Skip to content
PoliticalRepoPoliticalRepo

United States · Bill · HR

H.R. 534 (109th)

Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act of 2005

referredUnited States· United States Congress· EN

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

Healthcare

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

  1. 2 February 2005

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 2 February 2005

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

Documents

3 official files

Introduced in House (text)

View fileDownload file

This file cannot be previewed here. Use View or Download.

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.

  • Introduced in House (text)

    Introduced in House · EN · 2 February 2005

    ViewDownloadOpen at official source

  • Introduced in House (PDF)

    Introduced in House · EN · 2 February 2005

    ViewDownloadOpen at official source

    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.

  • Introduced in House

    summary · EN · 2 February 2005

    Open at official source

    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

Showing 48 of 144 sponsors and actors.

Related records

Sources

PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.