Source: http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title42-section1395aaa&num=0&edition=prelim
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 01:56:55+00:00

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For purposes of activities conducted under this chapter, the Secretary shall identify and have in effect a contract with a consensus-based entity, such as the National Quality Forum, that meets the requirements described in subsection (c). Such contract shall provide that the entity will perform the duties described in subsection (b).
As soon as practicable after July 15, 2008, the Secretary shall enter into the first contract under paragraph (1).
A contract under paragraph (1) shall be for a period of 4 years (except as may be renewed after a subsequent bidding process).
Competitive procedures (as defined in section 132 of title 41) shall be used to enter into a contract under paragraph (1).
(iii) address the continuum of care a patient receives, including services furnished by multiple health care providers or practitioners and across multiple settings.
(B) is consistent across types of health care providers, including hospitals and physicians.
The entity shall establish and implement a process to ensure that measures endorsed under paragraph (2) are updated (or retired if obsolete) as new evidence is developed.
(VI) the matters described in clauses (i) and (ii) of paragraph (7)(A).
(III) a breakdown of the amount awarded per contracted task order and the specific projects funded in each task order assigned to the entity.
(II) information on external stakeholder participation in the duties of the entity under this section (including complete rosters for all committees, work groups, task forces, and advisory panels funded through government contracts, descriptions of relevant interests and any conflicts of interest for members of all committees, work groups, task forces, and advisory panels, and the total percentage by health care sector of all convened committees, work groups, task forces, and advisory panels.
(ii) publish such report in the Federal Register, together with any comments of the Secretary on such report.
The entity shall provide for the review and, as appropriate, the endorsement of the episode grouper developed by the Secretary under section 1395w–4(n)(9)(A) of this title. Such review shall be conducted on an expedited basis.
(ii) national priorities (as identified under section 280j of this title) for improvement in population health and in the delivery of health care services for consideration under the national strategy established under section 280j of this title.
(III) for use in health care programs other than for use under this chapter.
Data sets (such as the outcome and assessment information set for home health services and the minimum data set for skilled nursing facility services) that are used for purposes of classification systems used in establishing payment rates under this subchapter shall not be quality and efficiency measures described in this subparagraph.
In convening multi-stakeholder groups under subparagraph (A) with respect to the selection of quality and efficiency measures, the entity shall provide for an open and transparent process for the activities conducted pursuant to such convening.
The process described in clause (i) shall ensure that the selection of representatives comprising such groups provides for public nominations for, and the opportunity for public comment on, such selection.
In this paragraph, the term "multi-stakeholder group" means, with respect to a quality and efficiency measure, a voluntary collaborative of organizations representing a broad group of stakeholders interested in or affected by the use of such quality and efficiency measure.
Not later than February 1 of each year (beginning with 2012), the entity shall transmit to the Secretary the input of multi-stakeholder groups provided under paragraph (7).
The entity is a private nonprofit entity governed by a board.
(C) representatives of purchasers and employers or representatives of groups representing purchasers or employers.
(D) health care quality and safety issues.
With respect to matters related to the contract with the Secretary under subsection (a), the entity conducts its business in an open and transparent manner and provides the opportunity for public comment on its activities.
The entity operates as a voluntary consensus standards setting organization as defined for purposes of section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (Public Law 104–113) and Office of Management and Budget Revised Circular A–119 (published in the Federal Register on February 10, 1998).
The entity has at least 4 years of experience in establishing national consensus standards.
If the entity requires a membership fee for participation in the functions of the entity, such fees shall be reasonable and adjusted based on the capacity of the potential member to pay the fee. In no case shall membership fees pose a barrier to the participation of individuals or groups with low or nominal resources to participate in the functions of the entity.
(1) For purposes of carrying out this section, the Secretary shall provide for the transfer, from the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund under section 1395i of this title and the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund under section 1395t of this title (in such proportion as the Secretary determines appropriate), of $10,000,000 to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Program Management Account for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2013. Amounts transferred under the preceding sentence shall remain available until expended.
(2) For purposes of carrying out this section and section 1395aaa–1 of this title (other than subsections (e) and (f)), the Secretary shall provide for the transfer, from the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund under section 1395i of this title and the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund under section 1395t of this title, in such proportion as the Secretary determines appropriate, to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Program Management Account of $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2014, $30,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2015 through 2017, and $7,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 and 2019. Amounts transferred under the preceding sentence shall remain available until expended. Amounts transferred for each of fiscal years 2018 and 2019 shall be in addition to any unobligated funds transferred for a preceding fiscal year that are available under the preceding sentence.
(1) A comprehensive plan that identifies the quality measurement needs of programs and initiatives of the Secretary and provides a strategy for using the entity with a contract under subsection (a) and any other entity the Secretary has contracted with or may contract with to perform work associated with section 1395aaa–1 of this title to help meet those needs, specifically with respect to the programs under this subchapter and subchapter XIX. In years after the first plan under this paragraph is submitted, the requirements of this paragraph may be met by providing an update to the plan.
(2) The amount of funding provided under subsection (d) for purposes of carrying out this section and section 1395aaa–1 of this title that has been obligated by the Secretary, the amount of funding provided that has been expended, and the amount of funding provided that remains unobligated.
