lcalvobartolome/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Health
Date: 2008-04-09 00:00:00

Physician Availability Act of 2008 - Requires each covered hospital to have a qualified physician available in the hospital 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to attend to the needs of the hospital's inpatients. Defines a "covered hospital" to: (1) include hospitals participating in Medicare or Medicaid or receiving federal funds; and (2) exclude hospitals in a federal facility or hospitals that the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines have fewer than 100 licensed beds. Considers a physician to be available if: (1) the physician is physically present in the hospital; (2) the physician's primary responsibility is to be in attendance to serve the needs of the hospital's inpatients without delay; and (3) the physician is not physically present in, assigned to, serving in, or expected to cover the hospital's emergency room or emergency department. Sets forth penalties for violations.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2008-04-10 00:00:00

Medicaid Levy Enhancement Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a continuous levy on payments to Medicaid providers and suppliers for delinquent taxes owed by such providers and suppliers.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Health
Date: 2008-04-15 00:00:00

Nursing Home Transparency and Improvement Act of 2008 - Amends titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to direct skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and nursing facilities to make available, upon request, ownership and affiliated parties information to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and other responsible parties.Outlines accountability requirements for such institutions.Requires specified additional information to appear on the Department of Health and Human Services Nursing Home Compare Website.Requires SNFs to separately report expenditures for wages and benefits for different levels of nursing staff.Directs the Secretary to develop a standardized form for use by a resident (or a person acting on the resident's behalf) in filing a complaint about a SNF with a state survey and certification agency or long-term care ombudsman program. Requires a state to establish a complaint resolution process. Directs the Secretary to establish a program for SNFs to report staffing information based on payroll data.Increases certain civil monetary penalties for SNF violations.Requires the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on: (1) the financial status, resident care, and performance of SNFs and nursing facilities in the Special Focus Facility (or a successor) program of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services relative to a comparable sample of facilities outside such program; and (2) best practices for, and barriers to, the appointment of temporary management for SNFs with a record of poor care.Directs the Secretary to provide for an national independent monitoring program to oversee interstate and large intrastate chains of SNFs.Requires a SNF administrator to notify the Secretary and other responsible parties of an impending closure of the facility. Directs the Secretary to conduct demonstration projects on culture change and use of information technology in SNFs and nursing facilities.Provides for dementia management training and patient abuse prevention training. Directs the Secretary to study and report to Congress on training for certified nurse aides and supervisory staff of SNFs and nursing facilities.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2008-04-22 00:00:00

Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Authorization and Lease Act of 2008 - Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out major medical facility projects (projects) in FY2009 in: (1) Palo Alto, California; (2) San Antonio, Texas; and (3) San Juan, Puerto Rico. Amends the Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006 to increase the amount authorized under such Act for: (1) all projects; and (2) specified projects in Florida, Nevada, and Pennsylvania in connection with the Capital Asset Realignment Initiative. Authorizes the Secretary to carry out specified major medical facility leases (leases) in FY2009 in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, and Wisconsin. Authorizes the Secretary to carry out a project in Okaloosa County, Florida. Authorizes appropriations for projects and leases authorized or increased under this Act. Directs the Secretary to submit to the congressional veterans' committees: (1) a report updating progress made in complying with provisions requiring the establishment of, and responsibilities for, a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Director of Construction and Facilities Management; and (2) an annual report on VA community-based outpatient clinics and other outpatient clinics.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Health
Date: 2008-05-01 00:00:00

National Trauma Center Stabilization Act of 2008 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to revise provisions governing grants to trauma centers. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish four programs to award grants to public or nonprofit trauma centers to: (1) assist in defraying substantial uncompensated care costs; (2) further a center's core mission; (3) provide emergency relief to ensure continued and future availability of trauma service; and (4) support the development and maintenance of innovative information technology systems. Sets forth: (1) minimum qualifications of eligible centers, including requirements for levels of uncompensated care provided; and (2) preferences for awarding grants among level I, II, III, and IV trauma centers and among centers based on the changing availability of or demand for trauma care in the area served and financial need. Requires grantees to submit a long-term plan for providing trauma care.Requires the Secretary to: (1) annually determine and notify centers of their eligibility to receive a grant; and (2) periodically report on the status of such grants, the financial stability of the centers, the populations using the centers, and the effectiveness and efficiency of center activities.Authorizes appropriations for such grants for FY2009-FY2014 and specifies percentages to be reserved for the different types of grants.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Health
Date: 2008-05-08 00:00:00

