Title: CARING for Social Determinants Act of 2021
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Collecting and Analyzing Resources Integral and Necessary for Guidance for Social Determinants Act of 2021 or the CARING for Social Determinants Act of 2021
This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to periodically update guidance to help states address social determinants of health (e.g., socioeconomic factors) under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3894 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3894

  To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue and 
disseminate guidance to States to clarify strategies to address social 
 determinants of health under the Medicaid program and the Children's 
           Health Insurance Program, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 15, 2021

  Ms. Blunt Rochester (for herself and Mr. Bilirakis) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                                Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue and 
disseminate guidance to States to clarify strategies to address social 
 determinants of health under the Medicaid program and the Children's 
           Health Insurance 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 ``Collecting and Analyzing Resources 
Integral and Necessary for Guidance for Social Determinants Act of 
2021'' or the ``CARING for Social Determinants Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Social determinants of health are the conditions in 
        which people are born, grow, live, play, work and age; they 
        include factors like socioeconomic status, education, housing, 
        transportation, nutrition and literacy.
            (2) Research has shown that addressing social determinants 
        of health is important for improving overall health and 
        reducing health inequities.
            (3) Social determinants that negatively impact health can 
        have harmful neurodevelopmental and biological consequences 
        that develop in childhood and manifest in adulthood.
            (4) There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that 
        policies that specifically address social needs, including 
        policies targeting children and families, can improve community 
        health outcomes and have the potential to reduce health care 
        spending.
            (5) Some State Medicaid programs have begun testing 
        innovative delivery and payment models designed to improve 
        health outcomes and reduce costs by implementing strategies to 
        address social determinants of health under existing Medicaid 
        authorities as well as through the use of waivers, though 
        payment incentives linked to social determinant of health are 
        not common.
            (6) Despite a growing focus on social determinants of 
        health in State managed care contracts, most States do not 
        provide necessary guidance for managed care organizations as to 
        how they may use existing authority under Federal law to 
        provide patients with services that can improve health by 
        addressing social determinants.
            (7) Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services guidance and 
        technical assistance are critical tools that could increase 
        adoption of strategies to address social determinants of health 
        among State Medicaid agencies.
    (b) Purposes.--It is the purpose of this Act to provide States with 
additional operational clarity and examples of the strategies they can 
leverage through existing authority and waivers to address social 
determinants of health for the Medicaid population.

SEC. 3. REQUIREMENT TO ISSUE GUIDANCE TO CLARIFY STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS 
              SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH IN THE MEDICAID PROGRAM AND 
              THE CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM.

    Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
and not less frequently than once every 3 years thereafter, the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services shall update guidance to States 
to clarify strategies to address social determinants of health under 
the Medicaid program and the Children's Health Insurance Program. Such 
update shall include the following:
            (1) Guidance and technical assistance to State Medicaid 
        agencies regarding the strategies that States can implement 
        under existing authorities under title XI, XIX, or XXI of the 
        Social Security Act, or through waivers, to address social 
        determinants of health in the provision of health care, 
        including strategies specifically targeting the pediatric 
        population.
            (2) Guidance and technical assistance on how States can 
        encourage and incentivize managed care organizations to address 
        social determinants of health through contracts with such 
        organizations.
            (3) A updated compendium of examples from States with 
        respect to how States are currently addressing social 
        determinants of health in the provision of health care under 
        the Medicaid program and the Children's Health Insurance 
        Program, including through payment models.
            (4) Such guidance and compendium shall be updated at least 
        every 3 years after the initial update.
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