§ 14502 — Demonstration Health Projects

(a) To demonstrate the value of adequate health facilities and services to the economic development of the Appalachian region, the Secretary of Health and Human Services may make grants for the planning, construction, equipment, and operation of multi-county demonstration health, nutrition, and child care projects, including hospitals, regional health diagnostic and treatment centers, and other facilities and services necessary for the purposes of this section. (1) The Secretary may provide amounts to the Appalachian Regional Commission for the support of its Health Advisory Committee and may make grants for expenses of planning necessary for the development and operation of demonstration health projects for the region. (2) The amount of a grant under this section for planning shall not be more than 75 percent of expenses. (3) The federal contribution may be provided entirely from amounts authorized under this section or in combination with amounts provided under other federal or federal grant programs. (4) Notwithstanding any provision of law limiting the federal share in those other programs, amounts appropriated to carry out this section may be used to increase the federal share to the maximum percentage cost of a grant authorized by this subsection. (1) Grants under this section for construction may also be used for— (A) the acquisition of privately owned facilities— (i) not operated for profit; or (ii) previously operated for profit if the Commission finds that health services would not otherwise be provided in the area served by the facility if the acquisition is not made; and (B) initial equipment. (2) Grants under this section for construction shall be made in accordance with section 14523 of this title and shall not be incompatible with the applicable provisions of title VI of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 291 et seq.), the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 15001 et seq.), and other laws authorizing grants for the construction of health-related facilities, without regard to any provisions in those laws relating to appropriation authorization ceilings or to allotments among the States. (3) A grant for the construction or equipment of any component of a demonstration health project shall not be more than 80 percent of the cost. (4) The federal contribution may be provided entirely from amounts authorized under this section or in combination with amounts provided under other federal grant programs for the construction or equipment of health-related facilities. (5) Notwithstanding any provision of law limiting the federal share in those other programs, amounts authorized under this section may be used to increase federal grants for component facilities of a demonstration health project to a maximum of 80 percent of the cost of the facilities. (1) A grant for the operation of a demonstration health project shall not be made— (A) unless the facility is publicly owned, or owned by a public or private nonprofit organization, and is not operated for profit; (B) after five years following the commencement of the initial grant for operation of the project, except that child development demonstrations assisted under this section during fiscal year 1979 may be approved under section 14322 of this title for continued support beyond that period, on request of the State, if the Commission finds that no federal, state, or local amounts are available to continue the project; and (C) unless the Secretary of Health and Human Services is satisfied that the operation of the project will be conducted under efficient management practices designed to obviate operating deficits. (2) Grants under this section for the operation (including initial operating amounts and operating deficits, which include the cost of attracting, training, and retaining qualified personnel) of a demonstration health project, whether or not constructed with amounts authorized to be appropriated by this section, may be made for up to— (A) 50 percent of the cost of that operation; (B) in the case of a project to be carried out in a county for which a distressed county designation is in effect under section 14526, 80 percent of the cost of that operation; or (C) in the case of a project to be carried out for a county for which an at-risk county designation is in effect under section 14526, 70 percent of the cost of that operation. (3) The federal contribution may be provided entirely from amounts appropriated to carry out this section or in combination with amounts provided under other federal grant programs for the operation of health related facilities and the provision of health and child development services, including parts A and B of title IV and title XX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq., 620 et seq., 1397 et seq.). (4) Notwithstanding any provision of law limiting the federal share in those other programs, amounts appropriated to carry out this section may be used to increase federal grants for operating components of a demonstration health project to the maximum percentage cost of a grant authorized by this subsection. (5) Notwithstanding any provision of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 301 et seq.) requiring assistance or services on a statewide basis, a State providing assistance or services under a federal grant program described in paragraph (2) in any area of the region approved by the Commission is deemed to be meeting that requirement. (e) Grants under this section— (1) shall be made only out of amounts specifically appropriated for the purpose of carrying out this subtitle; and (2) shall not be taken into account in computing allotments among the States under any other law. (1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), the Commission may contribute not more than 50 percent of any project cost eligible for financial assistance under this section from amounts appropriated to carry out this subtitle. (2) The maximum Commission contribution for a project to be carried out in a county for which a distressed county designation is in effect under section 14526 of this title may be increased to the lesser of— (A) 80 percent; or (B) the maximum federal contribution percentage authorized by this section. (3) The maximum Commission contribution for a project to be carried out in a county for which an at-risk county designation is in effect under section 14526 may be increased to the lesser of— (A) 70 percent; or (B) the maximum Federal contribution percentage authorized by this section. (g) To provide for the further development of the Appalachian region’s human resources, grants under this section shall give special emphasis to programs and research for the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of occupational diseases arising from coal mining, such as black lung.