Bills
| 3.23.22

Reauthorizing Two Grant Programs Relating to Trauma and Emergency Care (H.R. 648)

Do you support or oppose this bill?

What is H.R. 648?

(Updated July 13, 2017)

This bill would authorize appropriations for preventing trauma center closures, addressing shortfalls in trauma services, and improving access to trauma care in rural areas. Specifically, the bill wold reauthorize two grant mechanisms: the Trauma Care Systems Planning Grants and the Regionalization of Emergency Care Systems. Collectively they would be authorized for 24 million in appropriations — 12 million for each one. 


The former supports the creation and development of trauma systems in states and rural areas. The latter offers funding for pilot projects that can design, implement, and assess new ways to offer specialized emergency care. 

States would be mandated to update their model trauma care plan — i.e. how healthcare providers interact with the public to offer trauma care, prevent injuries, and mitigate the possibility of disability after an injury.

Argument in favor

This bill would help make emergency rooms function more effectively and improve access to emergency care, especially in rural areas.

Argument opposed

States should be able to solve these crucial health issues without aid from federal grant programs that need re-funding every few years.

Impact

Injured people, healthcare providers, trauma systems across the country, people in rural areas, and federal grants for trauma programs.

Cost of H.R. 648

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable. However, a CBO estimate of a previous version of this bill done in 2014 found that implementing this legislation would cost $101 million over the 2015-2019 period.

Additional Info

Of Note:

According to the House Committee on Energy & Commerce commentary on a previous version of this bill:  

"Traumatic injury is the leading cause of death for people ages 1-44. From 1995 to 2010, emergency visit rates have increased at twice the rate of growth of the U.S. population, and will likely continue to grow. These rates are highest in rural areas."

Media:


CBO Cost Estimate (Previous Bill Version) 

Wikipedia (Previous Bill Version)


Trauma Center Association of America (Previous Bill Version)

American Trauma Society (Previous Bill Version)

House Republicans (Previous Bill Version)

(Photo Credit: Flickr user Wonderlane)