Supply Chain Accountability Act of 2020

Bill: 116-hr-7999
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Beyer, Donald S., Jr. [D-VA-8]
Introduced: 2020-08-11
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Cardiovascular and respiratory health

Congressional oversight

Emergency medical services and trauma care

Government information and archives

Health facilities and institutions

Health information and medical records

Health personnel

Health technology, devices, supplies

Infectious and parasitic diseases

Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care

Medical tests and diagnostic methods

Nursing

Worker safety and health
Latest action: action_date: 2020-08-11
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-08-11
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Supply Chain Accountability Act of 2020</b></p> <p>This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to address shortages of personal protective equipment and delays in testing for COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) that are reported by health care providers, public health agencies, or&nbsp;certain nursing facilities.</p> <p>Specifically, HHS must implement a process to respond to these reports within 30 days and outline the actions being taken to resolve the shortages and delays. HHS must also provide&nbsp;its response to the congressional delegation that represents the district or districts from which the reports originated.</p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7999 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES August 11, 2020 Mr. Beyer introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to receive and respond to notifications of issues relating to the lack of personal protective equipment and COVID–19 testing.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Supply Chain Accountability Act of 2020 . 2. Directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to receive and respond to notifications of issues relating to the lack of personal protective equipment and COVID–19 testing (a) In general The Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as the Secretary ) shall establish and maintain, during the emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1320b–5(g)(1)(B) ), a process to receive and review the following: (1) Any notification from a health care provider that such provider is reusing personal protective equipment at a facility due to a shortage of such equipment. (2) Any notification from a local public health agency or health care provider that such agency or provider is unable, with respect to individuals seeking a COVID–19 diagnostic test, to furnish such tests to all such individuals. (3) Any notification from a skilled nursing facility or nursing facility (as such terms are defined in sections 1819 and 1919, respectively, of titles XVIII and XIX, respectively, of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395i–3 , 42 U.S.C. 1396r )) that such skilled nursing facility or nursing facility is unable to test all employees for COVID–19 at least 2 times per week. (4) Any notification from a State or local public health agency that the average time between furnishing a COVID–19 diagnostic test to an individual and reporting the results to such individual in the area in which such agency exercises jurisdiction exceeds 3 days from the date such test was so furnished. (b) Required response The Secretary shall, with respect to each notification received under subsection (a), submit to the health care provider, local public health agency, or skilled nursing facility or nursing facility that submitted such notification, and to the specified congressional representatives (as defined in subsection (c)) with respect to such notification, not later than 30 days after receiving such notification, a written response that, in the case of a response to a notification described in— (1) subsection (a)(1), includes a specification of actions the Secretary is taking to provide personal protective equipment to the facility identified by the health care provider submitting such notification; (2) subsection (a)(2), includes a specification of actions the Secretary is taking to make additional COVID–19 diagnostic tests available to the local public health agency or health care provider submitting such notification; (3) subsection (a)(3), includes a specification of actions the Secretary is taking to support COVID–19 diagnostic testing at the skilled nursing facility or nursing facility submitting such notification; and (4) subsection (a)(4), includes a specification of actions the Secretary is taking to reduce the time described in such subsection. (c) Definition For purposes of subsection (b), the term specified congressional representatives means, with respect to a notification described in subsection (a), both Members of the Senate representing the State, and all Members of the House of Representatives representing the district (or districts), where, in the case of a notification— (1) described in subsection (a)(1), the facility identified by the health care provider submitting such notification is located; (2) described in subsection (a)(2), the State or local public health agency submitting such notification exercises jurisdiction or where the health care provider practices (as identified by the provider); (3) described in subsection (a)(3), where the State or local public health agency submitting such notification exercises jurisdiction; or (4) described in subsection (a)(4), where the skilled nursing facility or nursing facility submitting such notification is located.