119-s2287

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2287 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 2287

 To amend the Public Health Service Act to increase the number of 
 permanent faculty in palliative care at accredited allopathic and 
 osteopathic medical schools, nursing schools and other programs, 
 including social work, physician assistant, and chaplaincy education 
 programs, to promote education and research in palliative care and 
hospice, and to support the development of faculty careers in academic 
 palliative and hospice care.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 July 15, 2025

 Ms. Baldwin (for herself, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Marshall, Ms. 
 Cantwell, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. Welch, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mr. Reed, Mr. 
 Rounds, Ms. Rosen, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. King, Mrs. Blackburn, Mrs. 
 Gillibrand, Ms. Collins, Mr. Whitehouse, and Mr. Boozman) introduced 
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 
 on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To amend the Public Health Service Act to increase the number of 
 permanent faculty in palliative care at accredited allopathic and 
 osteopathic medical schools, nursing schools and other programs, 
 including social work, physician assistant, and chaplaincy education 
 programs, to promote education and research in palliative care and 
hospice, and to support the development of faculty careers in academic 
 palliative and hospice care.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Palliative Care and Hospice 
Education and Training Act''.

SEC. 2. PALLIATIVE CARE AND HOSPICE EDUCATION AND TRAINING.

    (a) In General.--Part D of title VII of the Public Health Service 
Act (42 U.S.C. 294 et seq.) is amended by inserting after 

section 759 
the following:

``

SEC. 759A. PALLIATIVE CARE AND HOSPICE EDUCATION AND TRAINING.

 ``

    (a) Palliative Care and Hospice Education Programs.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants or 
 contracts under this section to entities described in paragraph

    (1) ,

    (3) , or

    (4) of 

section 799B, and 

section 801

    (2) , for the 
 establishment or operation of Palliative Care and Hospice 
 Education Programs that meet the requirements of paragraph

    (2) .
 ``

    (2) Requirements.--
 ``
        (A) In general.--A Palliative Care and Hospice 
 Education Program receiving an award under this section 
 shall support the training of health professionals in 
 palliative and hospice care, including traineeships or 
 fellowships. Such programs shall emphasize, as 
 appropriate, patient and family engagement, integration 
 of palliative and hospice care with primary and 
 specialty care, and collaboration with community 
 partners to address gaps in health care for individuals 
 with serious or life-threatening illnesses.
 ``
        (B) Activities.--Activities conducted by a 
 program under this section may include the following:
 ``
            (i) Clinical training on providing 
 integrated palliative and hospice care 
 services.
 ``
            (ii) Interprofessional training to 
 practitioners from multiple disciplines and 
 specialties, including training on the 
 provision of care to individuals with serious 
 or life-threatening illnesses.
 ``
            (iii) Establishing or maintaining 
 training-related community-based programs for 
 individuals with serious or life-threatening 
 illnesses and caregivers to improve quality of 
 life, and where appropriate, health outcomes 
 for individuals who have serious or life-
 threatening illnesses.
 ``
            (C) Nonduplication.--A Palliative Care and 
 Hospice Education Program under this section shall not 
 duplicate the activities of existing education centers 
 funded under this section or under 

section 753 or 865.
 ``

    (3) Priorities in making awards.--In awarding grants and 
 contracts under paragraph

    (1) , the Secretary--
 ``
        (A) shall give priority to programs that 
 demonstrate coordination with another Federal or State 
 program, or another public or private entity;
 ``
        (B) shall give priority to applicants with 
 programs or activities that are expected to 
 substantially benefit--
 ``
            (i) individuals in rural or medically 
 underserved areas, frontier health professional 
 shortage areas (as defined in 

section 799B), or 
 Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations;
 ``
            (ii) pediatric populations; or
 ``
            (iii) racial and ethnic minority 
 populations; and
 ``
            (C) may give priority to any program that--
 ``
            (i) integrates palliative and hospice 
 care into primary care practice;
 ``
            (ii) provides training to integrate 
 palliative and hospice care into other 
 specialties across care settings, including 
 practicing clinical specialists, health care 
 administrators, faculty without backgrounds in 
 palliative or hospice care, and students from 
 all health professions;
 ``
            (iii) emphasizes integration of 
 palliative and hospice care into existing 
 service delivery locations and care across 
 settings, including primary care clinics, 
 medical homes, Federally qualified health 
 centers, ambulatory care clinics, hospitals, 
 including critical access hospitals, emergency 
 care settings, assisted living and nursing 
 facilities, and home- and community-based 
 settings;
 ``
            (iv) supports the training and retraining 
 of faculty, primary and specialty care 
 providers, other direct care providers, and 
 other appropriate professionals on palliative 
 or hospice care;
 ``
            (v) emphasizes education and engagement 
 of family or caregivers on palliative and 
 hospice care management within the context of 
 chronic disease management and strategies to 
 meet the needs of such family or caregivers; or
 ``
            (vi) proposes to conduct outreach to 
 communities that have a shortage of palliative 
 and hospice workforce professionals.
 ``