(3) With respect to the activities described under this section or section 1395aaa–1 of this title, a description of how the funds described in paragraph (2) have been obligated or expended, including how much of that funding has been obligated or expended for work performed by the Secretary, the entity with a contract under subsection (a), and any other entity the Secretary has contracted with to perform work.
(4) A description of the activities for which the funds described in paragraph (2) were used, including task orders and activities assigned to the entity with a contract under subsection (a), activities performed by the Secretary, and task orders and activities assigned to any other entity the Secretary has contracted with to perform work related to carrying out section 1395aaa–1 of this title.
(5) The amount of funding described in paragraph (2) that has been obligated or expended for each of the activities described in paragraph (4).
(6) Estimates for, and descriptions of, obligations and expenditures that the Secretary anticipates will be needed in the succeeding two year period to carry out each of the quality measurement activities required under this section and section 1395aaa–1 of this title, including any obligations that will require funds to be expended in a future year.
For applicability of subsec. (b)(5)(A) of this section as amended by section 50206(c)(1) of Pub. L. 115–123, see Effective Date of 2018 Amendment note below.
Clause (iii) of section 1395rr(h)(2)(A) of this title, referred to in subsec. (b)(7)(B)(i)(I), was redesignated clause (iv) by Pub. L. 113–93, title II, §217(d)(1)(B), Apr. 1, 2014, 128 Stat. 1062 .
Section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995, referred to in subsec. (c)(5), is section 12(d) of Pub. L. 104–113, which is set out as a note under section 272 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade.
In subsec. (a)(4), "section 132 of title 41" substituted for "section 4(5) of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act (41 U.S.C. 403(5))" on authority of Pub. L. 111–350, §6(c), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3854 , which Act enacted Title 41, Public Contracts.
A prior section 1395aaa, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title XVIII, §1890, as added Aug. 18, 1987, Pub. L. 100–93, §10, 101 Stat. 696 , which related to limitation of liability of beneficiaries with respect to services furnished by excluded individuals and entities, was amended and transferred to section 1862(e)(2) of act Aug. 14, 1935, by Pub. L. 100–360, title IV, §411(i)(4)(D)(ii), July 1, 1988, 102 Stat. 790 , as amended by Pub. L. 100–485, title VI, §608(d)(24)(C)(ii), Oct. 13, 1988, 102 Stat. 2421 , and is classified to section 1395y(e)(2) of this title.
2018-Subsec. (b)(5)(A). Pub. L. 115–123, §50206(c)(1), substituted "containing the following:" for "containing a description of-" in introductory provisions, inserted "(i) A description of-", redesignated former cls. (i) to (vi) as subcls. (I) to (VI), respectively, of cl. (i), and added cls. (ii) and (iii).
Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 115–123, §50206(a), substituted "2014," for "2014 and" and inserted ", and $7,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 and 2019" after "through 2017" and "Amounts transferred for each of fiscal years 2018 and 2019 shall be in addition to any unobligated funds transferred for a preceding fiscal year that are available under the preceding sentence." after "until expended."
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 115–123, §50206(b), added subsec. (e).
2015-Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 114–10 substituted "and $30,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2015 through 2017" for "and $15,000,000 for the first 6 months of fiscal year 2015".
2014-Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 113–93 designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).
2013-Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 112–240, §609(a)(2), struck out par. (4). Text read as follows: "The entity shall promote the development and use of electronic health records that contain the functionality for automated collection, aggregation, and transmission of performance measurement information."
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 113–67 inserted at end "Amounts transferred under the preceding sentence shall remain available until expended."
Pub. L. 112–240, §609(a)(1), substituted "fiscal years 2009 through 2013" for "fiscal years 2009 through 2012".
2010-Subsec. (b)(5)(A)(iv) to (vi). Pub. L. 111–148, §3014(a)(2), added cls. (iv) to (vi).
Subsec. (b)(6). Pub. L. 111–148, §3003(b), added par. (6).
Subsec. (b)(7). Pub. L. 111–148, §10304, substituted "quality and efficiency" for "quality" wherever appearing in text.
Pub. L. 111–148, §3014(a)(1), added par. (7).
Subsec. (b)(7)(B). Pub. L. 111–148, §10304, which directed substitution of "quality and efficiency" for "quality" wherever appearing, was executed by substituting "Quality and efficiency" for "Quality" in subpar. heading to reflect the probable intent of Congress.
Subsec. (b)(7)(B)(i)(I). Pub. L. 111–148, §10322(b), inserted "1395ww(s)(4)(D)," after "1395ww(o)(2),".
Subsec. (b)(8). Pub. L. 111–148, §3014(a)(1), added par. (8).
Pub. L. 115–123, div. E, title II, §50206(c)(2), Feb. 9, 2018, 132 Stat. 185 , provided that: "The amendments made by this subsection [amending this section] shall apply to reports submitted for years beginning with 2019."
1 See Amendment of Subsection (b)(5)(A) note below.

References: §217
 §6
 §1890
 §10
 §411
 §608
 §50206
 §50206
 §50206
 §609
 §609
 §3014
 §3003
 §10304
 §3014
 §10304
 §10322
 §3014
 §50206