,i #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #gea ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,january #bh1 #bjbe,mr4 ,carter of ,georgia 7for himself and ,mr4 ,estes7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on the ,budget ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,congressional ,budget and ,impoundment ,control ,act of #aigd to codify the ,panel of ,health ,advisors within the ,congressional ,budget ,office1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,healthy ,equipping ,and ,lending ,technical ,help ,panel ,act or the ,,health ,panel ,act 4 #b4 ,congressional ,budget ,office ,panel of ,health ,advisors 7a7 ,in general ,title ,,ii of the ,congressional ,budget and ,impoundment ,control ,act of #aigd 7#b ,u4,s4,c4 #fja et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #bjd4 ,panel of ,health ,advisors 7a7 ,in general ,the ,panel of ,health ,advisors 7in this section referred to as the ,panel7 shall be within the ,congressional ,budget ,office4 7b7 ,duties and priority target areas 7#a7 ,duties ,the ,panel shall-- 7,a7 provide technical and functional expertise and recommendations to the ,congressional ,budget ,office to improve the office's studies1 analysis1 and cost estimates related to health and health care issues and policies2 7,b7 meet at least once annually2 and 7,c7 issue an annual report to the chair and ranking minority members of the ,committee on the ,budget of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on the ,budget of the ,senate which-- 7i7 details the work of the ,panel and includes such recommendations as have been approved by a vote of at least #i members of the ,panel and provided to the ,congressional ,budget ,office2 and 7ii7 includes a description prepared by the ,director of the ,congressional ,budget ,office detailing how the office utilized any such recommendations provided under clause 7i7 and the extent to which any such recommendations were integrated into the office's studies and cost estimates4 7#b7 ,priority target areas ,for the purposes of this section1 the ,director of the ,congressional ,budget ,office1 in consultation with the chairs and ranking minority members of the ,committee on the ,budget of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on the ,budget of the ,senate1 as well as members on the ,panel1 shall determine priorities to address in meetings of the ,panel1 and the report detailed under paragraph 7#a77;,c74 ,the ,panel shall provide expertise and recommendations under paragraph 7#a7 with specific respect to the following areas3 7,a7 ,non-economic and economic studies on health and health care issues and policies developed by the ,congressional ,budget ,office4 7,b7 ,official cost estimates prepared by the ,congressional ,budget ,office for proposed health care legislation4 7,c7 ,models developed and utilized by the ,congressional ,budget ,office to project non-economic and economic impacts of health care policy changes and legislation4 7,d7 ,health care components of the ,congressional ,budget ,office's annual ,budget and ,economic ,outlook publications1 ,federal ,health ,subsidies for ,health ,insurance reports1 ,health ,insurance ,coverage ,projections1 and other official publications related to health and health care by the ,congressional ,budget ,office4 7#c7 ,publication ,the ,director of the ,congressional ,budget ,office shall publish1 on the ,office's public website1 the annual report prepared pursuant to paragraph 7#a77;,c74 7#d7 ,ethical disclosure2 confidentiality ,the ,director of the ,congressional ,budget ,office may establish-- 7,a7 a system for public disclosure by members of the ,panel related to potential conflicts of interest relating to such members2 and 7,b7 confidentiality agreements with members of the ,panel to protect information obtained by the ,government on a confidential basis to inform official work products and confidential congressional requests for analytical reports and budgetary scoring estimates4 7c7 ,membership 7#a7 ,number and appointment ,the membership of the ,panel shall include #ae members appointed not later than #ij days after the date of the enactment of this section1 of which-- 7,a7 #c members shall be appointed by the chair of the ,committee on the ,budget of the ,house of ,representatives2 7,b7 #c members shall be appointed by the ranking minority member of the ,committee on the ,budget of the ,house of ,representatives2 7,c7 #c members shall be appointed by the chair of the ,committee on the ,budget of the ,senate2 7,d7 #c members shall be appointed by the ranking minority member of the ,committee on the ,budget of the ,senate2 and 7,e7 #c members shall be appointed by the ,director of the ,congressional ,budget ,office4 7#b7 ,qualifications ,the membership of the ,panel shall aim to include1 but not be limited to1 individuals with national recognition for their expertise in health finance and economics1 actuarial science1 health facility management1 life sciences and drug development1 investment in health care companies1 health plans and integrated delivery systems1 reimbursement of health facilities1 allopathic and osteopathic physicians1 and other providers of health services1 ,medicare1 ,medicaid1 and other related fields4 7#c7 ,special ,government employees ,members of the ,panel shall serve as special ,government employees 7as defined in section #bjb7;a7 of title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code74 7d7 ,terms 7#a7 ,in general ,the terms of the members of the ,panel shall be for #c years1 except that the ,director of the ,congressional ,budget ,office shall designate staggered terms of the members first appointed4 7#b7 ,vacancies 7,a7 ,in general ,a vacancy in the ,panel shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made4 7,b7 ,term of member appointed to fill vacancy ,any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of the term for which the member's predecessor was appointed shall be appointed only for the remainder of that term1 except that a member may serve after the expiration of that member's term until a successor has taken office4 7#c7 ,chair2 vice chair 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,director of the ,congressional ,budget ,office shall designate a member of the ,panel1 at the time of appointment of the member1 as chair and a member as vice chair for that term of appointment1 except that in the case of vacancy of the chair or vice chair1 the ,director of the ,congressional ,budget ,office may designate another member for the remainder of that member's term4 7,b7 ,requirements ,the chair and vice chair shall be appointed by the ,director of the ,congressional ,budget ,office-- 7i7 after considering recommendations received from the chairs of the ,committees on the ,budget of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,senate2 7ii7 without regard to political affiliation2 and 7iii7 solely on the basis of their fitness to perform their duties4 7#d7 ,limits ,members of the ,panel shall be limited to two #c-year terms1 for a total of not to exceed #f years of service on the ,panel4 ,for purposes of this paragraph1 any year of service on the ,panel by a person appointed to fill a vacancy under paragraph 7#b7 shall be included in determining the number of years that such person has served on the ,panel4 4 7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of contents of such ,act is amended by inserting after the item relating to section #bjc the following3 #bjd4 ,panel of ,health ,advisors4 4