of Congress reports concerning the progress and any 
results of studies conducted under paragraph (1).’’. 
(b) REAUTHORIZATION.—Section 3(e) of the Pre-
maturity Research Expansion and Education for Mothers 
who deliver Infants Early Act (42 U.S.C. 247b–4f(e)) is 
amended by striking ‘‘2011’’ and inserting ‘‘2016’’. 
SEC. 5. RESEARCH AND ACTIVITIES AT THE HEALTH RE-
SOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION. 
(a) TELEMEDICINE DEMONSTRATION PROJECT ON 
HIGH RISK PREGNANCIES.—Section 330I of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c–14) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsections (q) through (s) 
as subsections (r) through (t), respectively; 
(2) by inserting after subsection (p), the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(q) TELEMEDICINE DEMONSTRATION PROJECT ON 
HIGH RISK PREGNANCIES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall award 
grants under this section to eligible entities to estab-
lish demonstration projects for— 
‘‘(A) 
the 
provision 
of 
preconception, 
antepartum, intrapartum, and obstetric services 
to high risk women of child bearing age re-
motely by obstetricians and gynecologists, nurse 
practitioners, certified nurse-midwives, certified 
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midwives, or other health care providers using 
telehealth; and 
‘‘(B) for the conduct of educational activi-
ties regarding risk factors for preterm birth. 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a 
grant under paragraph (1), an entity shall submit 
an application to the Director at such time, in such 
manner, and containing such information as the Di-
rector my require.’’; and 
(3) in subsection (t) (as so redesignated)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking the pe-
riod and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3) 
for 
grants 
under 
subsection 
(q), 
$1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2012 through 
2016.’’. 
(b) PUBLIC AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDER EDU-
CATION.—Section 399Q of the Public Health Service Act 
(42 U.S.C. 280g–5) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking subpara-
graphs (A) through (F) and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
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‘‘(A) the core risk factors for preterm 
labor; 
‘‘(B) medically indicated deliveries before 
39 weeks; 
‘‘(C) outcomes for infants born before 39 
weeks; 
‘‘(D) risk factors for preterm delivery; 
‘‘(E) the importance of preconception and 
prenatal care; 
‘‘(F) smoking cessation, hypertension, and 
weight maintenance; 
‘‘(G) treatments and outcomes for babies 
born premature; 
‘‘(H) the informational needs of families 
during the stay of an infant in a neonatal in-
tensive care unit; 
‘‘(I) preventable birth injuries if evidence- 
based strategies had been utilized; 
‘‘(J) depression; and 
‘‘(K) the use of progesterone;’’; and 
(B) by striking paragraph (2) and by re-
designating paragraphs (3) and (4) as para-
graphs (2) and (3), respectively; 
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(2) by redesignating subsection (c) as sub-
section (d) and by inserting after subsection (b) the 
following new subsection: 
‘‘(c) PILOT PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting 
through the Administrator of the Health Resources 
and Services Administration and the heads of other 
appropriate agencies, shall conduct (and report on) 
research studies and demonstration projects that 
test maternity care models that are designed to re-
duce the rate of preterm birth. 
‘‘(2) GRANTS.—The Secretary may carry out 
this subsection through the awarding of grants to el-
igible entities. 
‘‘(3) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a 
grant under this section an entity shall— 
‘‘(A) be— 
‘‘(i) a hospital or hospital systems 
that utilizes evidence-based best practices; 
or 
‘‘(ii) a public or private nonprofit enti-
ty; and 
‘‘(B) submit to the Secretary an applica-
tion at such time, in such manner, and con-
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taining such information as the Secretary may 
require. 
‘‘(4) TARGETING.—In awarding grants under 
this subsection, the Secretary shall give priority to 
projects in geographic areas with a demonstrated 
persistent high rate of preterm birth based on data 
from the National Center on Health Statistics.’’; and 
(3) in subsection (d), as redesignated by para-
graph (2), by striking ‘‘2011’’ and inserting ‘‘2016’’. 
