Should Grants be Available for Qualified Military Personnel to Provide Care at Civilian Trauma Centers? (H.R. 880)

What is H.R. 880?

(Updated July 18, 2019)

This bill — the MISSION ZERO Act — would establish a grant program for qualified military personnel to provide trauma care in civilian trauma centers, providing $15 million annually through fiscal year 2022. Funding could be used to train and incorporate military trauma care providers into the trauma center, including expenditures for malpractice insurance, office space, information technology, specialty education and supervision, trauma programs, and state license fees. Grantees would have to allow the military trauma care providers to be deployed for military operations, training, or response to a mass casualty incident.

The bill’s full title is the Military Injury Surgical Systems Integrated Operationally Nationwide to Achieve ZERO Preventable Deaths Act.

Argument in favor

Quality trauma care can mean the difference between life in death in both military and civilian settings. The grant program established by this bill would give civilian providers a chance to learn about the military’s best practices and military providers an opportunity to use their expertise without leaving the military.

Argument opposed

While offering $15 million in annual grants for military trauma care providers to work in civilian trauma centers when they aren’t deployed is an interesting idea, these partnerships should be investigated further before the government commits those resources.

Impact

Military trauma care providers; and civilian trauma centers.

Cost of H.R. 880

The CBO estimates that enacting this bill would cost $63 million over the 2018-2022 period.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Sponsoring Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) introduced this bill to establish grants for eligible trauma systems to incorporate military trauma providers into their hospital when they aren’t deployed through a mutually beneficial partnership:

“Our military has made incredible strides in delivering trauma care, saving countless lives that would have otherwise been lost. This expertise should be brought home to strengthen our civilian trauma centers and systems, so that efforts to save American lives are not dependent on where one is injured and what care is readily available. The MISSION Zero Act would establish a grant program to foster a partnership between our military and civilian trauma providers to benefit all Americans. I am proud to be part of this important legislation to strengthen our nation’s trauma care and save more lives on and off the battlefield.”

Original cosponsor Rep. Gene Green (D-TX) added:

“This grant program will support the development of a national trauma care system that allows for the continuous and seamless exchange of knowledge across the military and civilian health care sectors. This would better provide optimal delivery of trauma care to save the lives of Americans injured within the United States or on the battlefield. As we grapple with how to best support our men and women in uniform and respond to tragedies at home, we must make certain that our trauma systems and centers are best prepared to save lives.”

This legislation passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee on a voice vote and has the support of 25 bipartisan cosponsors, including 15 Democrats and 10 Republicans.

Media:

• Sponsoring Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) Press Release
  
• CBO Cost Estimate
  
• Ripon Advance
  
• Emergency Nurses Association (In Favor)