Description:
H.R. 1676 would amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize initiatives that support the delivery of palliative care and hospice services. It would authorize several grant programs for the education and training of the palliative care workforce. In addition, it would authorize the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to disseminate information about palliative care to patients, family members, and health professionals. Finally, it would direct the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop a strategy for expanding research in palliative care. CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 1676 would cost about $86 million over the 2019‑2023 period, assuming appropriations actions consistent with the legislation. Enacting H.R. 1676 would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 1676 would not increase net direct spending or on‑budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2029. H.R. 1676 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
