§299c Advisory Council for Healthcare Research and Quality

Summary

Creates a national advisory council called the National Advisory Council for Healthcare Research and Quality. The council must give advice to the Secretary and the Agency Director about the Agency’s work. It must recommend research priorities (like quality, outcomes, cost, use, and access), advise on training and sharing information, and suggest how the Agency should work with the private sector and form partnerships. The council has appointed and ex officio members. The Secretary must appoint 21 qualified people. At least 17 must be non‑federal public representatives and at least one must know rural health issues. Appointed members must come from a mix of areas (research, quality improvement, physicians including at least one primary care doctor, other health professions, private health sector/administration, economics/information law/ethics/business/public policy, and patient/consumer representatives), with three people from each area. Ex officio members include leaders of major federal health agencies (for example, the Assistant Secretary for Health, NIH, CDC, CMS, FDA, OPM, Defense Health, and VA Health) and any other federal officials the Secretary names. Appointed members serve three years, with initial terms staggered at 1, 2, or 3 years so one‑third rotate each year. Members can keep serving until a replacement is named. The Director picks a chair from the appointed members. The council must meet at least once every four months and more often if called. Appointed members may be paid per day up to the daily equivalent of the annual pay for Executive Schedule Level IV; ex officio members get no extra pay. The Director must give staff and help. The council continues until a law ends it.