I 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4819 
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 
MARCH 21, 2016 
Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee (for himself, Mr. ROE of Tennessee, Mr. 
FLEISCHMANN, and Mr. DESJARLAIS) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition 
to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently 
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provi-
sions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
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-
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sionals In Every Rural and impoverished area Act of 
2016’’ or the ‘‘HEALTHIER Act of 2016’’. 
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 
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(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 
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. 
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(2) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means any of 
the 50 States and the District of Columbia, the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States 
Virgin Islands, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, 
and American Samoa. 
(e) FUNDING FROM CONTINGENCY FUND FOR STATE 
WELFARE PROGRAMS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There is transferred, from 
amounts appropriated to the Contingency Fund for 
State Welfare Programs under section 403(b) of the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 603(b)) for fiscal 
year 2017, $56,000,000 to the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services for the purposes of carrying 
out the grant program established under subsection 
(a). Such funds shall remain available for such pur-
poses through fiscal year 2018. Of the funds trans-
ferred under this paragraph, any amount that has 
not been obligated by September 30, 2018, shall be 
restored to the Contingency Fund for State Welfare 
Programs. 
(2) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 
403(b)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
603(b)(2)) is amended by inserting ‘‘, subject to sec-
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