Physician Availability Act of 2008

Summary

Physician Availability Act of 2008 - Requires each covered hospital to have a qualified physician available in the hospital 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 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 Secretary 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.

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Timeline

1. 9 April 2008

   Introduced

   Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 9 April 2008

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

3. 9 April 2008

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

4. 10 April 2008

   Referred

   Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials.

   Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

• Introduced in House · 9 April 2008 · Official file

Documents

3 official files

• Introduced in House (text)

  Introduced in House · EN · 9 April 2008

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in House (PDF)

  Introduced in House · EN · 9 April 2008

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 9 April 2008

  Open at official source

Sponsors

• Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9] · D · Sponsor
• PETER VISCLOSKY · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Payne, Donald M. [D-NJ-10] · D · Cosponsor
• Sheila Jackson Lee · D · Cosponsor
• · hsif00 · Standing

Related records

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