    (4) Expansion of existing programs.--Nothing in this 
 section shall be construed to--
 ``
        (A) prevent the Secretary from providing grants 
 or contracts to expand existing education programs, 
 including geriatric education programs established 
 under 

section 753 or 865, to provide for education and 
 training focused specifically on palliative care, 
 including for non-geriatric populations; or
 ``
        (B) limit the number of education programs that 
 may be funded in a community.
 ``

    (b) Palliative Medicine Physician Training.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--The Secretary may make grants to, and 
 enter into contracts with, schools of medicine, schools of 
 osteopathic medicine, teaching hospitals, and graduate medical 
 education programs for the purpose of providing support for 
 projects that fund the training of physicians who plan to teach 
 or practice palliative medicine.
 ``

    (2) Requirements.--Each project for which a grant or 
 contract is made under this subsection shall--
 ``
        (A) be staffed by full-time teaching physicians 
 who have experience or training in interprofessional 
 team-based palliative medicine;
 ``
        (B) be based in a hospice and palliative medicine 
 fellowship program accredited by the Accreditation 
 Council for Graduate Medical Education;
 ``
            (C) provide training in interprofessional team-
 based palliative medicine through a variety of service 
 rotations, such as consultation services, acute care 
 services, extended care facilities, ambulatory care and 
 comprehensive evaluation units, hospices, home care, 
 and community care programs;
 ``
            (D) develop specific performance-based measures 
 to evaluate the competency of trainees; and
 ``
        (E) provide training in interprofessional team-
 based palliative medicine through one or both of the 
 training options described in paragraph

    (3) .
 ``

    (3) Training options.--The training options referred to 
 in subparagraph
        (E) of paragraph

    (2) are as follows:
 ``
        (A) 1-year retraining programs in hospice and 
 palliative medicine for physicians who are faculty at 
 schools of medicine and osteopathic medicine, or others 
 determined appropriate by the Secretary.
 ``
        (B) 1- or 2-year training programs that are 
 designed to provide training in interprofessional team-
 based hospice and palliative medicine for physicians 
 who have completed graduate medical education programs 
 in any medical specialty leading to board eligibility 
 in hospice and palliative medicine pursuant to the 
 American Board of Medical Specialties.
 ``

    (4) === Definitions. ===
-For purposes of this subsection, the 
 term `graduate medical education' means a program sponsored by 
 a school of medicine, a school of osteopathic medicine, a 
 hospital, or a public or private institution that--
 ``
        (A) offers postgraduate medical training in the 
 specialties and subspecialties of medicine; and
 ``
        (B) has been accredited by the Accreditation 
 Council for Graduate Medical Education or the American 
 Osteopathic Association through its Committee on 
 Postdoctoral Training.
 ``
            (c) Palliative Care and Hospice Academic Career Awards.--
 ``

    (1) Establishment of program.--The Secretary shall 
 establish a program to provide awards, to be known as the 
 `Palliative Care and Hospice Academic Career Awards', to 
 allopathic and osteopathic medical schools, nursing schools, 
 and other programs, including social work, physician assistant, 
 and chaplaincy education programs, or other schools or programs 
 identified by the Secretary applying on behalf of eligible 
 individuals to promote the career development of such 
 individuals as academic hospice and palliative care 
 specialists.
 ``

    (2) Eligible individuals.--For purposes of this 
 subsection, the term `eligible individual' means an individual 
 who--
 ``
        (A) is board certified or board eligible in 
 hospice and palliative medicine or has completed 
 required specialty training in palliative and hospice 
 care in the disciplines of nursing, social work, 
 physician assistant, chaplaincy, or other discipline 
 identified by the Secretary; and
 ``
        (B) has a junior

    (nontenured) faculty appointment 
 at an accredited (as determined by the Secretary) 
 allopathic or osteopathic medical school, nursing 
 school, or other programs, including social work, 
 physician assistant, chaplaincy, or other education 
 programs identified by the Secretary.
 ``

