,,ii #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #dafc ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #b1 #bjbj ,mr4 ,gardner 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,bennet1 ,mr4 ,romney1 and ,ms4 ,sinema7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,public ,health ,service ,act to provide for timely and effective systematic testing to improve biosurveillance activities and practices4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,timely and ,effective ,systematic ,testing ,act or the ,,test ,act4 #b4 ,biosurveillance facilities and capacities of the ,,cdc 7a7 ,in general ,section #cai;,d of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bdg;d-#d7 is amended-- 7#a7 ,in subsection 7a77#c7-- 7,a7 in subparagraph 7,c71 by striking and at the end2 7,b7 in subparagraph 7,d71 by striking the period and inserting 2 and2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following3 7,e7 improving coordination with ,federal1 ,state1 local1 ,tribal1 and territorial public health officials and other ,federal agencies as appropriate1 including the ,centers for ,medicare ,medicaid ,services1 to identify gaps and align payment incentives to improve electronic case reporting capability4 2 7#b7 in subsection 7c7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#c77;,a77iv71 by inserting 7such as commercial1 academic1 and other hospital laboratories7 after clinical laboratories2 7,b7 in paragraph 7#e7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,a7-- 7,i7 in the matter preceding clause 7i71 by striking and operating and inserting 1 operating1 and updating2 7,,ii7 in clause 7iv71 by striking and at the end2 7,,iii7 in clause 7v71 by striking the period and inserting a semicolon2 and 7,,iv7 by adding at the end the following3 7vi7 integrate and update applicable existing systems and networks supported by the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention and in collaboration with ,state1 local1 ,tribal1 and territorial public health officials1 including public health surveillance and disease detection systems2 and 7vii7 direct the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention in coordination with the ,centers for ,medicare ,medicaid ,services to assess the gaps in current reporting systems and evaluate grants and payment mechanisms to improve electronic case reporting capabilities4 2 and 7ii7 in subparagraph 7,b7-- 7,i7 in clause 7i71 by inserting and #fj days after the date of enactment of the ,,test ,act of #bjbj after ,innovation ,act of #bjah2 7,,ii7 in clause 7ii71 by inserting epidemiologists1 clinical microbiologists1 pathologists and laboratory experts1 health information technology developers1 experts in health information technology market economics1 public and private entities engaged in the evaluation of health information technology performance1 data sharing networks1 such as health information exchanges1 security experts1 after forecasting722 and 7,,iii7 in clause 7iii7-- 7aa7 in subclause 7,v71 by striking and at the end2 7bb7 in subclause 7,,vi71 by striking the period2 and 7cc7 by adding at the end the following3 7,,vii7 strategies to integrate laboratory and epidemiology systems and capabilities to conduct and report rapid and accurate laboratory tests2 7,,viii7 ways to improve the collection1 disaggregation1 and reporting of appropriate demographic data to support population health strategies and to better understand and address health disparities2 and 7,,ix7 an evaluation of the ,digital ,bridge project and subsequent lessons on strategies to improve the exchange of electronic health information between public health agencies and health care providers and facilities for the purpose of timely1 accurate1 and accessible disease surveillance4 2 and 7,c7 in paragraph 7#f7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,a7-- 7,i7 in clause 7iii7-- 7aa7 in subclause 7,,iii71 by striking and at the end2 7bb7 in subclause 7,,iv71 by inserting 1 including the ability to conduct and report on rapid and accurate laboratory testing during a public health emergency before the semicolon2 and 7cc7 by adding at the end the following3 7,v7 improve coordination and collaboration1 as appropriate1 with other ,federal departments2 and 7,,vi7 implement applicable lessons learned from recent public health emergencies to address gaps in situational awareness and biosurveillance capabilities1 including an evaluation of ways to improve the collection1 disaggregation1 and reporting of demographic data to support population health strategies and to better understand and address health disparities2 2 7,,ii7 in clause 7iv71 by striking and at the end2 7,,iii7 in clause 7v71 by striking the period and inserting including a justification for those dates for how they will further the goal of addressing both current and potential future infectious disease outbreaks2 and2 and 7,,iv7 by adding at the end the following3 7vi7 identifies and demonstrates measurable steps the ,secretary will take to further develop and integrate infectious disease detection1 including expanding capabilities to conduct and report on rapid and accurate diagnostic laboratory testing during a public health emergency1 and improve coordination and collaboration with ,state1 local1 ,tribal1 and territorial public health officials1 clinical laboratories 7including commercial1 hospital and academic labs71 and other entities with expertise in public health surveillance4 2 7ii7 by redesignating subparagraph 7,b7 as subparagraph 7,c72 and 7iii7 by inserting after subparagraph 7,a71 the following3 7,b7 ,reports ,not later than one month after the date of enactment of the ,,test ,act1 and every #ij days thereafter1 the ,secretary shall report on the status of the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services' biosurveillance modernization and assessment progress with respect to both current and potential future infectious disease outbreaks4 2 7#c7 in subsection 7d7-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#b77;,c71 by inserting 1 including any public-private partnerships entered into to improve such capacity before the semicolon2 and 7,b7 in paragraph 7#c7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by striking and at the end2 7ii7 in subparagraph 7,c71 by striking the period and inserting 2 and2 and 7iii7 by adding at the end the following3 7,d7 may establish1 enhance1 or maintain a system or network for the collection of data to provide for early detection of infectious disease outbreaks1 near real-time access to relevant electronic data and integration of electronic data and information from public health and other appropriate sources1 such as laboratories1 hospitals1 and epidemiology systems1 to enhance the capability to conduct rapid and accurate diagnostic laboratory tests to provide for disease detection4 2 7#d7 in subsection 7f77#a77;,a71 by inserting pathologists1 clinical microbiologists1 laboratory professionals1 epidemiologists1 after forecasting712 and 7#e7 in subsection 7h71 by adding at the end the following3 ,such evaluation shall include identification of any gaps in biosurveillance and situational awareness capabilities identified related to recent public health emergencies1 any immediate steps taken to address such gaps1 and any long-term plans to address such gaps1 including relate to activities authorized under this section44 7b7 ,coordination ,the ,administrator of the ,centers for ,medicare ,medicaid ,services shall coordinate with ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention to assess the gaps in current reporting systems and evaluate grants and payment mechanisms to improve electronic case reporting capabilities for purposes of section #cai;,d7c77#e77;,a77vii7 of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7as added by subsection 7a774 #c4 ,national health security strategy ,section #bhjb7;b77#b7 of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjj;hh-#a7;b77#b77 is amended-- 7#a7 in subparagraph 7,a71 by inserting such as by integrating laboratory and epidemiology systems and capability to conduct and report on rapid and accurate laboratory tests1 after detection1 identification12 and 7#b7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by inserting laboratory testing1 after services and supplies14 #d4 ,epidemiology-laboratory capacity grants ,section #bhba7;a7 of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjj;hh-#ca7;a77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#c71 by striking and2 7#b7 in paragraph 7#d71 by striking the period and inserting 2 and2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following3 7#e7 supporting ,state and local public health departments activities related to biosurveillance and disease detection1 including activities related to section #cai;,d4 4