Skip to main content
HR 2389 108th Congress House

Physician Availability Act of 2003

Official title: To assure that the services of a nonemergency department physician are available to hospital patients 24-hours-a-day, seven days a week in all non-Federal hospitals with at least 100 licensed beds.

Introduced: October 28, 2003 See on congress.gov
Health Fines (Penalties)Government Operations and PoliticsGovernment contractorsGovernment paperwork
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Governmental investigationsHospital careHospitalsInspectors generalLawMedicaidMedicarePatients' rightsPhysiciansSocial Welfare
Sign in to write a letter Sign in to watch
This bill died when the 108th Congress ended
It never became law before the 108th Congress (2003–2004) 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
Jun 24, 2003
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Jun 5, 2003
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Jun 5, 2003
Introduced in House
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Latest action June 24, 2003

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service
Physician Availability Act of 2003 - Requires each non-Federal hospital with a specified participation agreement under title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act, participating under title XIX (Medicaid) of such Act, or receiving Federal funds, and with at least 100 licensed beds, to have a qualified physician available in the hospital (other than in the emergency department) 24 hours a day, seven days a week to attend to the hospital's inpatients. Provides for enforcement, including through civil penalties and suspension or disqualification from Medicare or Medicaid.
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Democratic 1
D
Schakowsky, Janice D.
Illinois · Oct 28, 2003
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 2389: Physician Availability Act of 2003. 108th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-2389/
MLA
"H.R. 2389: Physician Availability Act of 2003." 108th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-2389/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 2389, 108th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-2389/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 2389: Physician Availability Act of 2003](https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-2389/)
Report a problem