United States · Bill · HR
H.R. 586 (105th)
Patient Right to Know Act
Introduced
5 February 1997
Last action
31 March 1998 · Introduced
Status
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H1847-1850)
Sponsors
Rep. Ganske, Greg [R-IA-4], Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA], Rep. Abercrombie, Neil [D-HI-1], Rep. Ackerman, Gary L. [D-NY-5], Rep. Baldacci, John Elias [D-ME-2], Rep. Ballenger, Cass [R-NC-10], Rep. Barcia, James A. [D-MI-5], Rep. Barrett, Thomas M. [D-WI-5], Rep. Bentsen, Ken [D-TX-25], Rep. Boehlert, Sherwood [R-NY-24], Rep. Borski, Robert A. [D-PA-3], Rep. Boucher, Rick [D-VA-9], Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH], Rep. Burton, Dan [R-IN-5], Rep. Canady, Charles T. [R-FL-12], Rep. Chabot, Steve [R-OH-1], Sen. Chambliss, Saxby [R-GA], Rep. Clayton, Eva M. [D-NC-1], Rep. Clement, Bob [D-TN-5], Sen. Coburn, Tom [R-OK], Rep. Condit, Gary A. [D-CA-18], Rep. Cooksey, John [R-LA-5], Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID], Rep. Cummings, Elijah E. [D-MD-7], Rep. Davis, Tom [R-VA-11], Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7], Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4], Rep. Delahunt, William D. [D-MA-10], Rep. DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3], Rep. Dellums, Ronald V. [D-CA-9], Rep. Dooley, Calvin M. [D-CA-20], Rep. Ehlers, Vernon J. [R-MI-3], Rep. Eshoo, Anna G. [D-CA-18], Rep. Evans, Lane [D-IL-17], Del. Faleomavaega, Eni F. H. [D-AS-At Large], Rep. Fattah, Chaka [D-PA-2], Rep. Filner, Bob [D-CA-51], Rep. Foglietta, Thomas M. [D-PA-1], Rep. Fox, Jon D. [R-PA-13], Rep. Frank, Barney [D-MA-4], Rep. Frost, Martin [D-TX-24], Rep. Furse, Elizabeth [D-OR-1], Rep. Gejdenson, Sam [D-CT-2], Rep. Gillmor, Paul E. [R-OH-5], Rep. Gilman, Benjamin A. [R-NY-20], Rep. Gordon, Bart [D-TN-6], Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC], Rep. Green, Gene [D-TX-29]
Subjects
Healthcare
Source updated
3 June 2026
Summary
Patient Right to Know Act - Prohibits any contract or agreement, or the operation of any contract or agreement, between an entity operating a health plan (including any partnership, association, or other organization that enters into or administers such a contract or agreement) and a health care provider (or group of health care providers) from prohibiting or restricting the provider from engaging in medical communications with his or her patient. Requires that each State shall enforce this Act with respect to health insurance issuers that sell, renew, or offer health plans in the State. Provides for enforcement of this Act by the Secretary of Health and Human Services if the Secretary, after consultation with the chief executive officer of a State and the insurance commissioner or chief insurance regulatory official of the State, determines that the State has failed to substantially enforce the requirements. Mandates a civil money penalty. Allows State requirements equal to or more protective of medical communications than the requirements of this Act. Defines "medical communication" as a communication between a provider and a patient (or the patient's guardian or legal representative) regarding the patient's health status, medical care, or treatment options.
This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.
Timeline
5 February 1997
Introduced
Referred to House Commerce
Source: IntroReferral
5 February 1997
Introduced
Referred to the Committee on Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and the Workforce, 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 February 1997
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
5 February 1997
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
11 February 1997
Referred
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Source: Committee
14 February 1997
Referred
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.
Source: Committee
21 February 1997
Referred
Referred to the Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations.
Source: Committee
31 March 1998
Introduced
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H1847-1850)
Source: IntroReferral
Votes
No vote records are attached yet.
Versions
- Introduced in House · 5 February 1997 · Download file
Documents
3 official files
Introduced in House (text)
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Introduced in House (text)
Introduced in House · EN · 5 February 1997
Introduced in House (PDF)
Introduced in House · EN · 5 February 1997
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Introduced in House
summary · EN · 5 February 1997
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. Ganske, Greg [R-IA-4] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Abercrombie, Neil [D-HI-1] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Ackerman, Gary L. [D-NY-5] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Baldacci, John Elias [D-ME-2] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Ballenger, Cass [R-NC-10] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Barcia, James A. [D-MI-5] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Barrett, Thomas M. [D-WI-5] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Bentsen, Ken [D-TX-25] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Boehlert, Sherwood [R-NY-24] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Borski, Robert A. [D-PA-3] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Boucher, Rick [D-VA-9] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Burton, Dan [R-IN-5] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Canady, Charles T. [R-FL-12] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Chabot, Steve [R-OH-1] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Chambliss, Saxby [R-GA] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Clayton, Eva M. [D-NC-1] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Clement, Bob [D-TN-5] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Coburn, Tom [R-OK] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Condit, Gary A. [D-CA-18] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Cooksey, John [R-LA-5] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Cummings, Elijah E. [D-MD-7] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Davis, Tom [R-VA-11] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Delahunt, William D. [D-MA-10] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Dellums, Ronald V. [D-CA-9] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Dooley, Calvin M. [D-CA-20] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Ehlers, Vernon J. [R-MI-3] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Eshoo, Anna G. [D-CA-18] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Evans, Lane [D-IL-17] · D · Sponsor
- Del. Faleomavaega, Eni F. H. [D-AS-At Large] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Fattah, Chaka [D-PA-2] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Filner, Bob [D-CA-51] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Foglietta, Thomas M. [D-PA-1] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Fox, Jon D. [R-PA-13] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Frank, Barney [D-MA-4] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Frost, Martin [D-TX-24] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Furse, Elizabeth [D-OR-1] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Gejdenson, Sam [D-CT-2] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Gillmor, Paul E. [R-OH-5] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Gilman, Benjamin A. [R-NY-20] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Gordon, Bart [D-TN-6] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Green, Gene [D-TX-29] · D · Sponsor
Showing 48 of 307 sponsors and actors.
Related records
No cross-record relationships stored yet.
Sources
PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.
- Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/house-bill/586
- Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/105/hr/586
- us · 105-hr-586 · source updated 3 June 2026