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‘‘(A) PALLIATIVE CARE.—Information, re-
sources, and communication materials about 
palliative care as an essential part of the con-
tinuum of quality care for patients and families 
facing serious or life-threatening illness (includ-
ing cancer; heart, kidney, liver, lung, and infec-
tious diseases; as well as neurodegenerative dis-
ease such as dementia, Parkinson’s disease, or 
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). 
‘‘(B) PALLIATIVE
CARE
SERVICES.—Spe-
cific information regarding the services provided 
to patients by professionals trained in hospice 
and palliative care, including pain and symptom 
management, support for shared decision-
making, care coordination, psychosocial care, 
and spiritual care, explaining that such services 
may be provided starting at the point of diag-
nosis and alongside curative treatment and are 
intended to— 
‘‘(i) provide patient-centered and fam-
ily-centered support throughout the con-
tinuum of care for serious and life-threat-
ening illness; 
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‘‘(ii) anticipate, prevent, and treat 
physical, emotional, social, and spiritual 
suffering; 
‘‘(iii) optimize quality of life; and 
‘‘(iv) facilitate and support the goals 
and values of patients and families. 
‘‘(C) PALLIATIVE CARE PROFESSIONALS.— 
Specific materials that explain the role of pro-
fessionals trained in hospice and palliative care 
in providing team-based care (including pain 
and symptom management, support for shared 
decisionmaking, care coordination, psychosocial 
care, and spiritual care) for patients and fami-
lies throughout the continuum of care for seri-
ous or life-threatening illness. 
‘‘(D) 
RESEARCH.—Evidence-based 
re-
search demonstrating the benefits of patient ac-
cess to palliative care throughout the continuum 
of care for serious or life-threatening illness. 
‘‘(E) POPULATION-SPECIFIC MATERIALS.— 
Materials targeting specific populations, includ-
ing patients with serious or life-threatening ill-
ness who are among medically underserved pop-
ulations (as defined in section 330(b)(3)) and 
families of such patients or health professionals 
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serving medically underserved populations. Such 
populations shall include pediatric patients, 
young adult and adolescent patients, racial and 
ethnic minority populations, and other priority 
populations specified by the Director. 
‘‘(2) 
REQUIRED
PUBLICATION.—Information 
and materials disseminated under paragraph (1) 
shall be posted on the Internet websites of relevant 
Federal agencies and departments, including the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs, the Centers for Medi-
care & Medicaid Services, and the Administration on 
Aging. 
‘‘(c) CONSULTATION.—The Director shall consult 
with appropriate professional societies, hospice and pallia-
tive care stakeholders, and relevant patient advocate orga-
nizations with respect to palliative care, psychosocial care, 
and complex chronic illness with respect to the following: 
‘‘(1) The planning and implementation of the 
dissemination of palliative care information under 
this section. 
‘‘(2) The development of information to be dis-
seminated under this section. 
‘‘(3) A definition of the term ‘serious or life- 
threatening illness’ for purposes of this section.’’. 
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SEC. 5. CLARIFICATION. 
None of the funds authorized under this Act (or an 
amendment made by this Act) may be used to provide, 
promote, or provide training with regard to any item or 
service for which Federal funding is unavailable under sec-
tion 3 of Public Law 105–12 (42 U.S.C. 14402). 
SEC. 6. ENHANCING NIH RESEARCH IN PALLIATIVE CARE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Part B of title IV of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 284 et seq.) is amended 
by adding at the end the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 409K. ENHANCING RESEARCH IN PALLIATIVE CARE. 
‘‘The Secretary, acting through the Director of the 
National Institutes of Health, shall develop and implement 
a strategy to be applied across the institutes and centers 
of the National Institutes of Health to expand and inten-
sify national research programs in palliative care in order 
to address the quality of care and quality of life for the 
rapidly growing population of patients in the United 
States with serious or life-threatening illnesses, including 
cancer; heart, kidney, liver, lung, and infectious diseases; 
as well as neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia, 
Parkinson’s disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.’’. 
(b) EXPANDING TRANS-NIH RESEARCH REPORTING 
TO INCLUDE PALLIATIVE CARE RESEARCH.—Section 
402A(c)(2)(B) of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 282a(c)(2)(B)) is amended by inserting ‘‘and, be-
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ginning January 1, 2020, for conducting or supporting re-
search with respect to palliative care’’ after ‘‘or national 
centers’’. 
Passed the House of Representatives October 28, 
2019. 
Attest: 
CHERYL L. JOHNSON, 
Clerk. 
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