Medicare Funding Warning Response Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-5480
Sponsor: Rep. Hoyer, Steny H. [D-MD-5]
Introduced: 2008-02-25 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Civil actions and liability
Commerce
Cost control
Damages
Drug approvals
Drugs
Economics and Public Finance
Finance and Financial Sector
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Health information systems
Health planning
Income
Insurance premiums
Labeling
Law
Legal fees
Limitation of actions
Medical economics
Medical fees
Medical malpractice
Medical records
Medical supplies
Medicare
Packaging
Performance measurement
Physicians
Prescription pricing
Preventive medicine
Product safety
Products liability
Punitive damages
Quality of care
Social Welfare
Standards
Subsidies

Summary:
action_date: 2008-02-25
text: 
Medicare Funding Warning Response Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) develop and implement a system for encouraging nationwide adoption and use of interoperable electronic health records and to make available personal health records for Medicare beneficiaries; (2) develop and implement a plan for ensuring that, by the year 2013, quality measures are available and reported with respect to at least 50% of the care provided under the Medicare program; (3) design and implement a system under which a portion of Medicare payments that would otherwise be made to some or all classes of individuals and entities furnishing items or services to beneficiaries would be based on the quality and efficiency of their performance; (4) implement incentives for Medicare beneficiaries to use more efficient providers and preventive services known to reduce costs; and (5) use and release Medicare data for quality improvement, performance measurement, public reporting, and treatment-related purposes. 
 
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to authorize the public release of physician performance measurements. 
 
Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act of 2008 - Sets conditions for health care lawsuits to: (1) require commencement of such lawsuits within three years after manifestation or one year after discovery of injury; (2) limit noneconomic damages and attorneys' contingent fees; (3) prescribe requirements for determining punitive damages; (4) deny punitive damages in the case of products approved, cleared, or licensed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or otherwise considered in compliance with FDA standards; and (4) authorize periodic payment of future damages.
 
Amends SSA title XVIII part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) to require high income-related reductions in the part D premium subsidy.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-02-29
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2008-02-25
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2008-02-25
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and 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: 2008-02-25
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and 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: 2008-02-25
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and 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: 2008-02-25
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and 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: 2008-02-25
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E228)
action_date: 2008-02-25
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-02-25
text: Introduced in House