US Congress House Bill 1638 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: Introduced on March 25 2015 - 25% progression, died in committee
Action: 2015-03-27 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Pending: House Subcommittee on Health Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Physician Availability Act of 2015 Requires each covered hospital to have a qualified physician available in the hospital at all times to attend to the needs of the hospital's inpatients. Defines a "covered hospital" to: (1) include hospitals participating in Medicare or Medicaid or receiving federal funds, and (2) exclude hospitals in a federal facility or hospitals that the Department of Health and Human Services determines have fewer than 100 licensed beds. Considers a physician to be available if: (1) the physician is physically present in the hospital; (2) the physician's primary responsibility is to be in attendance to serve the needs of the hospital's inpatients without delay; and (3) the physician is not physically present in, assigned to, serving in, or expected to cover the hospital's emergency room or emergency department. Sets forth penalties for violations.

Physician Availability Act of 2015

Rep. Janice Schakowsky [D-IL]

Date	Chamber	Action
2015-03-27	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
2015-03-25	House	Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
2015-03-25	House	Introduced in House

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/1638/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/114/bills/hr1638/BILLS-114hr1638ih.pdf