Hospital and ASC Price Disclosure and Litigation Protection Act of 2008 - Prohibits a charge-related legal action from being brought by an individual against a hospital or ambulatory surgical center if the hospital or center: (1) has met the requirements under this Act; (2) has entered into an agreement with the uninsured individual before treatment that sets the maximum price that will be charged for such treatment; and (3) has met the terms of such agreement.Sets forth disclosures that a hospital or center must provide to an individual who is scheduled to receive treatment and include in any itemized bill, including: (1) the estimated price or the price charged for the treatment; (2) the payment rate for the treatment negotiated with the network plan or managed care plan that has the largest number of enrollees; and (3) the Medicare payment rate for the treatment. Excludes from such requirements a treatment for which there exists a third-party price arrangement unless the individual involved requests such information.Requires a hospital or ambulatory surgical center to report data to the Secretary of Health and Human Services regarding: (1) the frequency of performing certain services and administering certain drugs; (2) the charge by the hospital or center for such services or drugs; (3) the negotiated rate of payment for the treatment by the plan with the largest number of enrollees; and (4) the Medicare payment rate for the treatment.Requires the Secretary to: (1) publicly post such information on the Internet in a manner that promotes charge comparisons among hospitals and centers; and (2) select which services or drugs are to be reported based on the frequency with which the services are performed or the drugs are administered.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2008-06-25 00:00:00

Veterans Revenue Enhancement Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish up to seven consolidated patient accounting centers for conducting industry-modeled regionalized Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) billing and collection activities.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Health
Date: 2008-07-21 00:00:00

Veterans Critical Access Act - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, with respect to the Medicare rural hospital flexibility program, to exempt from the critical access hospital inpatient bed limitation any beds provided for veterans whom the Department of Veterans Affairs referred for care in the hospital or for whom it is coordinating such care with other care being provided by the Department.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2008-07-29 00:00:00

Veterans Health Equity Act of 2008 - Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, with respect to each of the 48 contiguous states, to ensure that veterans eligible for hospital care and medical services through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have access to: (1) at least one full-service hospital of the Veterans Health Administration in the state; or (2) hospital care and medical services comparable to that provided in full-service hospitals through contract with other health providers in the state.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Health
Date: 2008-09-16 00:00:00

Rural Hospital Assistance Act of 2008 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act with respect to the additional inpatient hospital service payment (payment adjustment) for low-volume hospitals (usually meaning a "subsection (d) hospital" located more than 25 road miles from another subsection (d) hospital and having less than 800 discharges during the fiscal year.) Redefines low-volume hospital, for discharges occurring during FY2009 only, as a "subsection (d) hospital" located more than 15 (instead of 25) road miles from another "subsection (d) hospital" and having less than 1,500 (instead of 800) discharges of individuals entitled to, or enrolled for, Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance) benefits ("tweeners,'' or hospitals too large to be critical access hospitals, but too small to be financially viable under the Medicare hospital prospective payment system (PPS)). Revises, for FY2009 only, the temporary applicable percentage in the formula for determining the payment adjustment for such hospitals. Requires the use of the non-wage adjusted prospective payment rate (PPS) rate during FY2009 under the Medicare-dependent hospital (MDH) program. Prescribes requirements for hospitals to qualify for a Medicare hospital exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals to hospitals in which such physicians have an ownership or investment interest in the entity. (Eliminates the Medicare hospital exception for physician-owned hospitals, but provides a limited exception for existing facilities.)
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2008-09-24 00:00:00

Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to construct a new community-based outpatient clinic at the Ord Military Community, California. Makes such construction subject to: (1) the completion of a feasibility study; and (2) the availability of appropriations.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Health
Date: 2008-09-25 00:00:00

