PrEP Assistance Program Act
Bill: H.R.5605 | Sponsor: Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie (D-NJ)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
PrEP Assistance Program Act
This bill establishes a grant program to provide pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and related services to individuals at no cost. PrEP is medication given to individuals at risk of HIV to reduce their likelihood of contracting the virus.
The Department of Health and Human Services must award the grants to state, tribal, and local governments; certain health clinics; and community-based organizations.

To establish a grant program that provides grants to States, Indian 
 Tribal governments, Federally qualified health centers, rural health 
   clinics, local governments, and community-based organizations to 
      establish and support PrEP programs, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``PrEP Assistance Program Act''.

SEC. 2. PRE-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS PROGRAM GRANT.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall establish 
a program that provides grants to States, Indian Tribal governments, 
Federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics, local 
governments, and community-based organizations to establish and support 
PrEP programs.
    (b) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
subsection (a), a State, Indian Tribal government, Federally qualified 
health center, rural health clinic, local government, or community-
based organization shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 
may require, including a description of how any amounts awarded shall 
be used.
    (c) Amount.--Any grant provided to a State, Indian Tribal 
government, Federally qualified health center, rural health clinic, 
local government, or community-based organization under this section 
may not exceed $10,000,000.
    (d) Use of Funds.--
            (1) In general.--Any State, Indian Tribal government, 
        Federally qualified health center, rural health clinic, local 
        government, or community-based organization that is awarded an 
        amount under subsection (a) shall use such amount for expenses 
        associated with establishing a PrEP program or supporting an 
        existing PrEP program.
            (2) Eligible expenses.--The Secretary shall publish a list 
        of eligible expenses associated with establishing a PrEP 
        program or supporting an existing PrEP program and this list 
        shall include--
                    (A) clinic and laboratory fees;
                    (B) office visits;
                    (C) PrEP medication;
                    (D) blood and urine testing as required in 
                association with the use of PrEP medication;
                    (E) sexually transmitted disease testing in 
                accordance with guidelines issued by the Centers for 
                Disease Control and Prevention;
                    (F) adherence services and counseling;
                    (G) outreach activities directed toward assisting 
                health professionals to become eligible to prescribe 
                pre-exposure prophylaxis medications in the State or 
                Indian Tribal government where the program is 
                operating;
                    (H) outreach activities directed toward physicians 
                that provide education about PrEP; and
                    (I) other similar items or services.
    (e) Payment for Services.--An individual that receives a service or 
item from a PreP program established or supported using amounts under 
this section may not be required to provide payment for such service or 
item.
    (f) Matching.--
            (1) In general.--Except with respect to an Indian Tribal 
        government, a grantee under this section shall contribute, to 
        the PrEP program established or supported by the grant, an 
        amount equal to not less than 10 percent of the amount of the 
        grant.
            (2) Exception.--The Secretary may waive the requirement 
        under paragraph (1) for Federally qualified health centers, 
        rural health clinics, and community-based organizations if the 
        Secretary determines such a waiver is necessary.
    (g) Report to Congress.--The Secretary shall, in each of the first 
5 years beginning 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
submit to Congress, and make public on the Internet website of the 
Department of Health and Human Services, a report on the impact of 
grants provided to States, Indian Tribal governments, Federally 
qualified health centers, rural health clinics, local governments, and 
community-based organizations under this Act.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this Act $400,000,000 for each of the first 5 
fiscal years beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.
    (i) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Community-based organization.--The term ``community-
        based organization'' means a nonprofit or private organization 
        that--
                    (A) represents a community or significant segments 
                of a community;
                    (B) provides health care or health-related services 
                to high-risk or high-need individuals in a community; 
                and
                    (C) demonstrates effectiveness with respect to such 
                health care or health-related services.
            (2) Federally qualified health center.--The term 
        ``Federally qualified health center'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 1861(aa) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
        1395x(aa)).
            (3) Indian tribal government.--The term ``Indian Tribal 
        government'' means the governing body of any Indian or Alaska 
        Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or community that 
        the Secretary of the Interior acknowledges to exist as an 
        Indian tribe under the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List 
        Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 479a et seq.).
            (4) PrEP program.--The term ``PrEP program'' means a 
        program designed to provide pre-exposure prophylaxis and pre-
        exposure prophylaxis- related services to individuals.
            (5) Pre-exposure prophylaxis.--The term ``pre-exposure 
        prophylaxis'' means any medication approved by the Federal Drug 
        Administration and designed to prevent individuals at risk of 
        contracting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from contracting 
        human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
            (6) Rural health clinic.--The term ``rural health clinic'' 
        has the meaning give such term in section 1861(aa) of the 
        Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa)).
            (7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Health and Human Services.
            (8) State.--The term ``State'' means each State of the 
        United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the 
        Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of 
        the Northern Mariana Islands.
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