(a)Special studies.--A Commonwealth agency, the Senate or the House of Representatives may direct the council to publish or contract for publication of special studies, including, but not limited to, a special study on diseases and the cost of health care related to particular diseases in this Commonwealth. A special study published under this subsection shall become a public document.
(b)Special reports.--
(1)A Commonwealth agency, the Senate or the House of Representative may study and issue a report on the special medical needs, demographic characteristics, access or lack thereof to health care services and need for financing of health care services of:
(i)Senior citizens, particularly low-income senior citizens, senior citizens who are members of minority groups and senior citiz
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(a) Special studies.--A Commonwealth agency, the Senate or the House of Representatives may direct the council to publish or contract for publication of special studies, including, but not limited to, a special study on diseases and the cost of health care related to particular diseases in this Commonwealth. A special study published under this subsection shall become a public document.
(b) Special reports.--
(1) A Commonwealth agency, the Senate or the House of Representative may study and issue a report on the special medical needs, demographic characteristics, access or lack thereof to health care services and need for financing of health care services of:
(i) Senior citizens, particularly low-income senior citizens, senior citizens who are members of minority groups and senior citizens residing in low-income urban or rural areas.
(ii) Low-income urban or rural areas.
(iii) Minority communities.
(iv) Women.
(v) Children.
(vi) Unemployed workers.
(vii) Veterans.
(2) The reports under paragraph (1) shall include information on the current availability of services to the targeted parts of the population under paragraph (1), whether access to the services has increased or decreased over the past 10 years and specific recommendations for the improvement of the primary care and health delivery systems of targeted parts of the population under paragraph (1), including disease prevention and comprehensive health care services. The agency may study and report on the effects of using prepaid, capitated or health maintenance organization health delivery systems as ways to promote the delivery of primary health care services to the underserved segments of the population enumerated above.
(3) The agency may study and report on the short-term and long-term fiscal and programmatic impact on the health care consumer of changes in ownership of hospitals from nonprofit to profit, whether through purchase, merger or the like. The agency may study and report on factors which have the effect of either reducing provider revenue or increasing provider cost and other factors beyond a provider's control which reduce provider competitiveness in the marketplace.
(c) COVID-19 disaster emergency report.--
(1) The council shall prepare a report to provide a Pennsylvania perspective on the effect of the COVID-19 disaster emergency on hospitals and health care facilities in this Commonwealth by aggregating data related to COVID-19 expenses and lost revenue reported by hospitals and health care facilities in order to qualify for Federal and State assistance. The report shall include the following data points, if available:
(i) Increased costs related to provider and staff training, including training on pandemic preparedness plans and the use of telemedicine.
(ii) Increased staffing costs.
(iii) Costs related to COVID-19 testing.
(iv) Costs associated with sourcing and purchasing additional supplies and equipment.
(v) Costs associated with setting up emergency operations centers, including construction and retrofitting facilities to provide separate screening and security areas.
(vi) Costs associated with providing housing and care for patients who do not require hospitalization but do not have housing in order to prevent spread of COVID-19.
(vii) Loss of revenues due to suspension of elective services not related to COVID-19.
(viii) Other data points required to be reported by hospitals or health care facilities to the Federal government or State government to receive COVID-19 assistance.
(2) The report shall be submitted to the following:
(i) The Secretary of the Department of Health and the Secretary of the Department of Human Services.
(ii) The Chair and Minority Chair of the Appropriations Committee of the Senate and the Chair and Minority Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee of the Senate.
(iii) The Chair and Minority Chair of the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives, the Chair and Minority Chair of the Health Committee of the House of Representatives and the Chair and Minority Chair of the Human Services Committee of the House of Representatives.
(3) The initial report shall be issued by the council no later than January 15, 2021, and shall be updated quarterly thereafter for one year following the termination or expiration of the COVID-19 disaster emergency under section 7301(c) (relating to general authority of Governor).
(4) As used in this subsection, the term "COVID-19 disaster emergency" shall have the same meaning as given to it under section 5701 (relating to definitions).