H.R. 3200/Division C/Title II/Subtitle D/Part 3

==PART 3 — Advisory Committee on Health Workforce Evaluation and Assessment==

Sec. 2261. Health Workforce Evaluation and Assessment.

Subpart 1 of part E of title VII (42 U.S.C. 294n et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“SEC. 764. Health workforce evaluation and assessment.

“(a) Advisory committee.—The Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Health, shall establish a permanent advisory committee to be known as the Advisory Committee on Health Workforce Evaluation and Assessment (referred to in this section as the ‘Advisory Committee’).

“(b) Responsibilities.—The Advisory Committee shall—

“(1) not later than 1 year after the date of the establishment of the Advisory Committee, submit recommendations to the Secretary on—

“(A) classifications of the health workforce to ensure consistency of data collection on the health workforce; and

“(B) based on such classifications, standardized methodologies and procedures to enumerate the health workforce;

“(2) not later than 2 years after the date of the establishment of the Advisory Committee, submit recommendations to the Secretary on—

“(A) the supply, diversity, and geographic distribution of the health workforce;

“(B) the retention of the health workforce to ensure quality and adequacy of such workforce; and

“(C) policies to carry out the recommendations made pursuant to subparagraphs (A) and (B); and

“(3) not later than 4 years after the date of the establishment of the Advisory Committee, and every 2 years thereafter, submit updated recommendations to the Secretary under paragraphs (1) and (2).

“(c) Role of agency.—The Secretary shall provide ongoing administrative, research, and technical support for the operations of the Advisory Committee, including coordinating and supporting the dissemination of the recommendations of the Advisory Committee.

“(d) Membership.—

“(1) Number; appointment.—The Secretary shall appoint 15 members to serve on the Advisory Committee.

“(2) Terms.—

“(A) In general.—The Secretary shall appoint members of the Advisory Committee for a term of 3 years and may reappoint such members, but the Secretary may not appoint any member to serve more than a total of 6 years.

“(B) Staggered terms.—Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), of the members first appointed to the Advisory Committee under paragraph (1)—

“(i) 5 shall be appointed for a term of 1 year;

“(ii) 5 shall be appointed for a term of 2 years; and

“(iii) 5 shall be appointed for a term of 3 years.

“(3) Qualifications.—Members of the Advisory Committee shall be appointed from among individuals who possess expertise in at least one of the following areas:

“(A) Conducting and interpreting health workforce market analysis, including health care labor workforce analysis.

“(B) Conducting and interpreting health finance and economics research.

“(C) Delivering and administering health care services.

“(D) Delivering and administering health workforce education and training.

“(4) Representation.—In appointing members of the Advisory Committee, the Secretary shall—

“(A) include no less than one representative of each of—

“(i) health professionals within the health workforce;

“(ii) health care patients and consumers;

“(iii) employers;

“(iv) labor unions; and

“(v) third-party health payors; and

“(B) ensure that—

“(i) all areas of expertise described in paragraph (3) are represented;

“(ii) the members of the Advisory Committee include members who, collectively, have significant experience working with—

“(I) populations in urban and federally designated rural and nonmetropolitan areas; and

“(II) populations who are underrepresented in the health professions, including underrepresented minority groups; and

“(iii) individuals who are directly involved in health professions education or practice do not constitute a majority of the members of the Advisory Committee.

“(5) Disclosure and conflicts of interest.—Members of the Advisory Committee shall not be considered employees of the Federal Government by reason of service on the Advisory Committee, except members of the Advisory Committee shall be considered to be special Government employees within the meaning of section 107 of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) and section 208 of title 18, United States Code, for the purposes of disclosure and management of conflicts of interest under those sections.

“(6) No pay; receipt of travel expenses.—Members of the Advisory Committee shall not receive any pay for service on the Committee, but may receive travel expenses, including a per diem, in accordance with applicable provisions of subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.

“(e) Consultation.—In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall consult with the Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Labor.

“(f) Collaboration.—The Advisory Committee shall collaborate with the advisory bodies at the Health Resources and Services Administration, the National Advisory Council (as authorized in section 337), the Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry (as authorized in section 749A), the Advisory Committee on Interdisciplinary, Community-Based Linkages (as authorized in section 756), the Advisory Council on Graduate Medical Education (as authorized in section 762), and the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice (as authorized in section 851).

“(g) FACA.—The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) except for section 14 of such Act shall apply to the Advisory Committee under this section only to the extent that the provisions of such Act do not conflict with the requirements of this section.

“(h) Report.—The Secretary shall submit to the Congress an annual report on the activities of the Advisory Committee.

“(i) Definition.—In this section, the term ‘health workforce’ includes all health care providers with direct patient care and support responsibilities, including physicians, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists, oral health professionals (as defined in section 749(f)), allied health professionals, mental and behavioral professionals, and public health professionals (including veterinarians engaged in public health practice).”.