[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3105 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 3105
To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a hospital
revitalization program to assist certain health facilities in
constructing and modernizing their facilities and to support community
development.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
October 28, 2021
Mr. Bennet introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a hospital
revitalization program to assist certain health facilities in
constructing and modernizing their facilities and to support community
development.
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 ``Hospital Revitalization Act of
2021''.
SEC. 2. HOSPITAL REVITALIZATION PROGRAM.
Title VI of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 291 et seq.)
is amended by adding at the end the following:
``PART E--HOSPITAL REVITALIZATION PROGRAM
``SEC. 651. ESTABLISHMENT OF HOSPITAL REVITALIZATION PROGRAM.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall award grants and loans to
eligible hospitals for purposes of assisting such hospitals in
constructing and modernizing their facilities, including rural health
clinics, off-site outpatient departments, skilled nursing facilities,
and other facilities not physically part of the eligible hospital
building, to increase capacity and better serve communities in need.
``(b) Eligible Hospitals.--
``(1) In general.--To be eligible to receive an award under
this section, a hospital shall submit an application to the
Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such
information as the Secretary may require, including information
to demonstrate that, based on available data for fiscal or
calendar years 2017 through 2019, such hospital--
``(A) had less than $50,000,000 in net patient
revenue or fewer than 50 beds (as reported by the
Health Care Cost and Information Reporting System);
``(B) had a negative total margin for at least 2 of
the 3 fiscal years prior to fiscal year 2020; and
``(C) had a public payer mix percentage, for each
of the 3 fiscal years prior to fiscal year 2020, that
is at least 65 percent (at least 65 percent of net
patient revenue from the Medicare program or Medicaid
program).
``(2) Prioritization criteria.--The Secretary shall develop
prioritization criteria for the grant and loans under
subsection (d), including--
``(A) the year in which the hospital was built;
``(B) the physical state of the hospital;
``(C) the average age-of-plant ratio (accumulated
depreciation divided by annual depreciation expense);
``(D) the level of the hospital's electronic health
record implementation;
``(E) whether the hospital is located in a health
professional shortage area (as defined in section
332(a)(1)(A) of the Public Health Service Act); and
``(F) the level of, relative to the national or
statewide average, individuals with income below 150
percent of the Federal poverty level in the area served
by the hospital.
``(c) Application.--Each eligible hospital desiring an award under
this section shall submit to the Secretary an application, at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information to determine
eligibility and prioritization required under subsection (b) and other
information as the Secretary may require, including--
``(1) a community health needs assessment, which shall be
made available on the websites of the hospital and the
Department of Health and Human Services, that--
``(A) accounts for health equity through factors
(like socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, sexual preference,
gender identity, health insurance coverage, education
level, and geography) that have an impact on the
overall health of the population;
``(B) honors indigenous history and current
presence with a land acknowledgment statement;
``(C) outlines a projection for not less than 5
years, and if possible for 10 years, with respect to--
``(i) population and demographic trends
within the local community and region;
``(ii) current availability of, and
projected community need for--
``(I) inpatient hospital services;
outpatient and ambulatory services;
``(II) diagnostic and lab services;
``(III) post-acute and community
services;
``(IV) emergency medical services;
``(V) oral and dental care; and
``(VI) preventive and population
health services;
``(iii) current availability and projected
community need for Tribal or veteran health and
wellness services; and
``(iv) current availability and projected
community need for non-clinical services, such
as food support, housing assistance,
transportation, linguistic, and other services
that impact the health care status of the
impacted population;
``(D) provides a statement outlining the
overarching gap in local community or regional
services;
``(E) provides a statement that identifies the
highest priority services that have the potential to
improve overall health and wellness of the local
region; and
``(F) establishes a hospital transformation plan
that contains--
``(i) a process for consulting with
representatives of the community's interests
and input;
``(ii) a list of community input sources
representing the broad interests of the
community, that is representative of
individuals who are medically underserved, low-
income, or from minority populations and that
may include representatives of local hospitals,
physicians, allied health professionals,
private and public payers, patients and
consumers, Tribal representatives, and other
relevant stakeholders, including local or
regional social service organizations; and
``(iii) an outline of goals and action
steps for improving or maintaining access to
care, strengthening quality of care, better
coordinating care across the local or regional
health care delivery system, and addressing
other community needs or gaps identified in the
needs assessment;
``(2) a preliminary construction project plan that--
``(A) outlines a project budget with costs of--
``(i) administrative and legal expenses;
``(ii) land, structure, rights-of-way
appraisals;
``(iii) relocation expenses;
``(iv) architectural and engineering fees;
``(v) inspection fees;
``(vi) site work (such as helipad equipment
and telecommunication and data network
upgrades);
``(vii) demolition and removal;
``(viii) equipment (such as medical
equipment and technology systems, furniture,
kitchen and bathroom appliances, and signage);
and
``(ix) any other costs the Secretary
determines appropriate; and
``(B) outlines the planned spaces with descriptions
(including square footage and purpose), as the
Secretary determines appropriate, which shall include--
``(i) care units or wards and the number of
expected beds in such areas;
``(ii) diagnostic and treatment areas,
including imaging areas, emergency departments,
laboratories, and pharmacies;
``(iii) administrative areas, including
lobbies, office space, education areas; and
``(iv) other types of spaces the Secretary
determines appropriate;
``(3) an energy plan for how the project accounts for
energy resilience and efficiency; and
``(4) a report on the economic impact of the award on the
area or region served, including an analysis of local labor
market effects such as how the hospital may help improve wages,
household incomes, employment and unemployment rates, and meet
labor demands and how the hospital may help improve wages in
the area.
``(d) Safe Structure Waiver.--The Secretary may grant a waiver to
eligible hospitals with respect to the timing of submissions of
information required under paragraph (1), (3), or (4) of subsection
(c), if the Secretary determines that the project to be carried out by
the eligible hospital receiving such waiver should be expedited to
ensure the safety of patients or workers.
``(e) Grant and Loan Amounts.--
``(1) In general.--An award to an eligible hospital under
this section shall be in an amount determined by the Secretary,
based on the information submitted by the eligible hospital
under subsection (c)(2). The total amount of such an award
shall not exceed $40,000,000, of which not more than 30 percent
may be awarded as a grant, and any remaining amount may be
awarded as a low interest loan.
``(2) No effect on eligibility for other funding.--Amounts
received by an eligible hospital under this section shall have
no effect on the hospital's eligibility for funding made
available through other Federal programs, including any such
funding available with respect to the project supported by the
award under this section.
``(f) Reporting.--Each recipient of an award under this section
shall submit an annual report to the Secretary on the use of such award
funds in the previous fiscal year, including the use of such funds to
address issues raised in the community health needs assessment, the
energy plan, and economic impact report submitted with the recipient's
application under subsection (c). Such recipient shall post each such
report on the website of the recipient.
``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--
``(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated
$17,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2022 to carry out this section.
Amounts appropriated under this subsection shall remain
available through fiscal year 2025.
``(2) Management and oversight.--The Secretary may allocate
up to 0.1 percent of the funds appropriated under this
subsection for the management and oversight of programs under
this section.''.
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