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S 1122 105th Congress Senate

Patient Abuse Prevention Act

Official title: A bill to establish a national registry of abusive and criminal patient care workers and to require criminal background checks of patient care workers.

Introduced: July 31, 1997 See on congress.gov
Health Administrative feesAdministrative procedureArmed Forces and National SecurityAssault
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Child abuseCommerceCrime and Law EnforcementCriminal justice informationData banksDepartment of Health and Human ServicesEconomics and Public FinanceElder abuseEmployee trainingFamiliesFederal aid to health facilitiesFines (Penalties)FingerprintsGovernment Operations and PoliticsGovernment paperwork
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 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jul 31, 1997
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Jul 31, 1997
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8586-8587)
Jul 31, 1997
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action July 31, 1997

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Patient Abuse Prevention Act - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish under the Social Security Act (SSA) title XI health care fraud and abuse data collection program the National Registry of Abusive Workers, which shall collect and maintain data from State registries and other entities on covered health care workers who have been the subject of reports of patient abuse.

Outlines requirements for the submission of such information.

Requires each covered health care facility to provide for: (1) State criminal background checks for covered health care workers; and (2) a probationary period of employment for such workers pending the completion of such procedures. Provides penalties for violations of such requirement.

Provides for a mandatory lifetime exclusion from participation in Medicare and State health care programs of any individual or entity: (1) convicted of a criminal offense involving a crime against bodily security, including child or elder abuse; or (2) found to have knowingly continued to employ an individual so convicted in a position involving direct patient care, or to have knowingly failed to report an individual who has been determined to have committed such a criminal offense.

Authorizes the Secretary to exclude from such programs any individual or entity that is or has been the subject of a specific documented finding of patient abuse by a State.

Applies such exclusions to any entity eligible for reimbursement under a Federal health care program.

Directs the Secretary to establish a demonstration program to provide grants to develop information on best practices in patient abuse prevention training for managers and staff of hospital and health care facilities. Authorizes appropriations.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 1122: Patient Abuse Prevention Act. 105th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/105-S-1122/
MLA
"S. 1122: Patient Abuse Prevention Act." 105th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/105-S-1122/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 1122, 105th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/105-S-1122/.
Markdown link
[S. 1122: Patient Abuse Prevention Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/105-S-1122/)
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