Quality FIRST (From Incentives, Reporting, Standards, and Technology) Act of 2008 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make performance-based payments each fiscal year to hospitals that provide high quality inpatient hospital services to inpatients entitled to benefits under Medicare part A (Hospital Insurance). Requires the Secretary to select appropriate evidence-based and statistically valid quality measures of care furnished by hospitals in inpatient settings for evaluating hospital performance. Requires a utilization and quality control peer review organization to give priority of quality improvement assistance to low-performing hospitals. Directs the Secretary to establish a program under which a hospital seeking to improve the quality of inpatient hospital services based on the results of a performance evaluation may apply to the Secretary to receive quality improvement assistance from a private quality organization with expertise in supporting inpatient service quality improvement.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Date: 2008-09-25 00:00:00

Urban Medicare-Dependent Hospitals Preservation Act of 2008 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, with respect to cost reporting periods beginning on or after October 1, 2008, to revise the criteria and payment formula for "subsection (d) hospitals" which are urban Medicare-dependent hospitals.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Date: 2008-09-26 00:00:00

Nursing Home Transparency and Quality of Care Improvement Act of 2008 - Amends titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to direct skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and nursing facilities to make available, upon request, ownership and additional disclosable parties information to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and other responsible parties. Outlines accountability requirements for such institutions. Requires specified additional information to appear on the Department of Health and Human Services Nursing Home Compare Website. Requires SNFs to separately report expenditures for wages and benefits for direct care staff. Directs the Secretary to develop a standardized form for use by a resident (or a person acting on the resident's behalf) in filing a complaint about a SNF with a state survey and certification agency or long-term care ombudsman program. Requires a state to establish a complaint resolution process. Directs the Secretary to establish a program for SNFs and nursing facilities to report direct care staffing information based on payroll and other verifiable and auditable data. Increases certain civil monetary penalties for SNF and nursing facility violations. Directs the Secretary to evaluate the potential benefit and feasibility of applying independent monitoring requirements to interstate and large intrastate chains of SNFs and nursing facilities. Requires the Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on best practices for, and barriers to, the appointment of temporary management for SNFs with a record of poor care. Requires a an individual SNF license holder to notify the Secretary and other responsible parties of an impending closure of the facility. Directs the Secretary to conduct demonstration projects on culture change and use of information technology in SNFs and nursing facilities. Directs the Secretary, among requirements for the approval of nurse aide training and competency evaluation programs, to include requirements for dementia management training and patient abuse prevention training. Directs the Secretary to study and report to Congress on training for certified nurse aides and supervisory staff of SNFs and nursing facilities.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Health
Date: 2008-09-26 00:00:00

Amends titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to require the full-time director of food services at a Medicare skilled nursing facility (SNF) or a Medicaid nursing facility, if not a qualified dietitian, to be a Certified Dietary Manager meeting the requirements of the Certifying Board for Dietary Managers or have equivalent military or academic qualifications.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Date: 2008-09-29 00:00:00

Protecting Hospital Outpatient and Community Clinic Services Act of 2008 - Prohibits the Secretary of Health and Human Services from taking any action before April 1, 2009 (including promulgation of regulations, issuance of regulatory guidance, use of federal payment audit procedures, or other administrative action, policy, or practice, including a Medical Assistance Manual transmittal or letter to state Medicaid directors), to impose any restrictions relating to a specified proposed regulation, if such restrictions are more restrictive in any aspect than those that applied to the subject matter of the proposed regulation as of September 27, 2007.Identifies the proposed regulation as the one published on September 28, 2007, relating to the outpatient clinic and hospital facility services definition and upper payment limit under title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Date: 2008-12-09 00:00:00

Protecting Patients and Health Care Act of 2008 - Prohibits the Secretary of Health and Human Services from finalizing, enforcing, implementing, or taking other action in furtherance of specified proposed regulations regarding conscience clause protections for health care workers and facilities (under the authority of provisions commonly referred to as the Church Amendments and the Weldon Amendment).
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Health
Date: 2008-11-20 00:00:00

Protecting Patients and Health Care Act - Prohibits the Secretary of Health and Human Services from finalizing, enforcing, implementing, or taking other action in furtherance of specified proposed regulations regarding conscience clause protections for health care workers and facilities (under the authority of provisions commonly referred to as the Church Amendments and the Weldon Amendment).
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Health
Date: 2007-01-04 00:00:00

