104 STAT. 1388-140 PUBLIC LAW 101-508 —NOV. 5, 1990 tain the activities of such program at least at the level that such activities were conducted immediately preceding the date of the issuance of any grant during the period of time covered by such grant under this section and that such activities will continue to be maintained at such level. (2) If the Secretary determines that the existing health insurance information, counseling, and assistance program is substantially similar to a program described in subsection (b)(2), the Secretary may waive some or all of the requirements described in such subsection and issue a grant to the State for the purpose of increasing the number of services offered by the health insurance information, counseling, and assistance program, experimenting with new methods of outreach in conducting such program, or expanding such program to geographic areas of the State not previously served by the program. (d) CRITERIA FOR ISSUING GRANTS.—In issuing a grant under this section, the Secretary shall consider— (1) the commitment of the State to carrying out the health insurance information, counseling, and assistance program described in subsection (b)(2), including the level of cooperation demonstrated— (A) by the office of the chief insurance regulator of the State, or the equivalent State entity; (B) other officials of the State responsible for overseeing insurance plans issued by nonprofit hospital and medical service associations; and (C) departments and agencies of such State responsible for— (i) administering funds under title XIX of the Social Security Act, and (ii) administering funds appropriated under the Older Americans Act; (2) the population of eligible individuals in such State as a percentage of the population of such State; and (3) in order to ensure the needs of rural areas in such State, the relative costs and special problems associated with addressing the special problems of providing health care information, counseling, and assistance to the rural areas of such State. (e) ANNUAL STATE REPORT.—A State that receives a grant under subsection (c) or (d) ^° shall, not later than 180 days after receiving such grant, and annually thereafter, issue an annual report to the Secretary that includes information concerning— (1) the number of individuals served by the State-wide health insurance information, counseling and assistance program of such State; (2) an estimate of the amount of funds saved by the State, and by eligible individuals in the State, in the implementation of such program; and (3) the problems that eligible individuals in such State encounter in procuring adequate and appropriate health care coverage. (f) REPORT TO CONGRESS. —Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall issue a report to the Committee on Finance of the Senate, the Special Committee on Aging of the Senate, the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representa- '° So in original. Probably should be "(a) or (c)".
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