United States · Bill · HR
H.R. 534 (109th)
Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act of 2005
Introduced
2 February 2005
Last action
25 February 2005 · Referred
Status
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Chairman.
Sponsors
Rep. Cox, Christopher [R-CA-48], Rep. Murtha, John P. [D-PA-12], Sen. Kirk, Mark Steven [R-IL], Rep. Biggert, Judy [R-IL-13], Rep. Brown-Waite, Ginny [R-FL-5], Rep. Frelinghuysen, Rodney P. [R-NJ-11], Rep. Boehlert, Sherwood [R-NY-24], Rep. Granger, Kay [R-TX-12], Rep. Graves, Sam [R-MO-6], Rep. Hayes, Robin [R-NC-8], Rep. Lewis, Ron [R-KY-2], Rep. Johnson, Nancy L. [R-CT-5], Rep. Otter, C. L. (Butch) [R-ID-1], Rep. Peterson, John E. [R-PA-5], Rep. Knollenberg, Joe [R-MI-9], Rep. Sessions, Pete [R-TX-17], Rep. Gillmor, Paul E. [R-OH-5], Rep. Rogers, Mike J. [R-MI-8], Rep. Chocola, Chris [R-IN-2], Rep. Tiberi, Patrick J. [R-OH-12], Rep. Taylor, Gene [D-MS-4], Rep. Shuster, Bill [R-PA-9], Rep. Peterson, Collin C. [D-MN-7], Rep. Stearns, Cliff [R-FL-6], Rep. Northup, Anne M. [R-KY-3], Rep. Souder, Mark E. [R-IN-3], Rep. Cantor, Eric [R-VA-7], Rep. Shays, Christopher [R-CT-4], Rep. McHugh, John M. [R-NY-23], Rep. Bradley, Jeb [R-NH-1], Rep. Kline, John [R-MN-2], Rep. Gingrey, Phil [R-GA-11], Rep. King, Steve [R-IA-4], Rep. Radanovich, George [R-CA-19], Rep. Pitts, Joseph R. [R-PA-16], Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2], Rep. Turner, Michael R. [R-OH-10], Rep. Manzullo, Donald A. [R-IL-16], Rep. Platts, Todd Russell [R-PA-19], Rep. Weller, Jerry [R-IL-11], Rep. Kennedy, Mark R. [R-MN-6], Rep. Wamp, Zach [R-TN-3], Rep. Kingston, Jack [R-GA-1], Rep. Holden, Tim [D-PA-17], Rep. Bartlett, Roscoe G. [R-MD-6], Rep. Saxton, Jim [R-NJ-3], Rep. Shaw, E. Clay, Jr. [R-FL-22], Rep. Gallegly, Elton [R-CA-24]
Subjects
Healthcare
Source updated
15 August 2025
Summary
Help Efficient, Accessible, Low Cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act of 2005 -Sets forth provisions regulating lawsuits for health care liability claims concerning the provision of health care goods or services or any medical product affecting interstate commerce. Sets a statute of limitations of three years after the date of manifestation of injury or one year after the claimant discovers the injury, with certain exceptions. Provides that nothing in this Act limits recovery of the full amount of available economic damages. Limits noneconomic damages to $250,000. Makes each party liable only for the amount of damages directly proportional to such party's percentage of responsibility. Allows the court to restrict the payment of attorney contingency fees. Limits the fees to a decreasing percentage based on the increasing value of the amount awarded. Prescribes qualifications for expert witnesses. Allows the introduction of collateral source benefits and the amount paid to secure such benefits as evidence. Prohibits a provider of such benefits from recovering any amount from an award in a health care lawsuit involving injury or wrongful death. Authorizes the award of punitive damages only where: (1) it is proven by clear and convincing evidence that a person acted with malicious intent to injure the claimant or deliberately failed to avoid unnecessary injury the claimant was substantially certain to suffer; and (2) compensatory damages are awarded. Limits punitive damages to the greater of two times the amount of economic damages or $250,000. Limits the liability of manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, and providers of medical products that comply with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards. Provides for periodic payments of future damage awards.
This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.
Timeline
2 February 2005
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
2 February 2005
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
2 February 2005
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 February 2005
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
25 February 2005
Referred
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Chairman.
Source: Committee
Votes
No vote records are attached yet.
Versions
- Introduced in House · 2 February 2005 · Download file
Documents
3 official files
Introduced in House (text)
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Introduced in House (text)
Introduced in House · EN · 2 February 2005
Introduced in House (PDF)
Introduced in House · EN · 2 February 2005
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Introduced in House
summary · EN · 2 February 2005
Leesvertaling
Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.
Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.
Sponsors
- Rep. Cox, Christopher [R-CA-48] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Murtha, John P. [D-PA-12] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Kirk, Mark Steven [R-IL] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Biggert, Judy [R-IL-13] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Brown-Waite, Ginny [R-FL-5] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Frelinghuysen, Rodney P. [R-NJ-11] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Boehlert, Sherwood [R-NY-24] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Granger, Kay [R-TX-12] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Graves, Sam [R-MO-6] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Hayes, Robin [R-NC-8] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Lewis, Ron [R-KY-2] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Johnson, Nancy L. [R-CT-5] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Otter, C. L. (Butch) [R-ID-1] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Peterson, John E. [R-PA-5] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Knollenberg, Joe [R-MI-9] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Sessions, Pete [R-TX-17] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Gillmor, Paul E. [R-OH-5] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Rogers, Mike J. [R-MI-8] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Chocola, Chris [R-IN-2] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Tiberi, Patrick J. [R-OH-12] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Taylor, Gene [D-MS-4] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Shuster, Bill [R-PA-9] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Peterson, Collin C. [D-MN-7] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Stearns, Cliff [R-FL-6] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Northup, Anne M. [R-KY-3] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Souder, Mark E. [R-IN-3] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Cantor, Eric [R-VA-7] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Shays, Christopher [R-CT-4] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. McHugh, John M. [R-NY-23] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Bradley, Jeb [R-NH-1] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Kline, John [R-MN-2] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Gingrey, Phil [R-GA-11] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. King, Steve [R-IA-4] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Radanovich, George [R-CA-19] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Pitts, Joseph R. [R-PA-16] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Turner, Michael R. [R-OH-10] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Manzullo, Donald A. [R-IL-16] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Platts, Todd Russell [R-PA-19] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Weller, Jerry [R-IL-11] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Kennedy, Mark R. [R-MN-6] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Wamp, Zach [R-TN-3] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Kingston, Jack [R-GA-1] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Holden, Tim [D-PA-17] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Bartlett, Roscoe G. [R-MD-6] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Saxton, Jim [R-NJ-3] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Shaw, E. Clay, Jr. [R-FL-22] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Gallegly, Elton [R-CA-24] · R · Sponsor
Showing 48 of 144 sponsors and actors.
Related records
- related to → Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act of 2005
- related to ← Medical Malpractice Reform Act of 2006
- related to ← Pregnancy and Trauma Care Access Protection Act of 2005
- related to ← Healthy Mothers and Healthy Babies Access to Care Act of 2005
- related to ← HEALTH Act of 2005
Sources
PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.
- Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/109th-congress/house-bill/534
- Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/109/hr/534
- us · 109-hr-534 · source updated 15 August 2025