124 STAT. 1012 PUBLIC LAW 111–148—MAR. 23, 2010 time for dispute resolution, and the availability and price of liability insurance. ‘‘(f) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.— ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide technical assistance to the States applying for or awarded grants under subsection (a). ‘‘(2) REQUIREMENTS.—Technical assistance under para- graph (1) shall include— ‘‘(A) guidance on non-economic damages, including the consideration of individual facts and circumstances in determining appropriate payment, guidance on identifying avoidable injuries, and guidance on disclosure to patients of health care errors and adverse events; and ‘‘(B) the development, in consultation with States, of common definitions, formats, and data collection infrastruc- ture for States receiving grants under this section to use in reporting to facilitate aggregation and analysis of data both within and between States. ‘‘(3) USE OF COMMON DEFINITIONS, FORMATS, AND DATA COLLECTION INFRASTRUCTURE.—States not receiving grants under this section may also use the common definitions, for- mats, and data collection infrastructure developed under para- graph (2)(B). ‘‘(g) EVALUATION.— ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consultation with the review panel established under subsection (d)(2), shall enter into a contract with an appropriate research organization to conduct an overall evaluation of the effectiveness of grants awarded under subsection (a) and to annually prepare and submit a report to Congress. Such an evaluation shall begin not later than 18 months following the date of implementation of the first program funded by a grant under subsection (a). ‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—The evaluation under paragraph (1) shall include— ‘‘(A) an analysis of the effects of the grants awarded under subsection (a) with regard to the measures described in paragraph (3); ‘‘(B) for each State, an analysis of the extent to which the alternative developed under subsection (c)(1) is effective in meeting the elements described in subsection (c)(2); ‘‘(C) a comparison among the States receiving grants under subsection (a) of the effectiveness of the various alternatives developed by such States under subsection (c)(1); ‘‘(D) a comparison, considering the measures described in paragraph (3), of States receiving grants approved under subsection (a) and similar States not receiving such grants; and ‘‘(E) a comparison, with regard to the measures described in paragraph (3), of— ‘‘(i) States receiving grants under subsection (a); ‘‘(ii) States that enacted, prior to the date of enact- ment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, any cap on non-economic damages; and ‘‘(iii) States that have enacted, prior to the date of enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a requirement that the complainant obtain Contracts. Deadlines. Reports.