Nursing School Clinics Act of 2007 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage of nursing school clinic services.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Health
Date: 2007-01-04 00:00:00

Wakefield Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to extend by one year the length of time for which a grant may be awarded under the emergency medical services for children grant program, which allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to states or schools of medicine to support projects to expand and improve emergency medical services for children who need treatment for trauma or critical care. Sets forth as the purpose of the program the reduction of child and youth morbidity and mortality by supporting improvements in the quality of all emergency medical care children receive. Requires the Secretary to support emergency medical services for children by supporting projects that: (1) develop and present scientific evidence; (2) promote existing innovative technologies appropriate for the care of children; and (3) provide information on health outcomes and effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. Directs that such program: (1) strive to enhance the pediatric capability of emergency medical service systems; and (2) be coordinated with all research, evaluations, and awards undertaken by the federal government related to emergency medical services for children.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2007-01-16 00:00:00

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt certain small business taxpayers from the requirements of using the accrual method of accounting and of using inventories. Allows such taxpayers to use a cash method of accounting if they meet the gross receipts test and are not engaged in farming as a corporation. Increases the amount of the gross receipts test to $10 million (currently, $5 million) and permits an annual inflation adjustment of that amount.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Economics and public finance
Date: 2007-01-16 00:00:00

Securing America's Future Economy Commission Act, or SAFE Commission Act - Establishes the Securing America's Future Economy (SAFE) Commission to develop legislation designed to address: (1) the unsustainable imbalance between long-term federal spending commitments and projected revenues; (2) increases in net national savings to provide for domestic investment and economic growth; (3) the implications of foreign ownership of federally issued debt instruments; and (4) revision of the budget process to place greater emphasis on long-term fiscal issues. Requires the Commission to: (1) develop one or two methods for estimating the cost of legislation as an alternative to the current Congressional Budget Office (CBO) method; and (2) hold at least one town-hall style public hearing within each federal reserve district. Requires the Commission to submit a legislative proposal to Congress and the President. Authorizes the President to submit to Congress an alternative proposal. Authorizes the Committee on the Budget of either chamber to publish its own alternative proposal in the Congressional Record. Sets forth procedures for consideration of such legislation. Requires CBO to prepare a long-term cost estimate and have it published in the Congressional Record as expeditiously as possible whenever requested to do so by the Commission, the President, or the chairman or ranking minority member of the Committee on the Budget of either chamber.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2007-02-01 00:00:00

Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a major medical facility project for a replacement facility for the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Denver, Colorado.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Health
Date: 2007-02-15 00:00:00

Amends the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 to permit the designation of a certain critical access hospital in Cass County, Minnesota, by exempting it from the requirement that it be certified by the state on or after January 1, 2006, as being a necessary provider of health care services to residents in the area. (Thus restores to Minnesota state authority to waive the application of the 35-mile rule.)
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2007-02-27 00:00:00

VA Hospital Quality Report Card Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish and implement a Hospital Quality Report Card Initiative to report on health care quality in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals. Requires the Secretary, at least semiannually, to publish reports on VA hospital quality, including assessments of effectiveness, safety, timeliness, and efficiency.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: Health
Date: 2007-03-07 00:00:00

Imposes a two-year moratorium on implementation of a proposed rule ("Medicaid Program; Cost Limit for Providers Operated by Units of Government and Provisions To Ensure the Integrity of Federal-State Financial Partnership") relating to the federal-state financial partnerships under Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) under titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act.
Topic: Health — Medical Facilities
Subject: International affairs
Date: 2007-03-22 00:00:00

Stop Tuberculosis (TB) Now Act of 2007 - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to require the President to furnish assistance for tuberculosis (TB) prevention, treatment, and elimination.(Current law authorizes such assistance.) Gives priority to activities described in the Stop TB Strategy (as defined by this Act). Revises related fund use provisions. Authorizes the President, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to provide increased resources to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Stop Tuberculosis Partnership to improve the capacity of countries with high TB rates and other affected countries to implement the Stop TB Strategy and specific strategies related to addressing drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB). Authorizes: (1) FY2008-FY2009 appropriations for the President to carry activities to combat tuberculosis; and (2) set-asides from such amounts for global tuberculosis activities by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).