SEC. 108. GRANTS TO PHYSICIANS TO IMPLEMENT ELECTRONIC PRESCRIPTION
DRUG PROGRAMS.
(a) IN GENERAL- The Secretary is authorized
to make grants to physicians for the purpose of assisting such physicians to
implement electronic prescription drug programs that comply with the standards
promulgated or modified under section 1860D-4(e) of the Social Security Act,
as inserted by section 101(a).
(b) AWARDING OF GRANTS-
(1) APPLICATION- No grant may be made
under this section except pursuant to a grant application that is submitted
and approved in a time, manner, and form specified by the Secretary.
(2) CONSIDERATIONS AND PREFERENCES-
In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall--
(A) give special consideration
to physicians who serve a disproportionate number of medicare patients;
and
(B) give preference to physicians
who serve a rural or underserved area.
(3) LIMITATION ON GRANTS- Only 1 grant
may be awarded under this section with respect to any physician or group practice
of physicians.
(c) TERMS AND CONDITIONS-
(1) IN GENERAL- Grants under this section
shall be made under such terms and conditions as the Secretary specifies consistent
with this section.
(2) USE OF GRANT FUNDS- Funds provided
under grants under this section may be used for any of the following:
(A) For purchasing, leasing,
and installing computer software and hardware, including handheld computer
technologies.
(B) Making upgrades and other
improvements to existing computer software and hardware to enable e-prescribing.
(C) Providing education and
training to eligible physician staff on the use of technology to implement
the electronic transmission of prescription and patient information.
(3) PROVISION OF INFORMATION- As a
condition for the awarding of a grant under this section, an applicant shall
provide to the Secretary such information as the Secretary may require in
order to--
(A) evaluate the project for
which the grant is made; and
(B) ensure that funding provided
under the grant is expended only for the purposes for which it is made.
(4) AUDIT- The Secretary shall conduct
appropriate audits of grants under this section.
(5) MATCHING REQUIREMENT- The applicant
for a grant under this section shall agree, with respect to the costs to be
incurred by the applicant in implementing an electronic prescription drug
program, to make available (directly or through donations from public or private
entities) non-Federal contributions toward such costs in an amount that is
not less than 50 percent of such costs. Non-Federal contributions under the
previous sentence may be in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, including plant,
equipment, or services. Amounts provided by the Federal Government, or services
assisted or subsidized to any significant extent by the Federal Government,
may not be included in determining the amount of such contributions.
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000 for
fiscal year 2007 and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years
2008 and 2009.
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