TRIAGE Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.5248 | Sponsor: Rep. Crow, Jason (D-CO)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Temporary Responders for Immediate Aid in Grave Emergencies Act of 2021 or the TRIAGE Act of 2021
This bill provides statutory authority for the Provider Bridge Program, a technology platform funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration to facilitate the provision of health care services via telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic and future public health emergencies.
The bill also authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to states for expediting the reactivation of expired licenses or the issuance of temporary authorizations for health care professionals who volunteer to provide services through the Provider Bridge Program.

To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Provider Bridge 
                    Program, 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 ``Temporary Responders for Immediate 
Aid in Grave Emergencies Act of 2021'' or the ``TRIAGE Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. PROVIDER BRIDGE PROGRAM.

    Title III of the Public Health Service Act is amended by inserting 
after section 330L of such Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-18) the following:

``SEC. 330L-1. PROVIDER BRIDGE PROGRAM.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Administrator 
of the Health Resources and Services Administration, shall maintain a 
program, to be known as the Provider Bridge Program--
            ``(1) to streamline the process for mobilizing health care 
        professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic and future public 
        health emergencies, including by utilizing communications 
        pathways and new technology; and
            ``(2) to connect health care professionals with State 
        agencies and health care entities in order to quickly increase 
        access to care for patients by means of telehealth.
    ``(b) Program Requirements.--The Provider Bridge Program shall be 
designed--
            ``(1) to ease the burden on health care professionals and 
        support license portability by--
                    ``(A) providing a directory of State and Federal 
                COVID-19 resources;
                    ``(B) offering a dedicated customer service hub to 
                help clinicians navigate State licensure requirements, 
                including those specific to telehealth, during states 
                of emergency;
                    ``(C) utilizing a technology platform to allow 
                health care professionals to register and voluntarily 
                submit their credentials and professional background 
                information that can be used to identify such 
                professionals as willing to treat patients by means of 
                telehealth in highly impacted areas; and
                    ``(D) producing official, digital documents of 
                licensure information for clinicians that are 
                recognized and accepted by licensing entities and other 
                State agencies during states of emergency; and
            ``(2) to make it easier for State agencies and health care 
        entities to connect with registered health care professionals 
        to expand workforce needs by providing access to a database of 
        information for verified, volunteer clinicians willing to 
        provide telehealth services during emergencies.
    ``(c) Reporting.--The Secretary shall submit reports to the 
Congress on the implementation of this section not later than the end 
of each of fiscal years 2023 and 2025.
    ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this section, 
there is authorized to be appropriated $1,250,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2022 through 2026.''.

SEC. 3. GRANT PROGRAM TO EXPEDITE REACTIVATION OF AN EXPIRED LICENSE OR 
              ISSUANCE OF A TEMPORARY AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE HEALTH CARE 
              SERVICES.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary may award grants to States for 
reactivating the expired licenses of, or issuing temporary 
authorization to, health care professionals to the extent necessary to 
allow such professionals to volunteer, and to assign such professionals 
as volunteers, pursuant to the Provider Bridge Program under section 
330L-1 of the Public Health Service Act, as added by section 2, during 
the public health emergency.
    (b) Use of Funds.--
            (1) Public health emergency.--During the public health 
        emergency, a State receiving a grant under this section may use 
        such funds to--
                    (A) expedite the reactivation of a health care 
                professional's license, or issuance of a temporary 
                authorization, including--
                            (i) a criminal record history check and 
                        similar vetting as required under State law for 
                        each volunteer;
                            (ii) covering the cost of reactivation of 
                        the license or issuance of a temporary 
                        authorization;
                            (iii) hiring additional staff;
                            (iv) providing appropriate refresher 
                        training; and
                            (v) any other logistical, administrative, 
                        or material costs that may arise; and
                    (B) implement a process to assign a health care 
                professional to a hospital, a health care clinic, or 
                any other health care facility within the State.
            (2) Termination of public health emergency.--If a State 
        receiving a grant under this section has grant funds remaining 
        at the end of the public health emergency, the State may use 
        such funds, during the 6-month period following such emergency, 
        for restoring health care system readiness and procuring 
        infectious disease personal protective equipment.
    (c) Reactivated License.--
            (1) In general.--As a condition on receipt of a grant under 
        this section, a State shall require a health care professional 
        whose license is reactivated pursuant to the grant to perform 
        health care services under the guidance of a health care 
        professional with an active license and in good standing on the 
        date of the enactment of this Act.
            (2) Restriction.--As a condition on receipt of a grant 
        under this section, a State may not use a grant under this 
        section to reactivate a license of an unlicensed health care 
        professional if--
                    (A) the unlicensed health care professional was not 
                in good standing with a State licensing board when the 
                license expired; or
                    (B) the unlicensed health care professional has 
                been convicted of a crime that would limit their 
                ability to provide health care services.
    (d) Grant Amount.--The amount of a grant under this section shall 
be proportionate to the population of the State receiving the grant 
relative to the total population of all States receiving grants under 
this section.
    (e) Period of the Grant.--The period of a grant under this section 
shall end at the end of the public health emergency.
    (f) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this 
section, a State shall submit to the Secretary an application in such 
form, and containing such information, as the Secretary may require.
    (g) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this Act may be construed to 
require a State to continue in effect a license or temporary 
authorization beyond the public health emergency.
    (h) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``health care professional'' means an 
        individual who is licensed, registered, or certified under 
        Federal or State law to provide health care services and is not 
        affirmatively excluded from practice in the licensing, 
        registering, or certifying jurisdiction or in another 
        jurisdiction.
            (2) The term ``health care services'' means any services 
        provided by a health care professional, or by any individual 
        working under the supervision of a health care professional, 
        that relate to the assessment or care of the health of a human 
        being, including the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of 
        COVID-19.
            (3) The term ``license'' includes a license, registration, 
        or certification, as defined by the State of licensure, 
        registration, or certification to provide health care services.
            (4) The term ``public health emergency'' means the public 
        health emergency declared by the Secretary pursuant to section 
        319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d) on 
        January 31, 2020, with respect to COVID-19, including 
        extensions thereof.
            (5) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Health 
        and Human Services.
            (6) The term ``State'' has the meaning given the term in 
        section 311 of title 5, United States Code.
            (7) The term ``temporary authorization'' means a temporary 
        license, permit, or other mechanism to provide health care 
        services as defined by the State issuing such authorization.
            (8) The term ``unlicensed health care professional'' means 
        a health care professional with an expired license.
            (9)(A) The term ``volunteer'' means a health care 
        professional who, with respect to the health care services 
        rendered, does not receive compensation or any other thing of 
        value in lieu of compensation.
            (B) In this paragraph the term ``compensation''--
                    (i) includes a payment under any insurance policy 
                or health plan, or under any Federal or State health 
                benefits program; and
                    (ii) excludes--
                            (I) receipt of items to be used exclusively 
                        for rendering health care services; and
                            (II) excludes any direct payment or 
                        something of value from a State, hospital, or 
                        any other donation, including reimbursement for 
                        travel, lodging, and per diem in lieu of 
                        subsistence.
    (i) Authorization of Appropriation.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $10,000,000 to carry out this section.
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