1877(h)(4) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395nn(h)(4)). 
‘‘(3) HEALTH
CARE
PROVIDER.—The term 
‘health care provider’ means a hospital, skilled nurs-
ing facility, home health agency (as defined in sub-
section (o) of section 1861 of the Social Security 
Act, 42 U.S.C. 1395x), health care clinic, rural 
health clinic, Federally qualified health center, group 
practice, a pharmacist, a pharmacy, a laboratory, a 
physician (as defined in subsection (r) of such sec-
tion), 
a 
practitioner 
(as 
defined 
in 
section 
1842(b)(18)(CC) 
of 
such 
Act, 
U.S.C. 
1395u(b)(18)(CC)), a health facility operated by or 
pursuant to a contract with the Indian Health Serv-
ice, and any other category of facility or clinician de-
termined appropriate by the Secretary. 
‘‘(4) HEALTH
INFORMATION; 
INDIVIDUALLY 
IDENTIFIABLE HEALTH INFORMATION.—The terms 
‘health information’ and ‘individually identifiable 
health information’ have the meanings given those 
terms in paragraphs (4) and (6), respectively, of sec-
tion 1171 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1320d). 
‘‘(5) LABORATORY.—The term ‘laboratory’ has 
the meaning given that term in section 353. 
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‘‘(6) PHARMACIST.—The term ‘pharmacist’ has 
the meaning given that term in section 804(a)(2) of 
the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 
U.S.C. 384(a)(2)). 
‘‘(7) QUALIFIED HEALTH INFORMATION TECH-
NOLOGY.—The term ‘qualified health information 
technology’ means a system or components of health 
information technology that meet any applicable core 
interoperability guidelines (endorsed under applica-
ble provisions of law) when in use or that use inter-
face software that allows for interoperability in ac-
cordance with such guidelines. 
‘‘(8) RURAL AREA.—The term ‘rural area’ has 
the meaning given such term for purposes of section 
1886(d)(2)(D) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395ww(d)(2)(D)). 
‘‘(9) RURAL
HEALTH
CARE
PROVIDER.—The 
term ‘rural health care provider’ means a health 
care provider that is located in a rural area. 
‘‘(10) STATE.—The term ‘State’ means each of 
the several States, the District of Columbia, Puerto 
Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, 
and the Northern Mariana Islands.’’. 
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SEC. 402. RURAL HEALTH QUALITY ADVISORY COMMISSION 
AND DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS. 
(a) RURAL HEALTH QUALITY ADVISORY COMMIS-
SION.— 
(1) 
ESTABLISHMENT.—Not 
later 
than 
months after the date of the enactment of this sec-
tion, the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
(in this section referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall 
establish a commission to be known as the Rural 
Health Quality Advisory Commission (in this section 
referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’). 
(2) DUTIES OF COMMISSION.— 
(A) NATIONAL
PLAN.—The Commission 
shall develop, coordinate, and facilitate imple-
mentation of a national plan for rural health 
quality improvement. The national plan shall— 
(i) identify objectives for rural health 
quality improvement; 
(ii) identify strategies to eliminate 
known gaps in rural health system capacity 
and improve rural health quality; and 
(iii) provide for Federal programs to 
identify opportunities for strengthening 
and aligning policies and programs to im-
prove rural health quality. 
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(B) 
DEMONSTRATION
PROJECTS.—The 
Commission shall design demonstration projects 
to test alternative models for rural health qual-
ity improvement, including with respect to both 
personal and population health. 
(C) MONITORING.—The Commission shall 
monitor progress toward the objectives identi-
fied pursuant to paragraph (1)(A). 
(3) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(A) NUMBER.—The Commission shall be 
composed of 11 members appointed by the Sec-
retary. 
(B) SELECTION.—The Secretary shall se-
lect the members of the Commission from 
among individuals with significant rural health 
care and health care quality expertise, including 
expertise in clinical health care, health care 
quality research, population or public health, or 
purchaser organizations. 
(4) CONTRACTING AUTHORITY.—Subject to the 
availability of funds, the Commission may enter into 
contracts and make other arrangements, as may be 
necessary to carry out the duties described in para-
graph (2). 
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