42 U.S.C. § 300dd–21 — Demonstration projects

(a) Definitions: This section defines two terms. (1) "Individuals infected with the etiologic agent for acquired immune deficiency syndrome" means people who have, or are recovering from, a disease caused by the AIDS virus, and who - because of the effects of that disease - need subacute-care services. (2) "Subacute care" means medical and health care services for people recovering from an acute hospital stay that are less intense than acute hospital care. This includes skilled nursing care, hospice care, and other long-term-care facility services. (b) Authorization to conduct three projects: The Secretary must run three demonstration projects to find out how effective and how expensive it is to give subacute-care services (described below) to people infected with the AIDS virus, and how those services affect their health. (c) Services: (1) The services in each project must be designed around what infected individuals specifically need, and must include (A) care and treatment through subacute care, emergency medical care and specialized diagnosis and treatment as needed - either directly or by teaming up with a hospital experienced in AIDS care - and case management to make sure, wherever possible using existing programs, that patients have a proper discharge plan; and (B) technical assistance to other facilities in the region, aimed at training doctors, nurses, and other health workers in subacute AIDS care and treatment. (2) Each project may also include hospice services, outpatient care, and outreach to other hospitals and health facilities in the surrounding community that serve infected individuals. (d) Time and place: The demonstration projects must (1) run for 4 years, starting no later than 9 months after November 4, 1988, and (2) take place at sites that (A) are spread out geographically and located where the required services make sense, and (B) have both the highest rates of AIDS cases and the greatest need for subacute care. (e) Evaluation and report: The Secretary must evaluate how the projects are running and send two reports to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources: (1) a preliminary report, no later than 18 months after the first project starts, describing the sites and services and giving a preliminary evaluation of the first 12 months; and (2) a final report, no later than 6 months after the last project ends, assessing the cost of subacute care for infected individuals - including a breakdown of all other funding sources used - and recommending any legislative changes. (f) Other research: Each demonstration project must also support other research at its site, including (1) clinical research on AIDS, focused especially on the neurological effects of infection, and (2) research on the psychological and mental health issues connected to AIDS. (g) Authorization of appropriations: (1) Congress could appropriate $10,000,000 for fiscal year 1989 and whatever sums were needed for fiscal years 1990 through 1992. (2) That money stayed available for spending until September 10, 1992. (h) Services to veterans: The Secretary must make an agreement with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make sure eligible veterans can get services through these demonstration projects, under a contract with the VA as allowed by section 1720 of title 38.