Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 107 Part 1.djvu/233

 PUBLIC LAW 103-43—JUNE 10, 1993 107 STAT. 207 (b) REPORT. —Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall prepare and submit to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, a report containing the findings of the study conducted under subsection (a) together with recommendations concerning the enactment of legislation to implement the results of such study. SEC. 1913. COST OF CARE IN LAST 6 MONTHS OF LIFE. (a) STUDY. — (1) IN GENERAL.— The Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as the "Secretary"), acting through the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research and, to the degree possible, in consultation with the Health Care Financing Administration, shall conduct a study, using the most recent National Medical Expenditure Survey database, to estimate the average amount of health care expenditures incurred during the last 6 months of life by— (A) the population of individuals who are 65 years of age and older; and (B) the total population, broken down based on noninstitutionalized and institutionalized populations. (2) ELEMENTS OF STUDY. —The study conducted under paragraph (1) shall— (A) be designed in a manner that will produce estimates of health care costs expended for health care provided to individuals during the last 6 months of life; (B) be designed to produce estimates of such costs for the populations identified in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1); (C) include a calculation of the estimated amount of total health care expenditures during such periods of time; and (D) include a calculation of the estimate described in subparagraph (C)— (i) as a percentage of the total national heedth care expenditures; and (ii) for those age 65 years and over, as a percentage of the total Medicare expenditures for those age 65 years and over. (b) REPORT.— Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, a report containing the findings resulting from the study described in subsection (a). (c) 1996 NATIONAL MEDICAL EXPENDITURE SURVEY.— (1) IN GENERAL.— The Secretary, acting through the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, shall ensure that the 1996 National Medical Expenditure Survey is designed in a manner that will produce an estimate of the amount expended for health care provided to individuals during the last 6 months of life. (2) POPULATIONS. —In designing the Survey under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall ensure that such Survey produces the data required under such paragraph for the population

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