I 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6543 
To amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to define care coordination, 
include care coordination as a fully restorative service, and detail the 
care coordination functions of the Assistant Secretary, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 21, 2012 
Ms. SCHWARTZ introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to define care 
coordination, include care coordination as a fully restora-
tive service, and detail the care coordination functions 
of the Assistant Secretary, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Care Coordination for 
Older Americans Act of 2012’’. 
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SEC. 2. DECLARATION OF OBJECTIVES. 
Section 101(4) of the Older Americans Act of 1965 
(42 U.S.C. 3001(4)) is amended by inserting ‘‘care coordi-
nation and’’ after ‘‘including’’. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
Section 102 of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 
U.S.C. 3002) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(55)(A) The term ‘care coordination’ means a 
person- and family-centered, assessment-based, and 
interdisciplinary approach to meet the needs and 
preferences of an older individual and a family care-
giver while enhancing the capabilities of the older in-
dividual (including the ability to self-direct services). 
‘‘(B) The term ‘care coordination’ means co-
ordination that— 
‘‘(i) integrates health care, long-term serv-
ices and supports, housing, and social support 
services in a high-quality and cost-effective 
manner in which an individual’s needs, pref-
erences, and capabilities are assessed, along 
with the needs and preferences of a family care-
giver; 
‘‘(ii) includes, as a core element, the active 
involvement of the older individual, the family, 
or a representative appointed by the older indi-
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vidual or legally acting on the individual’s be-
half, community-based service professionals, 
and health care professionals providing care to 
the older individual, in the design and imple-
mentation of an individualized, individual-cen-
tered service and support plan, through which 
the services and supports will be provided in a 
manner free from conflicts of interest; 
‘‘(iii) integrates services and interventions 
that are implemented, monitored, and evaluated 
for effectiveness using an evidence-based proc-
ess, which typically involves a designated lead 
care coordinator and involves feedback from the 
older individual; 
‘‘(iv) includes activities that aim simulta-
neously at meeting individual and family needs 
and preferences, building on individual capabili-
ties, and improving outcomes and systems of 
care; 
‘‘(v) includes provision of some or all of 
the services and activities described in clauses 
(i) through (iv) by trained professionals em-
ployed by or under a contract with— 
‘‘(I) area agencies on aging; 
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SEC. 5. ORGANIZATION. 
Section 305(a) of the Older Americans Act of 1965 
(42 U.S.C. 3025(g)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; 
(2) in paragraph (3), by striking the period and 
inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) the State agency shall promote the devel-
opment and implementation of a State system to ad-
dress the care coordination needs of older individuals 
with multiple chronic illnesses, and shall work with 
acute care providers, area agencies on aging, service 
providers, and Federal agencies to ensure that the 
system uses best practices and is evaluated on its 
provision of care coordination.’’. 
SEC. 6. AREA PLANS. 
Section 306(a) of the Older Americans Act of 1965 
(42 U.S.C. 3026(a)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (4)(B)(i)(VII) by inserting 
‘‘with multiple chronic illnesses or’’ after ‘‘older indi-
viduals’’; 
(2) in paragraph (6)(D), by inserting ‘‘(includ-
ing acute care providers)’’ after ‘‘service providers’’; 
(3) in paragraph (16), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; 
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(4) in paragraph (17) by striking the period 
and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(5) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(18) provide assurances that the area agency 
on aging will— 
‘‘(A) identify existing (as of the date of 
submission of the plan) care coordination pro-
grams and systems; 
‘‘(B) identify unmet community need for 
care coordination; 
‘‘(C) facilitate the development and imple-
mentation of an area-wide system to address 
the care coordination needs of older individuals 
with multiple chronic illnesses; and 
‘‘(D) work with acute care providers, serv-
ice providers, and Federal and State agencies to 
ensure that the system uses best practices in its 
provision of care coordination.’’. 
SEC. 7. STATE PLANS. 
Section 307(a) of the Older Americans Act of 1965 
(42 U.S.C. 3027(a)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting ‘‘care co-
ordination,’’ after ‘‘information and assistance,’’; 
(2) in paragraph (17), by striking ‘‘and develop 
collaborative programs, where appropriate,’’ and in-
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serting ‘‘, ensure care coordination, and (where ap-
propriate) develop collaborative programs,’’; 
(3) in paragraph (18), in the matter preceding 
subparagraph (A), by inserting ‘‘and ensure care co-
ordination that integrates long-term care services 
and other care services,’’ before ‘‘for older’’; 
(4) in paragraph (23), by striking ‘‘with other 
State services’’ and inserting ‘‘with other Federal 
and State health care programs and services’’; and 
(5) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(31) The plan shall provide assurances that 
the area agencies on aging in the State will facilitate 
the area-wide development and implementation of an 
area-wide system to address the care coordination 
needs of older individuals with multiple chronic ill-
nesses, and work with acute care providers, service 
providers, and other Federal and State agencies to 
ensure that the system uses best practices and is 
evaluated on its provision of care coordination.’’. 
Æ 
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