Public Health Emergency Response Act of 2008

A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to ensure that victims of public health emergencies have meaningful and immediate access to medically necessary health care services.

7/23/2008--Introduced.
Public Health Emergency Response Act of 2008 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to activate the coverage of short-term emergency health care services if the Secretary determines that there is a public health emergency. Sets forth factors for the Secretary to consider, including the degree to which the emergency is likely to overwhelm health care providers in the region. Requires the Secretary to establish a medical monitoring program for monitoring and reporting on the health care needs of the affected population over time. Limits eligibility for coverage of emergency health care services to:
(1) uninsured or underinsured emergency victims who need health care services due to injuries or disease resulting from the public health emergency; or
(2) uninsured individuals residing in the affected area whose ability to access care or medicine is disrupted as a result of the emergency. Directs the Secretary to:
(1) establish a streamlined process for determining eligibility for emergency health care services;
(2) report to Congress on the number and adequacy of volunteers enrolled in the Emergency System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals (ESAR-VHP) who will be available to each state in the event of a public health emergency; and
(3) conduct an outreach and public education campaign to inform health care providers and the general public about the availability of emergency health care coverage during the period of the emergency.


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Sponsor

• Sen. Richard Durbin [D, IL]
• and 3 Co-Sponsors
  • Sen. Jeff Bingaman [D, NM]
  • Sen. Robert Casey [D, PA]
  • Sen. Russell Feingold [D, WI]
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Committees

• Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

Amendments

This bill has no amendments.

Amendments to S.3312

Number	Status	Purpose

Bill Status

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Introduced		Voted on by Senate		Voted on by House		Considered By President		Bill Becomes Law
July 23, 2008

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All Bill Actions

• Introduced on Jul 23, 2008.
• Jul 23, 2008: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7153)
• Jul 23, 2008: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

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Related Bills:

• H.R.6569

Related Issue Areas:

• Health policy
• Access to health care
• Congress
• Congressional reporting requirements
• 11 more
• Emergency management
• Emergency medicine
• Government information
• Government publicity
• Health surveys
• Medical care
• Medical personnel
• Medically uninsured
• Medicine
• Social services
• Volunteer workers

Data from the Congressional Research Service

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Blog Coverage

July 23, 2008 WashingtonWatch.com - H.R. 6569, The Public Health Emergency ...

The Public Health Emergency Response Act of 2008 (S. 3312) (more recent activity!) See Bills on the Same Subject: Access to health care, Congress, Congressional reporting requirements, Emergency management, Emergency medicine, ...

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July 22, 2008 Bill Action: Introduced: S. 3312: A bill to amend the Public ...

Richard Durbin [D-IL] introduced S. 3312: A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to ensure that victims of public health emergencies have meaningful and immediate access to medically necessary health care services. ...

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July 22, 2008 S. 3312, A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to ensure ...

S. 3312 would amend the Public Health Service Act to ensure that victims of public health emergencies have meaningful and immediate access to medically necessary health care services.... Vote on This Bill: For | Against.

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