text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``EMTALA Regulatory Improvement Act of 
  2003''.
  
  SEC. 2. EMTALA IMPROVEMENTS.
  
      (a) Notification of Providers When EMTALA Investigation Closed.--
  Section 1867(d) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 42 U.S.C. 
  1395dd(d)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
              ``(4) Notice upon closing an investigation.--The Secretary 
          shall establish a procedure to notify hospitals and physicians 
          when an investigation under this section is closed.''.
      (b) Prior Review by Peer Review Organizations in EMTALA Cases 
  Involving Termination of Participation.--
              (1) In general.--Section 1867(d)(3) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
          1395dd(d)(3)) is amended--
                      (A) in the first sentence, by inserting ``or in 
                  terminating a hospital's participation under this 
                  title'' after ``in imposing sanctions under paragraph 
                  (1)''; and
                      (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                  sentences: ``Except in the case in which a delay would 
                  jeopardize the health or safety of individuals, the 
                  Secretary shall also request such a review before 
                  making a compliance determination as part of the 
                  process of terminating a hospital's participation under 
                  this title for violations related to the 
                  appropriateness of a medical screening examination, 
                  stabilizing treatment, or an appropriate transfer as 
                  required by this section, and shall provide a period of 
                  5 days for such review. The Secretary shall provide a 
                  copy of the organization's report to the hospital or 
                  physician consistent with confidentiality requirements 
                  imposed on the organization under such part B.''.
              (2) Effective date.--The amendments made by paragraph (1) 
          shall apply to terminations of participation initiated on or 
          after the date of the enactment of this Act.
  
  SEC. 3. EMERGENCY MEDICAL TREATMENT AND ACTIVE LABOR ACT (EMTALA) 
                TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP.
  
      (a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a Technical 
  Advisory Group (in this section referred to as the ``Advisory Group'') 
  to review issues related to the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor 
  Act (EMTALA) and its implementation. In this section, the term 
  ``EMTALA'' refers to the provisions of section 1867 of the Social 
  Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395dd).
      (b) Membership.--The Advisory Group shall be composed of 19 
  members, including the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & 
  Medicaid Services and the Inspector General of the Department of Health 
  and Human Services and of which--
              (1) 4 shall be representatives of hospitals, including at 
          least one public hospital, that have experience with the 
          application of EMTALA and at least 2 of which have not been 
          cited for EMTALA violations;
              (2) 7 shall be practicing physicians drawn from the fields 
          of emergency medicine, cardiology or cardiothoracic surgery, 
          orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, pediatrics or a pediatric 
          subspecialty, obstetrics-gynecology, and psychiatry, with not 
          more than one physician from any particular field;
              (3) 2 shall represent patients;
              (4) 2 shall be staff involved in EMTALA investigations from 
          different regional offices of the Centers for Medicare & 
          Medicaid Services; and
              (5) 1 shall be from a State survey office involved in 
          EMTALA investigations and 1 shall be from a peer review 
          organization, both of whom shall be from areas other than the 
          regions represented under paragraph (4).
  In selecting members described in paragraphs (1) through (3), the 
  Secretary shall consider qualified individuals nominated by 
  organizations representing providers and patients.
      (c) General Responsibilities.--The Advisory Group--
              (1) shall review EMTALA regulations;
              (2) may provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary 
          with respect to those regulations and their application to 
          hospitals and physicians;
              (3) shall solicit comments and recommendations from 
          hospitals, physicians, and the public regarding the 
          implementation of such regulations; and
              (4) may disseminate information on the application of such 
          regulations to hospitals, physicians, and the public.
      (d) Administrative Matters.--
              (1) Chairperson.--The members of the Advisory Group shall 
          elect a member to serve as chairperson of the Advisory Group 
          for the life of the Advisory Group.
              (2) Meetings.--The Advisory Group shall first meet at the 
          direction of the Secretary. The Advisory Group shall then meet 
          twice per year and at such other times as the Advisory Group 
          may provide.
      (e) Termination.--The Advisory Group shall terminate 30 months 
  after the date of its first meeting.
      (f) Waiver of Administrative Limitation.--The Secretary shall 
  establish the Advisory Group notwithstanding any limitation that may 
  apply to the number of advisory committees that may be established 
  (within the Department of Health and Human Services or otherwise).
target: EMTALA Regulatory Improvement Act of 2003 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a procedure to notify hospitals and physicians when an investigation under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) is closed.Directs the Secretary to establish a Technical Advisory Group to review issues related to EMTALA and its implementation.
feat_title: To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the regulatory operation of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA).