Rural Health Equity Act

Bill: 117-s-3149
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
Introduced: 2021-11-03
Policy area: Health
Latest action: action_date: 2021-11-03
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-11-03
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Rural Health Equity Act</strong></p> <p>This bill establishes within the Office of the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the Office of Rural Health. The office must serve as the primary point of contact within the CDC on rural health matters, coordinate public health research on issues affecting rural populations, and carry out related activities.</p>

tv_txt: II 117th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 3149 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES November 3, 2021 Mr. Merkley (for himself and Ms. Smith ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish within the Office of the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the Office of Rural Health, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Rural Health Equity Act . 2. CDC Office of Rural Health (a) In general The Secretary shall establish within the Office of the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention an office to be known as the Office of Rural Health , to be headed by a director appointed by the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (b) Duties The Director of the Office shall— (1) serve as the primary point of contact in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on matters pertaining to rural health; (2) assist the Secretary in conducting, coordinating, and promoting research regarding public health issues affecting rural populations, and in disseminating the results of such research; (3) work with all personnel and offices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to develop, refine, coordinate, and promulgate policies, best practices, lessons learned, and innovative, successful programs to improve care, services, and social determinants of health for populations who reside in rural areas of the United States; (4) coordinate and support rural health research, conduct and support educational outreach, and disseminate evidence-based interventions related to health outcomes, access to health care, and lifestyle challenges, to prevent death, disease, injury, and disability, and promote healthy behaviors, in rural populations, including rural minority and LGBTQ populations; (5) improve the understanding of the challenges faced by rural populations; (6) identify disparities in the availability of health care and public health interventions for populations living in rural areas; (7) administer grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts to provide technical assistance and other activities as necessary to support activities related to improving health and health care in rural areas; and (8) perform such other functions and duties as the Secretary determines appropriate. (c) Definitions In this section: (1) The term Office , except as otherwise specified, means the Office of Rural Health established pursuant to subsection (a). (2) The term Secretary means the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (d) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2022 and each subsequent fiscal year.