Title: National Institute for Research on Safety and Quality Act
Policy area: Health

Summary:
National Institute for Research on Safety and Quality Act
This bill establishes the National Institute for Research on Safety and Quality within the National Institutes of Health and transfers the authorities, duties, obligations, and related legal and administrative functions of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to that institute. In addition, the new institute must promote health care quality improvement and conduct research and demonstration projects focused on (1) the delivery of health care in inner cities and rural and frontier areas, and (2) health care for priority populations such as low-income groups and the elderly.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5295 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 5295

  To consolidate activities of the Agency for Healthcare Research and 
    Quality into the National Institutes of Health as the National 
 Institute for Research on Safety and Quality, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 4, 2019

 Mr. Meadows introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To consolidate activities of the Agency for Healthcare Research and 
    Quality into the National Institutes of Health as the National 
 Institute for Research on Safety and Quality, 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 ``National Institute for Research on 
Safety and Quality Act''.

SEC. 2. CONSOLIDATING ACTIVITIES OF AGENCY FOR HEALTHCARE RESEARCH AND 
              QUALITY INTO NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH ON SAFETY 
              AND QUALITY.

    (a) Establishment of Institute.--
            (1) Inclusion within nih.--Section 401(b) of the Public 
        Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 281(b)) is amended--
                    (A) by redesignating paragraph (25) as paragraph 
                (26); and
                    (B) by inserting after paragraph (24) the 
                following:
            ``(25) National Institute for Research on Safety and 
        Quality.''.
            (2) Increase of cap on number of institutes.--Section 
        401(d)(1) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
        281(d)(1)) is amended by striking ``27'' and inserting ``28''.
            (3) Establishment.--Part C of title IV of the Public Health 
        Service Act (42 U.S.C. 285 et seq.) is amended by adding at the 
        end the following:

  ``Subpart 21--National Institute for Research on Safety and Quality

``SEC. 464AA-1. PURPOSE OF INSTITUTE.

    ``The general purpose of the National Institute for Research on 
Safety and Quality (hereafter in this subpart referred to as the 
`Institute') is to enhance the quality, appropriateness, and 
effectiveness of health services, and access to such services, through 
the establishment of a broad base of scientific research and through 
the promotion of improvements in clinical and health system practices, 
including the prevention of diseases and other health conditions.

``SEC. 464AA-2. PROMOTING HEALTH CARE QUALITY IMPROVEMENT.

    ``The Director of the Institute shall promote health care quality 
improvement by conducting and supporting--
            ``(1) research that develops and presents scientific 
        evidence regarding all aspects of health care, including--
                    ``(A) the development and assessment of methods for 
                enhancing patient participation in their own care and 
                for facilitating shared patient-physician decision 
                making;
                    ``(B) the outcomes, effectiveness, and cost-
                effectiveness of health care practices, including 
                preventive measures and long-term care;
                    ``(C) existing and innovative technologies;
                    ``(D) the costs and utilization of, and access to 
                health care;
                    ``(E) the ways in which health care services are 
                organized, delivered, and financed and the interaction 
                and impact of these factors on the quality of patient 
                care;
                    ``(F) methods for measuring quality and strategies 
                for improving quality; and
                    ``(G) ways in which patients, consumers, 
                purchasers, and practitioners acquire new information 
                about best practices and health benefits, the 
                determinants and impact of their use of this 
                information;
            ``(2) the synthesis and dissemination of available 
        scientific evidence for use by patients, consumers, 
        practitioners, providers, purchasers, policy makers, and 
        educators; and
            ``(3) initiatives to advance private and public efforts to 
        improve health care quality.

``SEC. 464AA-3. REQUIREMENTS WITH RESPECT TO RURAL AND INNER-CITY AREAS 
              AND PRIORITY POPULATIONS.

    ``(a) Research, Evaluations, and Demonstration Projects.--In 
carrying out this subpart, the Director of the Institute shall conduct 
and support research and evaluations, and support demonstration 
projects, with respect to--
            ``(1) the delivery of health care in inner-city areas, and 
        in rural areas (including frontier areas); and
            ``(2) health care for priority populations, which shall 
        include--
                    ``(A) low-income groups;
                    ``(B) minority groups;
                    ``(C) women;
                    ``(D) children;
                    ``(E) the elderly; and
                    ``(F) individuals with special health care needs, 
                including individuals with disabilities and individuals 
                who need chronic care or end-of-life health care.
    ``(b) Process To Ensure Appropriate Research.--The Director of the 
Institute shall establish a process to ensure that the requirements of 
subsection (a) are reflected in the overall portfolio of research 
conducted and supported by the Director of National Institutes of 
Health.''.
    (b) Transfer of Authority.--
            (1) In general.--Not later October 1, 2020, the Secretary 
        of Health and Human Services shall begin to transfer to the 
        National Institute for Research on Safety and Quality the 
        authorities (including all budget authorities, available 
        appropriations, and personnel), duties, obligations, and 
        related legal and administrative functions prescribed by law or 
        otherwise granted to the Agency for Healthcare Research and 
        Quality under title IX of the Public Health Service Act (42 
        U.S.C. 299 et seq.). The Secretary shall complete such transfer 
        not later than October 1, 2021.
            (2) Conforming repeal.--Effective on October 1, 2021, title 
        IX of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 299 et seq.) is 
        repealed.
            (3) References.--Any reference to the Agency for Healthcare 
        Research and Quality in any law, rule, regulation, certificate, 
        directive, instruction, or other official paper in force on the 
        date of enactment of this Act shall be considered to refer and 
        apply to the National Institute for Research on Safety and 
        Quality. 
            (4) Authorization of appropriations.--Of the amount 
        authorized to be appropriated under subparagraph (F) of section 
        402A(a)(1) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
        282(a)(1)) for fiscal year 2020, the Secretary may use 
        $256,000,000 to carry out this subsection.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take 
effect on October 1, 2019.
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