SUMMARY AS OF:
3/11/1999--Introduced.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
- Title I: Health Care Accessibility and Accountability for Mothers and
Newborns
- Subtitle A: Accessibility of Mothers and Newborns to Health Insurance
- Subtitle B: Patient Rights with Respect to Care
- Title II: Payments to Children's Hospital that Operate GME Programs
- Title III: Pediatric Public Health Promotion
- Subtitle A: National Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention
- Subtitle B: Pregnant Mothers and Infants Health Promotion
- Subtitle C: Safe Motherhood Monitoring and Prevention Research
- Subtitle D: Poison Control Center Enhancement
- Title IV: Pediatric Research
Healthy Kids 2000 Act - Title I: Health Care Accessibility and
Accountability for Mothers and Newborns - Subtitle A: Accessibility of
Mothers and Newborns to Health Insurance - Mothers and Newborns Health
Insurance Act of 1999 - Amends title XXI (Children's Health Insurance) of the
Social Security Act (SSA) to authorize a State child health plan, under the
State Children's Health Insurance Program, to provide for optional coverage of
pregnancy-related assistance for targeted low-income, uninsured pregnant women.
(Sec. 103) Makes a child born to a woman receiving such pregnancy-related
assistance automatically eligible for child health assistance.
(Sec. 104) Provides for the expanded availability of funding for
administrative costs related to certain outreach and eligibility determinations
under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program with regard to
children and pregnant women.
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a
procedure with regard to the participation of local and community-based public
or nonprofit organizations in outreach and enrollment activities if States do
not otherwise obligate the amounts made available for such activities.
Subtitle B: Patient Rights With Respect to Care - Amends the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) to require group health plans (other than
fully insured plans) that provide coverage for gynecological or obstetric care
and provide for designation of a participating primary care provider to: (1)
allow a participant to designate a non-specialist without authorization or
referral by the primary care provider; and (2) treat the ordering of other
routine care related to obstetrical or gynecological care by the participating
physician as the authorization of the primary care provider with respect to such
care.
Requires a group health plan that provides for a participant to designate a
participating pediatric primary care provider for a child of such participant
to: (1) permit the participant to designate a provider who specializes in
pediatrics as the child's primary care provider; and (2) consider appropriate
pediatric expertise in mandatorily assigning a participant to a pediatric
primary care provider if a participant has not designated such a provider.
Requires such plans, in the case of a covered child with a mental or physical
condition, disability, or disease of sufficient seriousness to require diagnosis
or treatment by a specialist, to provide for referral to a specialist who has
extensive experience or training and is available and accessible to provide
treatment, including referrals to nonparticipating providers in cases where the
plan does not have an appropriate specialist. Provides that services pursuant to
referrals to nonparticipating providers shall be provided at no additional cost
beyond what the participant would pay to a participating provider.
Directs such plans, with respect to the coverage of children, to make certain
information regarding structures, processes, and outcomes regarding each offered
health insurance product publicly available.
(Sec. 112) Amends ERISA to require group health plans or health insurance
issuers, in connection with the provisions of coverage, to establish, with
respect to the coverage of children, a system to provide for the resolution of
complaints and appeals regarding such coverage. Sets forth requirements for an
independent external review process in connection with such coverage.
(Sec. 113) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to incorporate ERISA requirements
for patients' rights described by this Act.
Title II: Payments to Children's Hospitals That Operate GME Programs -
Pediatric Medical Education, Training, and Research Act of 1999 - Directs the
Secretary of HHS to make payment as specified to each children's hospital for
each hospital cost reporting period under Medicare (title XVIII of the SSA)
beginning after FY 1999 and before FY 2004 for the direct and indirect expenses
associated with operating approved medical residency training programs.
Makes appropriations for such payments.
Provides that such payments are in lieu of certain Medicare payments to
hospitals for medical education, but shall not affect the amounts otherwise
payable to such hospitals under a State Medicaid (SSA title XIX) plan.
Title III: Pediatric Public Health Promotion - Subtitle A: National
Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention - Amends the Public
Health Service Act to establish a National Center for Birth Defects Research and
Prevention within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Transfers to
the Center all activities, budgets, and personnel of the National Center for
Environmental Health that relate to birth defects, folic acid, cerebral palsy,
mental retardation, child development, newborn screening, autism, fragile X
syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, pediatric genetics, and disability prevention.
Authorizes appropriations.
Subtitle B: Pregnant Mothers and Infants Health Promotion - Pregnant
Mothers and Infants Health Protection Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act
to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to carry out programs to: (1)
collect, analyze, and make available data on prenatal smoking and alcohol and
illegal drug usage; (2) conduct applied epidemiological research on the
prevention of prenatal and postnatal smoking and alcohol and illegal drug usage;
(3) support, conduct, and evaluate the effectiveness of educational and
cessation programs; and (4) provide information and education to the public on
the prevention and implications of prenatal and postnatal smoking and alcohol
and illegal drug usage.
Authorizes grants to, and contracts with, public and nonprofit entities as
well as technical assistance for carrying out this subtitle.
Authorizes appropriations.
Subtitle C: Safe Motherhood Monitoring and Prevention Research - Safe
Motherhood Monitoring and Prevention Research Act - Amends the Public Health
Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting
through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to: (1) establish a
national monitoring and surveillance program to identify and promote the
investigation of deaths and severe complications that occur during pregnancy;
(2) expand the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System to provide
surveillance and collect data in each State; and (3) expand the Maternal and
Child Health Epidemiology Program to provide technical support, financial
assistance, or the time-limited assignment of senior epidemiologists to maternal
and child health programs in each State.
Authorizes appropriations.
Permits the Secretary, acting through the Centers, to: (1) expand research
relating to specified maternal health topics; and (2) carry out activities to
promote safe motherhood.
Authorizes appropriations.
Subtitle D: Poison Control Center Enhancement - Poison Control Center
Enhancement and Awareness Act - Directs the Secretary of HHS to provide
coordination and assistance to regional poison control centers for the
establishment of a nationwide toll-free phone number to be used to access such
centers. Authorizes appropriations.
(Sec. 335) Mandates a national media campaign to educate the public about
poison prevention and the availability of local poison control resources and to
conduct advertising campaigns concerning the nationwide toll-free number.
Authorizes appropriations.
(Sec. 336) Mandates grants for certified regional poison control centers to
achieve financial stability and to prevent, and provide treatment
recommendations for, poisoning. Mandates other grant uses. Sets forth center
certification requirements. Authorizes appropriations.
Title IV: Pediatric Research - Amends the Public Health Service Act to
require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a Pediatric
Research Initiative within the Office of the Director of the National Institutes
of Health.
Authorizes appropriations.
(Sec. 402) Directs the Secretary, acting through the National Institute of
Child Health and Human Development, to provide support for extramural activities
relating to the training and career development of pediatric researchers.
Permits the Secretary to establish a pediatric research loan repayment program.
Authorizes appropriations.