    (3) Limitations.--No award under paragraph

    (1) may be 
 made to an eligible individual unless the entity on behalf of 
 the eligible individual--
 ``
        (A) has submitted to the Secretary an 
 application, at such time, in such manner, and 
 containing such information as the Secretary may 
 require, and the Secretary has approved such 
 application;
 ``
        (B) provides, in such form and manner as the 
 Secretary may require, assurances that the individual 
 will meet the service requirement described in 
 paragraph

    (6) ; and
 ``
            (C) provides, in such form and manner as the 
 Secretary may require, assurances that the individual 
 has a full-time faculty appointment in a health 
 professions institution and documented commitment from 
 such institution to spend a majority of the total 
 funded time of such individual on teaching and 
 developing skills in education in interprofessional 
 team-based palliative care.
 ``

    (4) Maintenance of effort.--An entity which receives an 
 award under paragraph

    (1) shall provide assurances to the 
 Secretary that funds provided to the eligible individual under 
 this subsection will be used only to supplement, not to 
 supplant, the amount of Federal, State, and local funds 
 otherwise expended by the eligible individual.
 ``

    (5) Amount and term.--
 ``
        (A) Amount.--The amount of an award under this 
 subsection shall be equal to the award amount provided 
 for under 

section 753

    (b)

    (5)
        (A) for the fiscal year 
 involved.
 ``
        (B) Term.--The term of an award made under this 
 subsection shall not exceed 5 years.
 ``
            (C) Payment to institution.--The Secretary shall 
 make payments for awards under this subsection to 
 institutions, including allopathic and osteopathic 
 medical schools, nursing schools, and other programs, 
 including social work, physician assistant, or 
 chaplaincy education programs.
 ``

    (6) Service requirement.--An individual who receives an 
 award under this subsection shall provide training in 
 palliative care and hospice, including the training of 
 interprofessional teams of health care professionals. The 
 provision of such training shall constitute a majority of the 
 total funded obligations of such individual under the award.
 ``
            (d) Palliative Care Workforce Development.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants or 
 contracts under this subsection to entities that operate a 
 Palliative Care and Hospice Education Program pursuant to 
 subsection

    (a)

    (1) .
 ``

    (2) Application.--To be eligible for an award under 
 paragraph

    (1) , an entity described in such paragraph shall 
 submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such 
 manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
 require.
 ``

    (3) Use of funds.--Amounts awarded under a grant or 
 contract under paragraph

    (1) shall be used to carry out the 
 fellowship program described in paragraph

    (4) .
 ``

    (4) Fellowship program.--
 ``
        (A) In general.--Pursuant to paragraph

    (3) , a 
 Palliative Care and Hospice Education Program that 
 receives an award under this subsection shall use such 
 funds to offer short-term intensive courses (referred 
 to in this subsection as a `fellowship') that focus on 
 interprofessional team-based palliative care that 
 provide supplemental training for faculty members in 
 allopathic and osteopathic medical schools, nursing 
 schools, and other programs, including psychology, 
 pharmacy, social work, physician assistant, and 
 chaplaincy education programs, or other health 
 disciplines, as approved by the Secretary. Such a 
 fellowship shall be open to current faculty, and 
 appropriately credentialed volunteer faculty and 
 practitioners, who do not have formal training in 
 palliative care, to upgrade their knowledge and 
 clinical skills for the care of individuals with 
 serious or life-threatening illness and to enhance 
 their interdisciplinary and interprofessional teaching 
 skills.
 ``
        (B) Location.--A fellowship under this paragraph 
 shall be offered either at the Palliative Care and 
 Hospice Education Program that is sponsoring the 
 course, in collaboration with other Palliative Care and 
 Hospice Education Programs, or at allopathic and 
 osteopathic medical schools, nursing schools, or other 
 programs, including pharmacy, social work, physician 
 assistant, chaplaincy, and psychology education 
 programs, or other health professions schools and 
 programs approved by the Secretary.
 ``

    (5) Targets.--A Palliative Care and Hospice Education 
 Program that receives an award under paragraph

    (1) shall meet 
 targets approved by the Secretary for providing training in 
 interprofessional team-based palliative care to a certain 
 number of faculty or practitioners during the term of the 
 award, as well as other parameters established by the 
 Secretary.
 ``

    (6) Amount of award.--Each award under paragraph

    (1) shall be not more than $150,000. Not more than 24 Palliative 
 Care and Hospice Education Programs may receive an award under 
 such paragraph.
 ``

    (7) Maintenance of effort.--A Palliative Care and Hospice 
 Education Program that receives an award under paragraph