SEC. 6. OTHER ACTIVITIES. 
(a) ADVISORY
COMMITTEE
ON
INFANT
MOR-
TALITY.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall es-
tablish an advisory committee known as the ‘‘Advi-
sory Committee on Infant Mortality’’ (referred to in 
this section as the ‘‘Advisory Committee’’). 
(2) DUTIES.—The Advisory Committee shall 
provide advice and recommendations to the Sec-
retary concerning the following activities: 
(A) Programs of the Department of Health 
and Human Services that are directed at reduc-
ing infant mortality and improving the health 
status of pregnant women and infants. 
(B) Factors affecting the continuum of 
care with respect to maternal and child health 
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care, including outcomes following childbirth 
and specifically preterm birth. 
(C) Strategies to coordinate the various 
Federal, State, local, and private programs and 
efforts that are designed to deal with the health 
and social problems impacting infant mortality. 
(D) Implementation of the Healthy Start 
program under section 330H of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c–8) and 
Healthy People 2020 infant mortality objec-
tives. 
(E) Strategies to promote the collection of 
improved linked maternal and infant perinatal 
data. 
(F) Strategies to reduce preterm birth 
rates through research, programs, and edu-
cation. 
(3) PLAN FOR HHS PRETERM BIRTH ACTIVI-
TIES.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enact-
ment of this section, the Advisory Committee shall 
develop a plan for conducting and supporting re-
search education and programs on preterm birth 
through the Department of Health and Human 
Services and shall periodically review and revise the 
plan. The plan shall— 
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(A) provide for a broad range of research 
and educational activities relating to biomedical, 
epidemiological, psychosocial, translational, and 
clinical activities, including studies on racial 
and ethnic disparities in preterm birth rates; 
(B) identify priorities among the programs 
and activities of the Department of Health and 
Human Services regarding preterm birth; and 
(C) reflect input from a broad range of sci-
entists, patients, and advocacy groups. 
(4) MEMBERSHIP.—The Secretary shall ensure 
that the membership of the Advisory Committee in-
cludes the following: 
(A) Representatives provided for in the 
original charter of the Advisory Committee. 
(B) A representative of the National Cen-
ter for Health Statistics. 
(b) PATIENT SAFETY STUDY AND REPORT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall des-
ignate an appropriate agency within the Department 
of Health and Human Services to conduct a study 
on hospital readmissions of preterm infants. Find-
ings and recommendations resulting from such study 
shall be based on data collected to address the fol-
lowing questions and such other related questions 
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which the Secretary and such designated agency 
deem important: 
(A) By State and by health care system, 
what is the number and rate of inpatient read-
mission for infants born preterm? 
(B) What are the leading diagnoses at the 
time of inpatient readmission for preterm in-
fants? 
(C) What is the average cost of treatment 
for preterm infant readmissions by diagnosis, 
by health care system, and by State? 
(D) What percentage of readmissions are 
preventable if evidence-based strategies had 
been utilized? 
(E) What percentage of treatment cost is 
attributable to preventable readmissions? 
(F) What is the source of health insurance 
coverage for preterm infants who are re-
admitted, such as through publicly funded pro-
grams (including the Medicaid program under 
title XIX of the Social Security Act and the 
Children’s Health Insurance Program under 
title XXI of such Act), private health insurance, 
and self payments of uninsured individuals? 
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(G) What evidence-based interventions are 
effective in preventing readmission of preterm 
infants, including measuring and reporting on 
quality of care and outcomes? 
(2) REPORT TO SECRETARY AND CONGRESS.— 
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the agency designated under para-
graph (1) shall submit to the Secretary and to Con-
gress a report containing the findings and rec-
ommendations resulting from the study conducted 
under such subparagraph, including recommenda-
tions for hospital discharge and follow-up procedures 
designed to reduce rates of preventable hospital re-
admissions for preterm infants. 
(3) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this subsection, $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2012. 
Æ 
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