for such 
prohylaxis and related items and services in an 
amount determined appropriate by the Secretary. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) 
PROGRAM-REGISTERED
PROVIDER.—The 
term ‘‘program-registered provider’’ means a health 
care provider that— 
(A) is licensed or otherwise authorized to 
furnish rabies postexposure prohylaxis and re-
lated items and services in the State in which 
such provider furnishes such prophylaxis and 
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related items and services under the program 
established under this section; and 
(B) enters into an agreement with the Sec-
retary under which the provider agrees— 
(i) not to hold an uninsured individual 
liable for the cost of rabies postexposure 
prophylaxis or related items and services 
with respect to which a payment is made 
under subsection (a)(2); and 
(ii) to limit any charge to such indi-
vidual for the administration of such pro-
phylaxis or related items and services with 
respect to which such a payment is so 
made to an amount specified by the Sec-
retary. 
(2) RABIES POSTEXPOSURE PROHYLAXIS; RE-
LATED ITEMS AND SERVICES.—The terms ‘‘rabies 
postexposure prophylaxis’’ and ‘‘related items and 
services’’ have the meaning given such terms in sec-
tion 2713 of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 300gg–13). 
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 
(4) UNINSURED INDIVIDUAL.—The term ‘‘unin-
sured individual’’ means, with respect to an indi-
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vidual furnished rabies postexposure prohylaxis, an 
individual who is not enrolled in— 
(A) a Federal health care program (as de-
fined in section 1128B(f) of the Social Security 
Act (42 U.S.C. 1320a-7b(f))); 
(B) a group health plan or health insur-
ance coverage offered by a health insurance 
issuer in the group or individual market (as 
such terms are defined in section 2791 of the 
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg- 
91)); or 
(C) a health plan offered under chapter 89 
of title 5, United States Code. 
SEC. 
3. 
ENSURING 
NO-COST 
COVERAGE 
OF 
RABIES 
POSTEXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS AND RELATED 
ITEMS AND SERVICES FOR INSURED INDIVID-
UALS. 
(a) PRIVATE INSURANCE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 2713 of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg–13) is amend-
ed— 
(A) in subsection (a)— 
(i) in paragraph (2), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
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(ii) in paragraph (3), by striking the 
period and inserting a semicolon; 
(iii) in paragraph (4), by striking the 
period and inserting a semicolon; 
(iv) by redesignating paragraph (5) as 
paragraph (6); and 
(v) by inserting after paragraph (4) 
the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(5) rabies postexposure prohylaxis and related 
items and services; and’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
subsection: 
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) RABIES POSTEXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS.— 
The term ‘rabies postexposure prophylaxis’ means 
human rabies immune globulin and rabies vaccine 
doses, or any other treatment specified by the Sec-
retary, furnished in accordance with guidelines speci-
fied by the Secretary to an individual who has been 
potentially exposed to the rabies virus to prevent the 
occurrence of rabies. 
‘‘(2) RELATED
ITEMS
AND
SERVICES.—The 
term ‘related items and services’ means items and 
services furnished to an individual during health 
care provider office visits (which term in this para-
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graph includes in-person visits and telehealth visits), 
urgent care center visits, and emergency room visits 
that result in an order for or administration of ra-
bies postexposure prophylaxis described in para-
graph (2), but only to the extent such items and 
services relate to the furnishing or administration of 
such prophylaxis or to the evaluation of such indi-
vidual for purposes of determining the need of such 
individual for such prophylaxis.’’. 
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made 
by this subsection shall apply with respect to plan 
years beginning on or after the date that is 1 year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(b) MEDICARE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1833 of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l) is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a)(1)— 
(i) in subparagraph (GG), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; and 
(ii) by inserting before the semicolon 
at the end the following ‘‘, and (II) with 
respect to rabies postexposure prohylaxis 
and related items and services (as such 
terms are defined in section 2713 of the 
Public Health Service Act), the amounts 
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paid shall be equal to 100 percent of the 
lesser of the actual charge for such 
prohylaxis, items, and services, or the 
amount 
otherwise 
payable 
for 
such 
prohylaxis, items, and services under this 
part’’; and 
(B) in subsection (b)— 
(i) in paragraph (12), by string ‘‘, 
and’’ at the end; and 
(ii) in paragraph (13), by striking ‘‘..’’ 
at the end and inserting ‘‘, and (14) such 
deductible shall not apply with respect to 
rabies postexposure prophylaxis and re-
lated items and services.’’. 
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made 
by this subsection shall apply with respect to items 
and services furnished on or after the first day of 
the first calendar year beginning on or after the date 
that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
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SEC. 4. GRANTS TO LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS TO 
STOCKPILE RABIES POSTEXPOSURE PROPHY-
LAXIS. 
Part P of title III of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 380g et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘SEC. 399V–8. GRANTS TO LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS 
TO STOCKPILE RABIES POSTEXPOSURE PRO-
PHYLAXIS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may award grants 
to local health departments to— 
‘‘(1) establish and maintain a stockpile of— 
‘‘(A) rabies postexposure prophylaxis; and 
‘‘(B) items that are related items and serv-
ices; and 
‘‘(2) furnish rabies postexposure prohylaxis and 
related items and services. 
‘‘(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the terms ‘rabies 
postexposure prophylaxis’ and ‘related items and services’ 
have the meanings given such terms in section 2713.’’. 
Æ 
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