PUBLIC LAW 108–173—DEC. 8, 2003
117 STAT. 2443
been appointed under subsection (d)(1), the Comptroller General shall designate the chairperson of the Working Group. (g) SUBCOMMITTEES.—The Working Group may establish subcommittees if doing so increases the efficiency of the Working Group in completing its tasks. (h) DUTIES.— (1) HEARINGS.—Not later than 90 days after the date of the designation of the chairperson under subsection (f), the Working Group shall hold hearings to examine— (A) the capacity of the public and private health care systems to expand coverage options; (B) the cost of health care and the effectiveness of care provided at all stages of disease; (C) innovative State strategies used to expand health care coverage and lower health care costs; (D) local community solutions to accessing health care coverage; (E) efforts to enroll individuals currently eligible for public or private health care coverage; (F) the role of evidence-based medical practices that can be documented as restoring, maintaining, or improving a patient’s health, and the use of technology in supporting providers in improving quality of care and lowering costs; and (G) strategies to assist purchasers of health care, including consumers, to become more aware of the impact of costs, and to lower the costs of health care. (2) ADDITIONAL HEARINGS.—The Working Group may hold additional hearings on subjects other than those listed in paragraph (1) so long as such hearings are determined to be necessary by the Working Group in carrying out the purposes of this section. Such additional hearings do not have to be completed within the time period specified in paragraph (1) but shall not delay the other activities of the Working Group under this section. (3) THE HEALTH REPORT TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.—Not later than 90 days after the hearings described in paragraphs (1) and (2) are completed, the Working Group shall prepare and make available to health care consumers through the Internet and other appropriate public channels, a report to be entitled, ‘‘The Health Report to the American People’’. Such report shall be understandable to the general public and include— (A) a summary of— (i) health care and related services that may be used by individuals throughout their life span; (ii) the cost of health care services and their medical effectiveness in providing better quality of care for different age groups; (iii) the source of coverage and payment, including reimbursement, for health care services; (iv) the reasons people are uninsured or underinsured and the cost to taxpayers, purchasers of health services, and communities when Americans are uninsured or underinsured; (v) the impact on health care outcomes and costs when individuals are treated in all stages of disease; (vi) health care cost containment strategies; and
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