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Statutory Text

SEC. 1561. HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ENROLLMENT
STANDARDS AND PROTOCOLS.
Title XXX of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300jj et
seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
‘‘Subtitle C—Other Provisions
‘‘SEC. 3021 [42 U.S.C. 300jj–51]. HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
ENROLLMENT STANDARDS AND PROTOCOLS.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—
‘‘(1) STANDARDS AND PROTOCOLS.—Not later than 180 days
after the date of enactment of this title, the Secretary, in consultation
with the HIT Policy Committee and the HIT Standards
Committee, shall develop interoperable and secure standards
and protocols that facilitate enrollment of individuals in
Federal and State health and human services programs, as determined
by the Secretary.
‘‘(2) METHODS.—The Secretary shall facilitate enrollment
in such programs through methods determined appropriate by
the Secretary, which shall include providing individuals and
third parties authorized by such individuals and their designees
notification of eligibility and verification of eligibility required
under such programs.
‘‘(b) CONTENT.—The standards and protocols for electronic enrollment
in the Federal and State programs described in subsection
(a) shall allow for the following:
‘‘(1) Electronic matching against existing Federal and
State data, including vital records, employment history, enrollment
systems, tax records, and other data determined appropriate
by the Secretary to serve as evidence of eligibility and
in lieu of paper-based documentation.
‘‘(2) Simplification and submission of electronic documentation,
digitization of documents, and systems verification of eligibility.
‘‘(3) Reuse of stored eligibility information (including documentation)
to assist with retention of eligible individuals.
‘‘(4) Capability for individuals to apply, recertify and manage
their eligibility information online, including at home, at
points of service, and other community-based locations.
‘‘(5) Ability to expand the enrollment system to integrate
new programs, rules, and functionalities, to operate at increased
volume, and to apply streamlined verification and eligibility
processes to other Federal and State programs, as appropriate.
‘‘(6) Notification of eligibility, recertification, and other
needed communication regarding eligibility, which may include
communication via email and cellular phones.
‘‘(7) Other functionalities necessary to provide eligibles
with streamlined enrollment process.
‘‘(c) APPROVAL AND NOTIFICATION.—With respect to any standard
or protocol developed under subsection (a) that has been approved
by the HIT Policy Committee and the HIT Standards Committee,
the Secretary—
‘‘(1) shall notify States of such standards or protocols; and
‘‘(2) may require, as a condition of receiving Federal funds
for the health information technology investments, that States
or other entities incorporate such standards and protocols into
such investments.
‘‘(d) GRANTS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF APPROPRIATE ENROLL- MENT HIT.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall award grant to eligible
entities to develop new, and adapt existing, technology
systems to implement the HIT enrollment standards and protocols
developed under subsection (a) (referred to in this subsection
as ‘appropriate HIT technology’).
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—To be eligible for a grant under
this subsection, an entity shall—
‘‘(A) be a State, political subdivision of a State, or a
local governmental entity; and
‘‘(B) submit to the Secretary an application at such
time, in such manner, and containing—
‘‘(i) a plan to adopt and implement appropriate enrollment
technology that includes—
‘‘(I) proposed reduction in maintenance costs
of technology systems;
‘‘(II) elimination or updating of legacy systems;
and
‘‘(III) demonstrated collaboration with other
entities that may receive a grant under this section
that are located in the same State, political
subdivision, or locality;
‘‘(ii) an assurance that the entity will share such
appropriate enrollment technology in accordance with
paragraph (4); and
‘‘(iii) such other information as the Secretary may
require.
‘‘(3) SHARING.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall ensure that appropriate
enrollment HIT adopted under grants under this
subsection is made available to other qualified State,
qualified political subdivisions of a State, or other appropriate
qualified entities (as described in subparagraph (B))
at no cost.
‘‘(B) QUALIFIED ENTITIES.—The Secretary shall determine
what entities are qualified to receive enrollment HIT
under subparagraph (A), taking into consideration the recommendations
of the HIT Policy Committee and the HIT
Standards Committee.’’.