US Congress House Bill 244 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: Introduced on January 14 2013 - 25% progression, died in committee
Action: 2013-01-18 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Pending: House Subcommittee on Health Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Physician Availability Act of 2013 - 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 (HHS) 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.

Physician Availability Act of 2013

Rep. Janice Schakowsky [D-IL]

Date	Chamber	Action
2013-01-18	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
2013-01-14	House	Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/244/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/hr244/BILLS-113hr244ih.pdf