lcalvobartolome/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Health
Date: 2013-04-16 00:00:00

National Nursing Shortage Reform and Patient Advocacy Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to require hospitals to implement a staffing plan that includes a minimum direct care registered nurse-to-patient ratio by unit, adjustments above the minimum ratio under appropriate circumstances, and compliance with minimum licensed practical nurse staffing requirements. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop a national acuity tool to establish nurse staffing requirements above minimum ratios.

Directs the Secretary to adjust Medicare payments to hospitals (including hospitals operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs [VA] and long-term care hospitals) to cover additional costs incurred in providing services to Medicare beneficiaries that are attributable to compliance with such ratios.

Gives a nurse the right to act as the patient's advocate, including by: (1) initiating action to improve health care or to change decisions or activities that are against the interests and wishes of the patient, and (2) giving the patient an opportunity to make an informed decision about health care before it is provided.

Authorizes a nurse to refuse to accept an assignment if it would violate minimum ratios under this Act or if the nurse is not prepared by education, training, or experience to fulfill the assignment without compromising the safety of any patient or jeopardizing the nurse's license. Prohibits a hospital from: (1) taking specified actions against a nurse based on the nurse's refusal to accept an assignment for such a reason; or (2) discriminating against any patient, employee, or any other individual for good faith complaints or grievances relating to the care, services, or conditions of the hospital or of any affiliated or related facilities. Prohibits actions by hospitals to restrain such rights.

Makes conforming amendments to titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act as well as to requirements for the VA health benefits program.

Includes stipends in the nurse workforce loan repayment and scholarship program. Expands the nurse retention grant program to authorize programs to implement nurse preceptorship and mentorship projects.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2013-04-24 00:00:00

Treto Garza Far South Texas Veterans Inpatient Care Act of 2013 - Redesignates the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Center in Harlingen, Texas, as the "Treto Garza South Texas Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Center."

Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to: (1) ensure that such Center includes a full-service inpatient health care facility, (2) modify the existing facility to meet such requirement, and (3) include in the annual VA strategic capital investment plan a project to expand the Center's capabilities to provide increased inpatient capacity, an urgent care center, and a full range of services for women veterans.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Health
Date: 2013-04-25 00:00:00

Rural Hospital Access Act of 2013 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to extend through FY2014: (1) the Medicare-dependent hospital program, and (2) increased payments under the Medicare low-volume hospital program.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2013-05-07 00:00:00

Department of Veterans Affairs Disease Reporting and Oversight Act of 2013 - Requires the director of a Veterans Integrated Service Network, within 24 hours after confirming the presence of a notifiable infectious disease (any infectious disease that is either on a specified published list of nationally notifiable diseases or that is covered by a provision of law of a state that requires the reporting of infectious diseases) at a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facility under that director's jurisdiction, to notify: (1) the Central Office of the VA; (2) the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; (3) the state and county in which the facility is located; (4) each individual at the facility who has contracted the disease or is at risk of doing so, as well as the individual's next of kin, the individual's primary health care provider, and the county in which the individual resides; and (5) each VA employee of such facility. Requires such director to comply with any earlier notification required by the state concerned.

Requires such director to: (1) confirm receipt of such notification, (2) develop and implement an action plan to manage and control the potential spread of the disease, and (3) keep records of any such notifications for at least 10 years. Requires an annual report from the VA Inspector General to Congress on directors' compliance with the requirements of this Act. Provides for Inspector General enforcement and appropriate director disciplinary action with respect to such requirements.

Directs the Under Secretary for Health of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to issue a directive to the VHA's pathology team, infection prevention team, facilities management team, and other appropriate VHA groups on the actions to be taken when a notifiable infectious disease is discovered in a VHA facility.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Health
Date: 2013-05-15 00:00:00

Health Care Safety Net Enhancement Act of 2013 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to deem a hospital or an emergency department and a physician or physician group of such hospital or emergency department to be an employee of the Public Health Service for purposes of any civil action that may arise due to providing emergency and post-stabilization services on or after January 1, 2014.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Health
Date: 2013-06-11 00:00:00

Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality and Access Act of 2013 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require alignment of updates for ambulatory surgical center (ASC) services under a revised prospective payment system (PPS) with updates for hospital outpatient department (OPD) services.

Revises requirements for the reporting and applying of quality measure data by ASCs and hospital OPDs.

Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish an ASC value-based purchasing program under which each ASC that the Secretary determines meets (or exceeds) performance standards established, with respect to selected quality measures, for the performance period for a calendar year is eligible for shared savings in the form of a payment increase determined according to a specified formula.

Revises requirements for the composition of the expert outside advisory panel the Secretary is required to consult during the annual review of the clinical integrity of the groups and payment weights in the PPS for hospital OPD services. Requires the panel to include suppliers subject to the PPS as well as at least one ASC representative.

Requires the Secretary, when excluding from a final rule updating ASC lists a procedure whose inclusion was requested during the public comment period, to cite in the final rule specific criteria based on which the procedure was excluded. Requires the Secretary also to identify the peer reviewed research or the evidence upon which the exclusion is based if certain of those criteria are cited for it. Prohibits the Secretary from using or citing as a criterion or a basis for an exclusion that the procedure can only be reported using a Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) unlisted surgical procedure code.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2013-07-31 00:00:00

Rural Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2013 - Sets forth requirements for the first update of the Strategic Plan Refresh for Fiscal Years 2012 through 2014 after the enactment of this Act.

Requires the Director of the Office of Rural Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to prepare the update in consultation with the Director of the Health Care Retention and Recruitment Office, the Director of the Office of Quality and Performance, and the Director of the Office of Care Coordination Services of the Department.

Requires the update to include: (1) goals and objectives for the provision of health care in rural areas, including for recruiting and retaining health care personnel, ensuring timeliness and improving quality in the delivery of health care services through contract and fee-basis providers, implementing and enhancing the use of telemedicine services, ensuring the full and effective use of mobile outpatient clinics, and coordinating and sharing of resources among federal agencies; (2) procedures for soliciting from each Veterans Health Administration facility that serves a rural area a statement of the facility's clinical capacity, the facility's procedures in the event of an emergency outside the scope of such capacity, and the facility's procedures and mechanisms for the provision and coordination of health care for women veterans; and (3) modification of funding allocation mechanisms to ensure that the Office of Rural Health distributes funds to VA components to best achieve goals and objectives in a timely manner.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Health
Date: 2013-09-18 00:00:00

Behavioral Health Information Technology Act of 2013 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to include as a health care provider behavioral and mental health professionals, substance abuse professionals, psychiatric hospitals, certain community mental health centers (including one operated by a county behavioral health agency), and residential or outpatient mental health or substance abuse treatment facilities.

Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA), with respect to incentives for meaningful use of certified electronic health records (EHR) technology under the pay schedule for physician's services, to include as additional eligible professionals clinical psychologists providing qualified psychologist services and clinical social workers. Subjects any additional eligible professionals, including those under a MedicareAdvantage (MA) plan, to reductions in incentive payments after a certain date for failure to be a meaningful EHR user.

Amends SSA title XIX (Medicaid) to treat as Medicaid providers the following additional Medicaid providers: (1) public and certain private hospitals that are principally psychiatric hospitals, (2) certain community mental health centers, and (3) certain residential or outpatient mental health or substance abuse treatment facilities.

Makes eligible professionals under the Medicaid program certain clinical psychologists providing qualified psychologist services and certain clinical social workers.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Health
Date: 2013-09-26 00:00:00

DSH Reduction Relief Act of 2013 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to delay from FY2014 to FY2016 commencement of the period during which the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) is required to pay to any "subsection (d) hospital": (1) 25% of the amount of the disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payment that would otherwise be made to it for the fiscal year, plus (2) an additional payment amount according to a specified formula.

(Generally, a subsection [d] hospital is an acute care hospital, particularly one that receives payments under Medicare's inpatient prospective payment system [IPPS] when providing covered inpatient services to eligible beneficiaries.)

Amends SSA title XIX (Medicaid) to delay from the beginning of FY2014 until the beginning of FY2016 (and so eliminate for FY2014 and FY2015) aggregate reductions in DSH allotments for all states.

Maintains the FY2022 DSH allotment to states under Medicaid for FY2023, with an adjustment for inflation.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2013-11-07 00:00:00

Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2013 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to: (1) submit to Congress a plan to introduce pay-for-performance mechanisms into contracts which compensate Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) contractors for the provision of veterans' health care services through community-based outpatient clinics (clinics), (2) commence plan implementation within 60 days after submission, and (3) report semiannually to Congress on the feasibility and advisability of utilizing such mechanisms in the provision of VA health care services by means in addition to such clinics.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Health
Date: 2013-11-07 00:00:00

Healthcare Privacy and Anti-Fraud Act - Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to issue guidance (including concerning liability) to protect the privacy of individually identifiable information submitted to, or accessed by, health care exchange navigators.

Requires entities receiving grants under the navigator program to ensure that their employees undergo background checks, take an oath not to disclose individually identifiable information, and meet educational and licensure requirements comparable to those applicable to health insurance agents and brokers in the state.

Imposes criminal penalties for disclosure of individually identifiable information and misrepresentation as a navigator.

Directs the Secretary to annually make available a list of entities providing navigator services and a list of those determined to be ineligible or convicted of offenses described in this Act. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt individuals from the penalty for not maintaining minimum essential coverage for any month if the failure resulted from advice of a navigator or a person purporting to provide such services.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Health
Date: 2013-12-10 00:00:00

Fair Competition for Hospitals Act of 2013 - Requires the wage index applying to a certain kind of subsection (d) hospital under title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to be the highest wage index assigned to hospitals in the core-based statistical area in which the hospital is located (regardless of which state the hospital is located in) as a result of the requirement of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 that the area wage index applicable to any hospital which is not located in a rural area be not less than the area wage index applicable to hospitals located in rural areas in the state in which the hospital is located.

(Generally, a subsection [d] hospital is an acute care hospital, particularly one that receives payments under Medicare's inpatient prospective payment system [IPPS] when providing covered inpatient services to eligible beneficiaries.)

Limits the application of this Act to a subsection (d) hospital: (1) located in a core-based statistical area comprising counties from more than one state, but (2) not located in a core-based statistical area in which one or more hospitals are subject to a specified minimum wage index, and (3) not located in a core-based statistical area in which the highest wage index applies to hospitals covered by this Act under a state Medicare reimbursement system.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Health
Date: 2014-01-16 00:00:00

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), to continue to apply through calendar year 2014 the enforcement instruction on physician supervision requirements for outpatient therapeutic services in critical access and small rural hospitals, as extended in November 2012 for calendar year 2013 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (The instruction directs Medicare contractors not to evaluate or enforce such requirements until the policy on supervision of such services could be revisited.)
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2014-02-04 00:00:00

Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to enter into an enhanced-use lease for buildings 205 and 208 of the West Los Angeles Medical Center, California, for the provision of long-term therapeutic housing for homeless veterans who require assisted living or other similar forms of care. Exempts such buildings from a provision authorizing the Secretary to transfer property under an enhanced-use lease to the lessee.

Requires the Secretary to: (1) review such lease at least once during each two-year period in which it is in effect, including by assessing the leasing party and determining whether such lease should continue; and (2) submit a report.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Health
Date: 2014-02-06 00:00:00

Consumer Learning through Electronically-Accessible and Reasonable Cost Information Act of 2013 [sic] or CLEAR Cost Information Act of 2013 [sic] - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to require service providers, in order to be qualified to participate and receive Medicare payments under any agreement filed with the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), to report to the Secretary payment data on "subsection (d) hospitals."

(Generally, a subsection (d) hospital is an acute care hospital, particularly one that receives payments under Medicare's inpatient prospective payment system when providing covered inpatient services to eligible beneficiaries.)

Requires a subsection (d) hospital to submit to the Secretary data on the actual amounts it has collected from uninsured and insured patients over the preceding two years for each of the 50 most common diagnosis-related groups and ambulatory payment classification groups for which payment is made in both the inpatient and outpatient settings.

Requires each annual report submitted to Congress by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MEDPAC) to contain information on the percentage that charity care makes up of the total care furnished by hospitals and critical access hospitals.

Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to require the Secretary of the Treasury to post data on trends in the levels of charity care provided by certain hospitals on a publicly accessible and searchable website. Amends SSA title XVIII to require hospitals and critical access hospitals to include a link to such data on their home Internet websites.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Health
Date: 2014-02-10 00:00:00

Preventing Regulatory Overreach To Enhance Care Technology Act of 2014 or the PROTECT Act of 2014 - Expresses the sense of Congress concerning:

 interagency coordination to foster health information technology and mobile health innovation, development of legislation to establish a risk-based regulatory framework for clinical software and health software, oversight by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) of technical standards used by clinical software, and work by NIST on next steps regarding health information technology, such as collaborating with nongovernmental entities to develop certification processes and to promote best practice standards. Excepts clinical software and health software from regulation under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and excludes the terms from the meaning of "device."

Defines "clinical software" as clinical decision support software or other software intended for human or animal use that: (1) captures, analyzes, changes, or presents patient or population clinical data or information and may recommend courses of clinical action, but does not directly change the structure or any function of the body; and (2) is intended to be marketed for use only by a health care provider in a health care setting.

 Defines "health software" as software: (1) that captures, analyzes, changes, or presents patient or population clinical data or information; (2) that supports administrative or operational aspects of health care and is not used in the direct delivery of patient care; or (3) whose primary purpose is to act as a platform for a secondary software, to run or act as a mechanism for connectivity, or to store data.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2014-03-06 00:00:00

Veterans Health Care Access Received Closer to Home Act of 2014 - Expresses the sense of Congress in support of veteran-centric health care coordination between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and community providers, as well as cost-effective VA purchase of veterans' care from the private sector.

Amends the Veterans' Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act of 2008 to reauthorize a VA pilot program of contract care authority within specified Veterans Integrated Service Networks for the health care needs of veterans in highly rural areas who are enrolled in the VA annual patient enrollment system. Requires: (1) that medical appointments for veterans, under the pilot program, occur during the 30-day period beginning on the date that is 15 days after the appointment is requested, and (2) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to ensure that eligible veterans are informed of the program.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Health
Date: 2014-03-31 00:00:00

Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Extension Act of 2014 - Amends the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, as amended by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, to extend the rural community hospital demonstration program from five through 10 years.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2014-05-12 00:00:00

Requires the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to submit to Congress within 180 days after enactment of this Act a report on wait times for veterans seeking medical appointments and treatment from the VA, which shall include: (1) information on wait times throughout the United States, and (2) a determination by the Inspector General as to whether such wait times have been prolonged by VA employees without a valid medical or administrative reason.

Prohibits the VA Secretary from closing any VA medical facility, or from using any VA funds to prepare any environment impact statement related to such closure, before such report is submitted, or after the report is submitted if the Inspector General determines that wait times have been prolonged by VA employees without a valid reason, unless the Secretary certifies that such closure will not:

 increase the wait times for veterans in the catchment area of such medical facility; decrease the quality of care provided to such veterans; impede the access of such veterans to specialized health care services or to VA residential rehabilitation treatment programs and other inpatient care; increase the distance required to be traveled by such veterans to receive care; or impede the access to medical care for such veterans that are members of Indian tribes. Terminates such prohibition when the Inspector General certifies that such wait times are not being prolonged by VA employees without a valid reason.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Health
Date: 2014-05-15 00:00:00

Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act of 2014 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require each Medicare participating hospital to implement a hospital-wide staffing plan for nursing services furnished in the hospital.

Requires the plan to require that an appropriate number of registered nurses provide direct patient care in each unit and on each shift of the hospital to ensure staffing levels that: (1) address the unique characteristics of the patients and hospital units; and (2) result in the delivery of safe, quality patient care consistent with specified requirements.

Requires each participating hospital to establish a hospital nurse staffing committee which shall implement such plan.

Specifies civil monetary and other penalties for violation of the requirements of this Act.

Sets forth whistleblower protections against discrimination and retaliation involving patients or employees of the hospital for their grievances, complaints, or involvement in investigations relating to such plan.