HR 2260 RFS
care is to alleviate pain and other distressing symptoms
and to enhance the quality of life, not to hasten or post-
pone death.’’.
SEC. 202. ACTIVITIES OF HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERV-
ICES ADMINISTRATION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Part D of title VII of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 294 et seq.), as amended
by section 103 of Public Law 105–392 (112 Stat. 3541),
is amended—
(1) by redesignating sections 754 through 757
as sections 755 through 758, respectively; and
(2) by inserting after section 753 the following
section:
‘‘SEC. 754. PROGRAM FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN
PALLIATIVE CARE.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consultation
with the Administrator for Health Care Policy and Re-
search, may make awards of grants, cooperative agree-
ments, and contracts to health professions schools, hos-
pices, and other public and private entities for the develop-
ment and implementation of programs to provide edu-
cation and training to health care professionals in pallia-
tive care.
HR 2260 RFS
‘‘(b) PRIORITIES.—In making awards under sub-
section (a), the Secretary shall give priority to awards for
the implementation of programs under such subsection.
‘‘(c) CERTAIN TOPICS.—An award may be made
under subsection (a) only if the applicant for the award
agrees that the program carried out with the award will
include information and education on—
‘‘(1) means for alleviating pain and discomfort
of patients, especially terminally ill patients, includ-
ing the medically appropriate use of controlled sub-
stances;
‘‘(2) applicable laws on controlled substances,
including laws permitting health care professionals
to dispense or administer controlled substances as
needed to relieve pain even in cases where such ef-
forts may unintentionally increase the risk of death;
and
‘‘(3) recent findings, developments, and im-
provements in the provision of palliative care.
‘‘(d) PROGRAM
SITES.—Education and training
under subsection (a) may be provided at or through health
professions schools, residency training programs and other
graduate programs in the health professions, entities that
provide continuing medical education, hospices, and such
HR 2260 RFS
other programs or sites as the Secretary determines to be
appropriate.
‘‘(e) EVALUATION
OF PROGRAMS.—The Secretary
shall (directly or through grants or contracts) provide for
the evaluation of programs implemented under subsection
(a) in order to determine the effect of such programs on
knowledge and practice regarding palliative care.
‘‘(f) PEER REVIEW GROUPS.—In carrying out section
799(f) with respect to this section, the Secretary shall en-
sure that the membership of each peer review group in-
volved includes one or more individuals with expertise and
experience in palliative care.
‘‘(g) DEFINITION.—For purposes of this section, the
term ‘palliative care’ means the active, total care of pa-
tients whose disease or medical condition is not responsive
to curative treatment or whose prognosis is limited due
to progressive, far-advanced disease. The purpose of such
care is to alleviate pain and other distressing symptoms
and to enhance the quality of life, not to hasten or post-
pone death.’’.
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS; ALLOCA-
TION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 758 of the Public
Health Service Act (as redesignated by subsection
(a)(1) of this section) is amended in subsection
HR 2260 RFS
(b)(1)(C) by striking ‘‘sections 753, 754, and 755’’
and inserting ‘‘sections 753, 754, 755, and 756’’.
(2) AMOUNT.—With respect to section 758 of
the Public Health Service Act (as redesignated by
subsection (a)(1) of this section), the dollar amount
specified in subsection (b)(1)(C) of such section is
deemed to be increased by $5,000,000.
SEC. 203. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by this title take effect Octo-
ber 1, 1999, or upon the date of the enactment of this
Act, whichever occurs later.
Passed the House of Representatives October 27,
1999.
Attest:
JEFF TRANDAHL,
Clerk.