ACCESS Act of 2019

Summary

Accessible Care by Curbing Excessive lawSuitS Act of 2019 or ACCESS Act of 2019 This bill establishes rules for health care lawsuits where some amount of coverage or care was provided or paid for by a federal program, regardless of the number of other parties to the claim. The bill sets a three-year maximum statute of limitations from the date of the injury, subject to specific exceptions. Further, noneconomic damages (e.g., damages for pain and suffering) are limited to a maximum of $250,000. The bill permits courts to supervise and limit contingent fees paid to attorneys and sets a maximum contingent fee percentage based on a downward sliding scale as a damages increase. The bill permits either party to introduce evidence of collateral source benefits (e.g., workers’ compensation programs, accident insurance coverage, or other future benefit). Statements by a health care provider expressing fault, sympathy, or apology are, however, inadmissible as evidence of liability. Additionally, a plaintiff must give 90 days’ notice to the health care provider before filing a lawsuit. When filing a health care lawsuit, plaintiffs also must simultaneously submit an affidavit in support of the claim from a health care professional who meets the standards for an expert witness that are provided in the bill. This bill generally does not preempt state laws that impose additional limits on health care liability claims.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

1. 9 July 2019

   Introduced

   Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 9 July 2019

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

3. 9 July 2019

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

4. 10 July 2019

   Referred

   Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

   Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

• Introduced in House · 9 July 2019 · Download file

Documents

3 official files

• Introduced in House (text)

  Introduced in House · EN · 9 July 2019

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in House (PDF)

  Introduced in House · EN · 9 July 2019

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

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• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 9 July 2019

  Open at official source

  Leesvertaling

  Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.

  Vertaal naarNL · DutchDE · GermanFR · FrenchES · SpanishIT · ItalianPL · PolishPT · PortugueseSV · SwedishDA · DanishFI · FinnishEL · GreekCS · CzechHU · HungarianRO · RomanianBG · BulgarianHR · CroatianSK · SlovakSL · SlovenianLT · LithuanianLV · LatvianET · EstonianGA · IrishMT · Maltese

  Vertaal document

  Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.

Sponsors

• Rep. Hudson, Richard [R-NC-8] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Marshall, Roger [R-KS] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Bucshon, Larry [R-IN-8] · R · Sponsor
• Rep. Roe, David P. [R-TN-1] · R · Cosponsor
• · hsif00 · Standing
• · hsju00 · Standing

Related records

• related to → ACCESS Act of 2022
• related to ← ACCESS Act of 2017