text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Rural Health Quality Advisory 
  Commission Act of 2007''.
  
  SEC. 2. RURAL HEALTH QUALITY ADVISORY COMMISSION AND DEMONSTRATION 
                PROJECTS.
  
      (a) Rural Health Quality Advisory Commission.--
              (1) Establishment.--Not later than 6 months after the date 
          of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of Health and 
          Human Services (in this section referred to as the 
          ``Secretary'') shall establish a commission to be known as the 
          Rural Health Quality Advisory Commission (in this section 
          referred to as the ``Commission'').
              (2) Duties of commission.--
                      (A) National plan.--The Commission shall develop, 
                  coordinate, and facilitate implementation of a national 
                  plan for rural health quality improvement. The national 
                  plan shall--
                              (i) identify objectives for rural health 
                          quality improvement;
                              (ii) identify strategies to eliminate known 
                          gaps in rural health system capacity and 
                          improve rural health quality; and
                              (iii) provide for Federal programs to 
                          identify opportunities for strengthening and 
                          aligning policies and programs to improve rural 
                          health quality.
                      (B) Demonstration projects.--The Commission shall 
                  design demonstration projects to test alternative 
                  models for rural health quality improvement, including 
                  with respect to both personal and population health.
                      (C) Monitoring.--The Commission shall monitor 
                  progress toward the objectives identified pursuant to 
                  paragraph (1)(A).
              (3) Membership.--
                      (A) Number.--The Commission shall be composed of 11 
                  members appointed by the Secretary.
                      (B) Selection.--The Secretary shall select the 
                  members of the Commission from among individuals with 
                  significant rural health care and health care quality 
                  expertise, including expertise in clinical health care, 
                  health care quality research, population or public 
                  health, or purchaser organizations.
              (4) Contracting authority.--Subject to the availability of 
          funds, the Commission may enter into contracts and make other 
          arrangements, as may be necessary to carry out the duties 
          described in paragraph (2).
              (5) Staff.--Upon the request of the Commission, the 
          Secretary may detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the 
          personnel of the Office of Rural Health Policy of the Health 
          Resources and Services Administration, the Agency for Health 
          Care Quality and Research, or the Centers for Medicare & 
          Medicaid Services to the Commission to assist in carrying out 
          this subsection.
              (6) Reports to congress.--Not later than 1 year after the 
          establishment of the Commission, and annually thereafter, the 
          Commission shall submit a report to the Congress on rural 
          health quality. Each such report shall include the following:
                      (A) An inventory of relevant programs and 
                  recommendations for improved coordination and 
                  integration of policy and programs.
                      (B) An assessment of achievement of the objectives 
                  identified in the national plan developed under 
                  paragraph (2) and recommendations for realizing such 
                  objectives.
                      (C) Recommendations on Federal legislation, 
                  regulations, or administrative policies to enhance 
                  rural health quality and outcomes.
      (b) Rural Health Quality Demonstration Projects.--
              (1) In general.--Not later than 270 days after the date of 
          the enactment of this section, the Secretary, in consultation 
          with the Rural Health Quality Advisory Commission, the Office 
          of Rural Health Policy of the Health Resources and Services 
          Administration, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 
          and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, shall make 
          grants to eligible entities for 5 demonstration projects to 
          implement and evaluate methods for improving the quality of 
          health care in rural communities. Each such demonstration 
          project shall include--
                      (A) alternative community models that--
                              (i) will achieve greater integration of 
                          personal and population health services; and
                              (ii) address safety, effectiveness, 
                          patient- or community-centeredness, timeliness, 
                          efficiency, and equity (the six aims identified 
                          by the Institute of Medicine of the National 
                          Academies in its report entitled ``Crossing the 
                          Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st 
                          Century'' released on March 1, 2001);
                      (B) innovative approaches to the financing and 
                  delivery of health services to achieve rural health 
                  quality goals; and
                      (C) development of quality improvement support 
