42 U.S.C. § 299b–6
(a)
Requirement—
(1)
In general— To avoid duplication and ensure that Federal resources are used efficiently and effectively, the
Secretary, acting through the
Director, shall coordinate all research, evaluations, and demonstrations related to health
services research, quality measurement and quality improvement activities undertaken and supported by the Federal Government.
(2)
Specific activities— The
Director, in collaboration with the appropriate Federal officials representing all concerned executive
agencies and departments, shall develop and manage a process
to—
(A)
improve interagency coordination, priority setting, and the use and sharing of research findings and data pertaining to Federal quality improvement
programs, technology assessment, and health
services research;
(B)
strengthen the research information infrastructure, including databases, pertaining to Federal health
services research and health care quality improvement
initiatives;
(D)
strengthen the management of Federal health care quality improvement
programs.
(b)
Study by the Institute of Medicine—
(1)
In general— To provide Congress, the Department of Health and Human
Services, and other relevant departments with an independent, external review of their quality oversight, quality improvement and quality research
programs, the
Secretary shall enter into a contract with the Institute of
Medicine—
(A)
to describe and evaluate current quality improvement, quality research and quality monitoring processes through—
(i)
an overview of pertinent health
services research activities and quality improvement efforts conducted by all Federal
programs, with particular attention paid to those under titles XVIII, XIX, and XXI of the Social Security Act
[42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq., 1396 et seq., 1397aa et seq.]; and
(ii)
a summary of the partnerships that the Department of Health and Human
Services has pursued with private accreditation, quality measurement and improvement organizations; and
(B)
to identify options and make recommendations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of quality improvement
programs through—
(i)
the improved coordination of activities across the medicare, medicaid and
child health insurance
programs under titles XVIII, XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act and health
services research
programs;
(ii)
the strengthening of patient choice and participation by incorporating
state-of-the-art quality monitoring tools and making information on quality available; and
(iii)
the enhancement of the most effective
programs, consolidation as appropriate, and elimination of duplicative activities within various
Federal agencies.
(2)
Requirements—
(A)
In general— The
Secretary shall enter into a contract with the Institute of Medicine for the
preparation—
(i)
not later than 12 months after December 6, 1999, of a report providing an overview of the quality improvement
programs of the Department of Health and Human
Services for the medicare, medicaid, and CHIP
programs under titles XVIII, XIX, and XXI of the Social Security Act; and
(ii)
not later than 24 months after December 6, 1999, of a final report containing recommendations.
(B)
Reports— The
Secretary shall submit the reports described in
subparagraph (A) to the Committee on Finance and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Ways and Means and the Committee on
Commerce of the House of
Representatives.
Notes, amendments, and revision history
(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title IX, § 917, as added Pub. L. 106–129, § 2(a), Dec. 6, 1999, 113 Stat. 1661.)
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Social Security Act, referred to in subsec. (b), is act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, 49 Stat. 620. Titles XVIII, XIX, and XXI of the Act are classified generally to subchapters XVIII (§ 1395 et seq.), XIX (§ 1396 et seq.), and XXI (§ 1397aa et seq.), respectively, of chapter 7 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1305 of this title and Tables.
Codification
December 6, 1999, referred to in subsec. (b)(2)(A), was in the original “the date of the enactment of this title”, which was translated as meaning the date of enactment of Pub. L. 106–129, which amended this subchapter generally, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Change of Name
Committee on Commerce of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Energy and Commerce of House of Representatives, and jurisdiction over matters relating to securities and exchanges and insurance generally transferred to Committee on Financial Services of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Seventh Congress, Jan. 3, 2001.