US Congress Senate Bill 44 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)
Status: Introduced on January 22 2013 - 25% progression, died in committee
Action: 2013-01-22 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Pending: Senate Health, Education, Labor, And Pensions Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Medical Care Access Protection Act of 2013 or MCAP Act - Prescribes requirements for lawsuits for health care liability claims related to the provision of health care services. 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. Requires a court to impose sanctions for the filing of frivolous lawsuits. Limits noneconomic damages to $250,000 from the provider or health care institution, but no more than $500,000 from multiple health care institutions. Makes each party liable only for the amount of damages directly proportional to its 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. Requires the court to reduce damages received by the amount of collateral source benefits to which a claimant is entitled, unless the payor of such benefits has the right to reimbursement or subrogation under federal or state law. 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. Prohibits a health care provider from being named as a party in a product liability or class action lawsuit for prescribing or dispensing a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved prescription drug, biological product, or medical device for an approved indication. Provides for periodic payments of future damage awards.

MCAP Act

Sen. Rob Portman [R-OH]

Sen. James Inhofe [R-OK]

Sen. David Vitter [R-LA]

Date	Chamber	Action
2013-01-22	Senate	Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

SB1860 (Related) 2013-12-19 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
HB3622 (Related) 2014-01-27 - Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/44/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/s44/BILLS-113s44is.pdf