                  structures to assist rural health systems and 
                  professionals (such as workforce support structures, 
                  quality monitoring and reporting, clinical care 
                  protocols, and information technology applications).
              (2) Eligible entities.--In this subsection, the term 
          ``eligible entity'' means a consortium that--
                      (A) shall include--
                              (i) at least one health care provider or 
                          health care delivery system located in a rural 
                          area; and
                              (ii) at least one organization representing 
                          multiple community stakeholders; and
                      (B) may include other partners such as rural 
                  research centers.
              (3) Consultation.--In developing the program for awarding 
          grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall consult with 
          the Administrator of the Agency for Healthcare Research and 
          Quality, rural health care providers, rural health care 
          researchers, and private and non-profit groups (including 
          national associations) which are undertaking similar efforts.
              (4) Expedited waivers.--The Secretary shall expedite the 
          processing of any waiver that--
                      (A) is authorized under title XVIII or XIX of the 
                  Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.); and
                      (B) is necessary to carry out a demonstration 
                  project under this subsection.
              (5) Demonstration project sites.--The Secretary shall 
          ensure that the 5 demonstration projects funded under this 
          subsection are conducted at a variety of sites representing the 
          diversity of rural communities in the Nation.
              (6) Duration.--Each demonstration project under this 
          subsection shall be for a period of 4 years.
              (7) Independent evaluation.--The Secretary shall enter into 
          an arrangement with an entity that has experience working 
          directly with rural health systems for the conduct of an 
          independent evaluation of the program carried out under this 
          subsection.
              (8) Report.--Not later than one year after the conclusion 
          of all of the demonstration projects funded under this 
          subsection, the Secretary shall submit a report to the Congress 
          on the results of such projects. The report shall include--
                      (A) an evaluation of patient access to care, 
                  patient outcomes, and an analysis of the cost 
                  effectiveness of each such project; and
                      (B) recommendations on Federal legislation, 
                  regulations, or administrative policies to enhance 
                  rural health quality and outcomes.
      (c) Appropriation.--
              (1) In general.--Out of funds in the Treasury not otherwise 
          appropriated, there are appropriated to the Secretary to carry 
          out this section $30,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 
          2008 through 2012.
              (2) Availability.--
                      (A) In general.--Funds appropriated under paragraph 
                  (1) shall remain available for expenditure through 
                  fiscal year 2012.
                      (B) Report.--For purposes of carrying out 
                  subsection (b)(8), funds appropriated under paragraph 
                  (1) shall remain available for expenditure through 
                  fiscal year 2013.
              (3) Reservation.--Of the amount appropriated under 
          paragraph (1), the Secretary shall reserve--
                      (A) $5,000,000 to carry out subsection (a); and
                      (B) $25,000,000 to carry out subsection (b), of 
                  which--
                              (i) 2 percent shall be for the provision of 
                          technical assistance to grant recipients; and
                              (ii) 5 percent shall be for independent 
                          evaluation under subsection (b)(7).
target: Rural Health Quality Advisory Commission Act of 2007 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish the Rural Health Quality Advisory Commission to develop, coordinate, and facilitate implementation of a national plan for rural health quality improvements. Requires that such plan: (1) identify objectives for rural health quality improvement; (2) identify strategies to eliminate known gaps in rural health system capacity and improve rural health quality; and (3) provide for federal programs to identify opportunities for strengthening and aligning policies and programs to improve rural health quality.
  
  Directs the Commission to: (1) design demonstration projects to test alternative models for rural health quality improvement, including with respect to both personal and population health; and (2) monitor progress towards identified objectives.
  
  Requires the Secretary to make grants for demonstration projects to implement and evaluate methods for improving the quality of health care in rural communities that include: (1) alternative community models; (2) innovative approaches to the financing and delivery of health services; and (3) the development of quality improvement support structures to assist rural health systems and professionals. Directs the Secretary to: (1) expedite Medicaid and Medicare waivers as necessary to carry out such demonstration projects; and (2) provide for an independent evaluation of such projects.
feat_title: To provide for the establishment of the Rural Health Quality Advisory Commission, and for other purposes.