PrEP Assistance Program Act

Bill: 117-hr-5605
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12]
Introduced: 2021-10-15
Policy area: Health
Latest action: action_date: 2021-10-18
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-10-15
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>PrEP Assistance Program Act</strong></p> <p>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.</p> <p>The Department of Health and Human Services must award the grants to state, tribal, and local governments; certain health clinics; and community-based organizations.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5605 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 15, 2021 Mrs. Watson Coleman (for herself, Ms. Lee of California , Mr. Jones , Mr. Schiff , Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York , Mr. Raskin , Mr. Cohen , Ms. Garcia of Texas , Mr. Takano , Mr. Cicilline , Mr. Stanton , Ms. Moore of Wisconsin , Ms. Williams of Georgia , Ms. Porter , Ms. Scanlon , Mr. Tonko , Mr. Welch , Mr. Higgins of New York , Ms. Norton , Mr. Johnson of Georgia , Ms. Bass , Ms. Lois Frankel of Florida , Mr. Pocan , Ms. Kuster , Mr. Espaillat , Mr. Meeks , Ms. Tlaib , Ms. Strickland , Mr. Pappas , and Ms. Velázquez ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL 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.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the PrEP Assistance Program Act . 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.