Bill Overview
Title: Medical and Health Stockpile Accountability Act of 2022
Description: This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop an automated application to track the amount of supplies in the Strategic National Stockpile and in similar inventories maintained by states, tribes, territories, and private entities (e.g., hospitals). Additionally, HHS must (1) provide for an annual exercise to test the effectiveness of the application, and (2) establish a program to assist health care entities in obtaining automated vendor management systems.
Sponsors: Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals dependent on health and emergency supplies during crises or emergencies
Estimated Size: 331000000
- The bill focuses on automating the tracking of supplies in the Strategic National Stockpile, similar inventories by states, tribes, and territories, and by private health care entities like hospitals.
- The supply chain improvements and stockpile management enhancements will likely impact the population that benefits from emergency medical and health supplies.
- In times of public health emergencies, such as a pandemic, improved stockpile management will help ensure timely supply distribution, potentially affecting global populations.
- The bill requires HHS to conduct annual exercises to test the effectiveness of these systems, which would aid in preparedness for emergencies, impacting populations reliant on these stocks in emergent situations.
Reasoning
- The target population includes individuals who heavily rely on health and medical supplies during emergencies, approximately 331 million Americans potentially benefit from efficient supply distribution in emergencies.
- Given the cost limitations and nationwide scope for improving medical supply management and distribution systems, the direct immediate impact on individual health might not be as visible without an actual emergency to test the system.
- The policy's impact would scale significantly during an emergency as better stockpile management could mean life-saving differences in delivery timing and availability of supplies.
- Interviews will cover a variety of stakeholders, from healthcare workers, patients with chronic conditions, to unaffected individuals, evaluating potential differences in impact perception.
Simulated Interviews
Nurse Practitioner (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 42 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is crucial. As someone who works in emergency care, having a reliable stockpile system feels reassuring.
- I have seen how disorganized supply distribution can be during a pandemic.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
IT Manager (Houston, TX)
Age: 30 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Automating inventory will make my job easier and improve our response to emergencies.
- It's one thing to manage IT systems, but health crises require swift logistical capabilities which the policy could support.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Retired Pharmacist (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 65 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't see an immediate impact on my day-to-day life unless there's a health emergency.
- I suppose it's good for hospitals to have these systems, but as an individual, the benefit isn't direct to me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Small Business Owner (New York, NY)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could improve supply chains significantly, which means I can stock relevant supplies during crises.
- If hospitals manage their inventories better, my store might benefit from downstream effects.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Data Analyst (Seattle, WA)
Age: 27 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Good data on health supplies means informed decisions during crises.
- Non-profits can leverage this system to assist underserved communities better.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Emergency Planner (Chicago, IL)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Easier tracking of stockpiles will enhance my work significantly, making emergency plans more realistic.
- Better federal support could drive state-level readiness.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 10 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 10 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 6 |
College Student (Boston, MA)
Age: 22 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- From what I understand, this policy sounds like a smart use of technology.
- Improving health responses could save more lives during pandemics.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Hospital Administrator (Miami, FL)
Age: 58 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Automating inventory might finally catch the health sector up to modern logistic standards.
- It gives us a proactive edge in disaster planning.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Public Health Official (Denver, CO)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm excited about the centralized system which would correlate directly with my work.
- Cooperation with federal systems is always beneficial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 10 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 7 |
Logistics Consultant (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy aligns with what I recommend to my clients – smart, efficient inventory systems.
- It's good to see the healthcare sector embracing these technologies.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $25000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $30000000)
Year 2: $18000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $21000000)
Year 3: $18000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $21000000)
Year 5: $18000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $21000000)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- Initial software development and implementation costs will be significant but necessary for long-term efficiency.
- Annual exercises could reveal areas for improvement, potentially increasing costs over time.
- Savings and efficiency gains might offset part of the policy's cost in the future.