I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 860 
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a grant 
program for States that provide flexibility in licensing for health care 
providers who offer services on a volunteer basis. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 3, 2017 
Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee (for himself, Mr. ROE of Tennessee, and Mr. 
COHEN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to 
establish a grant program for States that provide flexi-
bility in licensing for health care providers who offer 
services on a volunteer basis. 
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 ‘‘Health for Each Amer-
ican Less fortunate Through Help from medical profes-
sionals In Every Rural and impoverished area Act of 
2017’’ or the ‘‘HEALTHIER Act of 2017’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:32 Feb 13, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H860.IH
H860
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM FOR STATES PROVIDING FLEXI-
BILITY IN LICENSING FOR HEALTH CARE 
PROVIDERS WHO OFFER SERVICES ON A VOL-
UNTEER BASIS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services shall establish a two-year grant program 
under which the Secretary awards grants to States that 
adopt a volunteer health care provider law during the pe-
riod of the grant program and to States that have adopted 
such a law before such period. 
(b) VOLUNTEER HEALTH CARE PROVIDER LAW.— 
For purposes of this section, the term ‘‘volunteer health 
care provider law’’ means, a law of a State that permits 
a health care provider to provide health care services in 
such State (in this subsection referred to as the ‘‘volunteer 
health care provider law State’’), even though the provider 
is not licensed in such State to provide such services, if— 
(1) such services are offered and provided in 
the volunteer health care provider law State solely 
on a volunteer basis to rural or impoverished areas 
(as defined by such volunteer health care provider 
law State) that are located within such State; and 
(2) such provider has an active, unencumbered 
license to practice in another State and such services 
are within the scope of practice of such provider (as 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:32 Feb 13, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H860.IH
H860
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS
defined by such volunteer health care provider law 
State). 
(c) ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.— 
(1) ONE-TIME GRANT.—A State shall be eligible 
for not more than one grant under this section. 
(2) AMOUNT
OF
GRANT.—The amount of a 
grant awarded a State under this section shall be 
$1,000,000. 
(d) ADDITIONAL DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this 
section: 
(1) VOLUNTEER BASIS.—The term ‘‘volunteer 
basis’’ means, with respect to health care services 
provided by a health care provider, that such serv-
ices are provided by such provider— 
(A) on behalf of a nonprofit organization, 
such as a church or charity; 
(B) without receipt by such provider of 
compensation (other than reasonable reimburse-
ment or allowance for expenses actually in-
curred) for providing such services; and 
(C) for a period not to exceed 7 consecu-
tive days. 
(2) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means any of 
the 50 States and the District of Columbia, the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:32 Feb 13, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H860.IH
H860
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS
Virgin Islands, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, 
and American Samoa. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated $56,000,000 for the period 
of fiscal years 2018 through 2019 to carry out this sec-
tion. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:32 Feb 13, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H860.IH
H860
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS