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HR 734 105th Congress House

Patient Freedom of Choice Act of 1997

Official title: To amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to require hospitals participating in the Medicare or Medicaid program to provide notice of availabili… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to require hospitals participating in the Medicare or Medicaid program to provide notice of availability of Medicare and Medicaid providers as part of discharge planning and to maintain and disclose information on certain referrals.

Introduced: February 12, 1997 See on congress.gov
Health Ambulatory careConflict of interestsFines (Penalties)Government Operations and Politics
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Government paperworkHospital careHospitalsMedicaidMedicarePatients' rightsSocial Welfare
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This bill died when the 105th Congress ended
It never became law before the 105th Congress (1997–1998) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 7 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 7, 1997
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.
Feb 21, 1997
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Feb 12, 1997
Referred to House Ways and Means
Feb 12, 1997
Referred to the Committee on 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.
Feb 12, 1997
Referred to House Commerce
Feb 12, 1997
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E237-238)
Feb 12, 1997
Introduced in House
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 Latest action March 7, 1997

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Patient Freedom of Choice Act of 1997 - Amends titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to require hospitals participating in the Medicare or Medicaid programs to: (1) give notice of availability of providers as part of the discharge planning process; and (2) maintain and disclose information on certain referrals. Provides for additional enforcement of such requirement through civil money penalties.

Amends SSA title XI to provide for disclosure of certain information on hospital financial interest and referral patterns to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, who shall in turn make such information public.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 4
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Democratic 1
D
Lofgren, Zoe
California · Mar 5, 1997
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 734: Patient Freedom of Choice Act of 1997. 105th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-734/
MLA
"H.R. 734: Patient Freedom of Choice Act of 1997." 105th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-734/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 734, 105th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-734/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 734: Patient Freedom of Choice Act of 1997](https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-734/)
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