    (1) shall provide assurances to the Secretary that funds provided 
 to the Program under the award will be used only to supplement, 
 not to supplant, the amount of Federal, State, and local funds 
 otherwise expended by such Program.
 ``

    (e) Palliative Care and Hospice Career Incentive Awards.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants or 
 contracts under this subsection to institutions, including 
 allopathic and osteopathic medical schools, nursing schools, 
 and other programs, including social work, physician assistant, 
 psychology, chaplaincy, and pharmacy education programs, or 
 other programs approved by the Secretary, applying on behalf of 
 individuals described in paragraph

    (2) to foster greater 
 interest among a variety of health professionals in entering 
 the field of palliative care.
 ``

    (2) Eligible individuals.--To be eligible to receive an 
 award under paragraph

    (1) , an individual shall--
 ``
        (A) be an advanced practice nurse, a social 
 worker, physician assistant, pharmacist, chaplain, 
 psychologist, or other health care professional 
 pursuing a doctorate, masters, or other advanced degree 
 with a focus in interprofessional team-based palliative 
 care or related fields in an accredited school or 
 education program; and
 ``
        (B) submit to the Secretary an application at 
 such time, in such manner, and containing such 
 information as the Secretary may require.
 ``

    (3) Conditions of award.--As a condition of receiving an 
 award under paragraph

    (1) , an individual shall agree that, 
 following completion of the award period, the individual will 
 teach or practice palliative care in health-related 
 educational, home, hospice, or long-term care settings for a 
 minimum of 5 years under guidelines established by the 
 Secretary.
 ``

    (4) Payment to institution.--The Secretary shall make 
 payments for awards under paragraph

    (1) to institutions that 
 include allopathic and osteopathic medical schools, nursing 
 schools, and other programs, including social work, physician 
 assistant, psychology, chaplaincy, and pharmacy education 
 programs or other programs approved by the Secretary.
 ``

    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section, $15,000,000 for each of the 
fiscal years 2026 through 2030.''.

    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section shall be 
effective beginning on the date that is 90 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3. HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE NURSING.

    (a) Nurse Education, Practice, and Quality Grants.--

Section 831

    (b)

    (3) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296p

    (b)

    (3) ) is 
amended by inserting ``hospice and palliative nursing,'' after 
``coordinated care,''.

    (b) Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Programs.--
Part D of title VIII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296p 
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``

SEC. 832. PALLIATIVE CARE AND HOSPICE EDUCATION AND TRAINING.

 ``

    (a) Program Authorized.--The Secretary shall award grants to, or 
enter into contracts with, eligible entities to develop and implement, 
in coordination with programs under 

section 759A, programs and 
initiatives to train and educate individuals in providing 
interprofessional team-based palliative care in health-related 
educational, hospital, hospice, home, or long-term care settings.
 ``

    (b) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity that receives a grant under 
subsection

    (a) shall use funds under such grant to--
 ``

    (1) provide training to individuals who will provide 
 palliative care in health-related educational, hospital, home, 
 hospice, or long-term care settings;
 ``

    (2) develop and disseminate curricula relating to 
 palliative care in health-related educational, hospital, home, 
 hospice, or long-term care settings;
 ``

    (3) train faculty members in palliative care in health-
 related educational, hospital, home, hospice, or long-term care 
 settings; or
 ``

    (4) provide continuing education to individuals who 
 provide palliative care in health-related educational, home, 
 hospice, or long-term care settings.
 ``
            (c) Application.--An eligible entity desiring a grant under 
subsection

    (a) shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary 
may reasonably require.
 ``
            (d) Eligible Entity.--For purposes of this section, the term 
`eligible entity' shall include a school of nursing, a health care 
facility, a program leading to certification as a certified nurse 
assistant, a partnership of such a school and facility, or a 
partnership of such a program and facility.
 ``

    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for each of the 
fiscal years 2026 through 2030.''.

SEC. 4. DISSEMINATION OF PALLIATIVE CARE INFORMATION.

 Part A of title IX of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 299 
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

``

SEC. 904. DISSEMINATION OF PALLIATIVE CARE INFORMATION.

