[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 329 Introduced in House (IH)]
103d CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 329
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide grants to States for
the creation or enhancement of systems for the air transport of rural
victims of medical emergencies, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 5, 1993
Mr. Roberts introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide grants to States for
the creation or enhancement of systems for the air transport of rural
victims of medical emergencies, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Rural Medical Emergencies Air
Transport Act of 1993''.
SEC. 2. GRANTS TO STATES REGARDING AIRCRAFT FOR TRANSPORTING RURAL
VICTIMS OF MEDICAL EMERGENCIES.
Title XII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300d et seq.)
is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new part:
``Part D--Miscellaneous Grant Programs and Requirements
``SEC. 1241. GRANTS FOR SYSTEMS TO TRANSPORT RURAL VICTIMS OF MEDICAL
EMERGENCIES.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall make grants to States to
assist such States in the creation or enhancement of air medical
transport systems that provide victims of medical emergencies in rural
areas with access to treatments for the injuries or other conditions
resulting from such emergencies.
``(b) Application and Plan.--
``(1) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under
subsection (a), a State shall prepare and submit to the
Secretary an application in such form, made in such manner, and
containing such agreements, assurances, and information,
including a State plan as required in paragraph (2), as the
Secretary determines to be necessary to carry out this section.
``(2) State plan.--An application submitted under paragraph
(1) shall contain a State plan that shall--
``(A) describe the intended uses of the grant
proceeds and the geographic areas to be served;
``(B) demonstrates that the geographic areas to be
served, as described under subparagraph (A), are rural
in nature;
``(C) demonstrate that there is a lack of
facilities available and equipped to deliver advanced
levels of medical care in the geographic areas to be
served;
``(D) demonstrate that in utilizing the grant
proceeds for the establishment or enhancement of air
medical services the State would be making a cost-
effective improvement to existing ground-based or air
emergency medical service systems;
``(E) demonstrate that the State will not utilize
the grant proceeds to duplicate the capabilities of
existing air medical systems that are effectively
meeting the emergency medical needs of the populations
they serve;
``(F) demonstrate that in utilizing the grant
proceeds the State is likely to achieve a reduction in
the morbidity and mortality rates of the areas to be
served, as determined by the Secretary;
``(G) demonstrate that the State, in utilizing the
grant proceeds, will--
``(i) maintain the expenditures of the
State for air and ground medical transport
systems at a level equal to not less than the
level of such expenditures maintained by the
State for the fiscal year preceding the fiscal
year for which the grant is received; and
``(ii) ensure that recipients of direct
financial assistance from the State under such
grant will maintain expenditures of such
recipients for such systems at a level at least
equal to the level of such expenditures
maintained by such recipients for the fiscal
year preceding the fiscal year for which the
financial assistance is received;
``(H) demonstrate that persons experienced in the
field of air medical service delivery were consulted in
the preparation of the State plan;
``(I) contain such other information as the
Secretary may determine appropriate.
``(c) Considerations in Awarding Grants.--In determining whether to
award a grant to a State under this section, the Secretary shall--
``(1) consider the rural nature of the areas to be served
with the grant proceeds and the services to be provided with
such proceeds, as identified in the State plan submitted under
subsection (b); and
``(2) give preference to States with State plans that
demonstrate an effective integration of the proposed air
medical transport systems into a comprehensive network or plan
for regional or statewide emergency medical service delivery.
``(d) State Administration and Use of Grant.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary may not make a grant to a
State under subsection (a) unless the State agrees that such
grant will be administered by the State agency with principal
responsibility for carrying out programs regarding the
provision of medical services to victims of medical emergencies
or trauma.
``(2) Permitted uses.--A State may use amounts received
under a grant awarded under this section to award subgrants to
public and private entities operating within the State.
``(3) Opportunity for public comment.--The Secretary may
not make a grant to a State under subsection (a) unless that
State agrees that, in developing and carrying out the State
plan under subsection (b)(2), the State will provide public
notice with respect to the plan (including any revisions
thereto) and facilitate comments from interested persons.
``(e) Number of Grants.--The Secretary shall award grants under
this section to not less than 7 States.
``(f) Reports.--
``(1) Requirement.--A State that receives a grant under
this section shall annually (during each year in which the
grant proceeds are used) prepare and submit to the Secretary a
report that shall contain--
``(A) a description of the manner in which the
grant proceeds were utilized;
``(B) a description of the effectiveness of the air
medical transport programs assisted with grant
proceeds; and
``(C) such other information as the Secretary may
require.
``(2) Termination of funding.--In reviewing reports
submitted under paragraph (1), if the Secretary determines that
a State is not using amounts provided under a grant awarded
under this section in accordance with the State plan submitted
by the State under subsection (b), the Secretary may terminate
the payment of amounts under such grant to the State until such
time as the Secretary determines that the State comes into
compliance with such plan.
``(g) Definition.--As used in this section, the term `rural areas'
means geographic areas that are located outside of standard
metropolitan statistical areas, as identified by the Secretary.
``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to make grants under this section, $15,000,000 for fiscal
year 1994, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal
years 1995 and 1996.
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