OFFICE OF RURAL HEALTH POLICY.

SEC. 4401. OFFICE OF RURAL HEALTH POLICY. Title VII of the Social Security Act is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new section: “office of rural health policy “Sec. 711. (a) There shall be established in the Department of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as the ‘Department’) 7272Copy read “ “Department”)”. an Office of Rural Health Policy (in this section referred to as the ‘Office’). The Office shall be headed by a Director, who shall advise the Secretary on the effects of current policies and proposed statutory, regulatory, administrative, and budgetary changes in the programs established under titles XVIII and XIX on the financial viability of small rural hospitals, the ability of rural areas (and rural hospitals in particular) to attract and retain physicians and other health professionals, and access to (and the quality of) health care in rural areas. “(b) In addition to advising the Secretary with respect to the matters specified in subsection (a), the Director, through the Office, shall— “(1) oversee compliance with the requirements of section 1102(b) of this Act and section 4083 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987, “(2) establish and maintain a clearinghouse for collecting and disseminating information on— “(A) rural health care issues, “(B) research findings relating to rural health care, and “(C) innovative approaches to the delivery of health care in rural areas, “(3) coordinate the activities within the Department that relate to rural health care, and 101 STAT. 1330–226 “(4) provide information to the Secretary and others in the Department with respect to the activities, of other Federal departments and agencies, that relate to rural health care.”.