Access to Emergency Medical Services Act of 2005

Bill: 109-hr-3875
Sponsor: Rep. Gordon, Bart [D-TN-6]
Introduced: 2005-09-22 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Administrative procedure
Congress
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Department of Health and Human Services
Emergency Management
Emergency medicine
Fines (Penalties)
Government Operations and Politics
Government liability
Governmental investigations
Health care fraud
Hospital care
Hospital rates
Hospitals
Law
Medical fees
Medical malpractice
Medically uninsured
Medicare
Physicians
Social Welfare
Standards

Summary:
action_date: 2005-09-22
text: 
Access to Emergency Medical Services Act of 2005 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to deem hospitals, emergency rooms, physicians, and physicians groups that provide emergency care to uninsured individuals to be employees of the Public Health Service for purposes of any civil action that may arise due to items and services furnished. 
 
Requires the Attorney General to make separate estimates as to the cost of claims expected to arise under this Act and to establish separate funds for such claims. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to limit the total amount of payments under this Act to the amounts appropriated in advance for such purposes.
 
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide additional payments from the Federal Supplementary Insurance Trust Fund for physicians' services in the emergency department of a hospital or critical access hospital to a Medicare recipient.
 
Provides for incentive payments to hospitals that certify to the Secretary that they meet established standards for prompt admission by a hospital of individuals presenting to the emergency department that need inpatient hospital services.
 
Requires the Comptroller General to submit to the relevant congressional committees a report that evaluates whether such standards will achieve the stated objectives and recommends any changes.
 
Sets forth civil monetary penalties for filing a false certification and engaging in a pattern or practice of failing to meet established standards.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-10-07
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2005-10-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2005-09-22
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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.
action_date: 2005-09-22
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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.
action_date: 2005-09-22
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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.
action_date: 2005-09-22
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2005-09-22
text: Introduced in House