 ``

    (a) In General.--Under the authority under 

section 902

    (a) to 
disseminate information on health care and on systems for the delivery 
of such care, the Director may disseminate information to inform 
patients, families, and health professionals about the benefits of 
palliative care throughout the continuum of care for patients with 
serious or life-threatening illness.
 ``

    (b) Information Disseminated.--
 ``

    (1) Mandatory information.--If the Director elects to 
 disseminate information under subsection

    (a) , such 
 dissemination shall include the following:
 ``
        (A) Palliative care.--Information, resources, and 
 communication materials about palliative care as an 
 essential part of the continuum of quality care for 
 patients and families facing serious or life-
 threatening illness (including cancer, heart, kidney, 
 liver, lung, and infectious diseases; as well as 
 neurodegenerative disease such as dementia, Parkinson's 
 disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis).
 ``
        (B) Palliative care services.--Specific 
 information regarding the services provided to patients 
 by professionals trained in hospice and palliative 
 care, including pain and symptom management, support 
 for shared decision making, care coordination, 
 psychosocial care, and spiritual care, explaining that 
 such services may be provided starting at the point of 
 diagnosis and alongside curative treatment and are 
 intended to--
 ``
            (i) provide patient-centered and family-
 centered support throughout the continuum of 
 care for serious and life-threatening illness;
 ``
            (ii) anticipate, prevent, and treat 
 physical, emotional, social, and spiritual 
 suffering;
 ``
            (iii) optimize quality of life; and
 ``
            (iv) facilitate and support the goals and 
 values of patients and families.
 ``
            (C) Palliative care professionals.--Specific 
 materials that explain the role of professionals 
 trained in hospice and palliative care in providing 
 team-based care (including pain and symptom management, 
 support for shared decision making, care coordination, 
 psychosocial care, and spiritual care) for patients and 
 families throughout the continuum of care for serious 
 or life-threatening illness.
 ``
            (D) Research.--Evidence-based research 
 demonstrating the benefits of patient access to 
 palliative care throughout the continuum of care for 
 serious or life-threatening illness.
 ``
        (E) Population-specific materials.--Materials 
 targeting specific populations, including beneficiaries 
 of Medicare, Medicaid, and the Veterans Health 
 Administration, and patients with serious or life-
 threatening illness who are among medically underserved 
 populations (as defined in 

section 330

    (b)

    (3) ) and 
 families of such patients or health professionals 
 serving medically underserved populations, including 
 pediatric patients, young adult and adolescent 
 patients, racial and ethnic minority populations, and 
 other priority populations specified by the Director.
 ``

    (2) Required publication.--Information and materials 
 disseminated under paragraph

    (1) shall be posted on the 
 internet websites of relevant Federal departments and agencies, 
 including the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Centers for 
 Medicare & Medicaid Services, and the Administration on Aging.
 ``
            (c) Consultation.--The Director shall consult with appropriate 
professional societies, hospice and palliative care stakeholders, and 
relevant patient advocate organizations with respect to palliative 
care, psychosocial care, and complex chronic illness with respect to 
the following:
 ``

    (1) The planning and implementation of the dissemination 
 of palliative care information under this section.
 ``

    (2) The development of information to be disseminated 
 under this section.
 ``

    (3) A definition of the term `serious or life-threatening 
 illness' for purposes of this section.''.

SEC. 5. CLARIFICATION.

    (a) Restriction on the Use of Federal Funds.--None of the funds 
made available under this Act (or an amendment made by this Act) may be 
used to provide, promote, or provide training with regard to any item 
or service for which Federal funding is unavailable under 

section 3 of 
Public Law 105-12 (42 U.S.C. 14402).

    (b) Additional Clarification.--As used in this Act (or an amendment 
made by this Act), palliative care and hospice shall not be furnished 
for the purpose of causing, or the purpose of assisting in causing, a 
patient's death, for any reason.

SEC. 6. ENHANCING NIH RESEARCH IN PALLIATIVE CARE.

    (a) In General.--Part B of title IV of the Public Health Service 
Act (42 U.S.C. 284 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new section:

``

SEC. 409K. ENHANCING RESEARCH IN PALLIATIVE CARE.

 ``The Secretary, or his or her designee, shall develop and 
implement a strategy to be applied across the institutes and centers of 
the National Institutes of Health to expand and intensify national 
research programs in palliative care in order to address the quality of 
care and quality of life for the rapidly growing population of patients 
in the United States with serious or life-threatening illnesses, 
including cancer; heart, kidney, liver, lung, and infectious diseases; 
as well as neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia, Parkinson's 
disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.''.

    (b) Expanding NIH Research Reporting To Include Palliative Care 
Research.--

Section 402A
            (c) (2)
        (B) of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 282a
            (c) (2)
        (B) ) is amended by inserting ``and, beginning January 
1, 2026, for conducting or supporting research with respect to 
palliative care'' after ``or national centers''.
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