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HR 5 108th Congress House Health Accident insurance Blood Bribery Child health Civil actions and liability Collection of accounts Commerce Conflict of interests Crime and Law Enforcement Damages Department of Health and Human Services Disability insurance Disabled Drug approvals Drug industry Drugs Evidence (Law) Families Federal officials

Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act of 2003

Introduced: February 5, 2003 See on congress.gov
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 Everywhere this bill has been 30 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 21, 2003
Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 49.
Mar 20, 2003
Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
Mar 13, 2003
Received in the Senate.
Mar 13, 2003
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Mar 13, 2003
On passage Passed by recorded vote: 229 - 196, 1 Present (Roll No. 64). (text: CR H1832-1834)
Mar 13, 2003
Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 229 - 196, 1 Present (Roll No. 64).(text: CR H1832-1834)
Mar 13, 2003
On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 191 - 234 (Roll no. 63).
Mar 13, 2003
The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection.
Mar 13, 2003
DEBATE - The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Conyers motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion seek to require that the bill be reported back to the House forthwith with an amendment in the nature of a substitute entitled "Medical Malpractice and Insurance Reform Act of 2003".
Mar 13, 2003
Mr. Conyers moved to recommit with instructions to Judiciary and Energy and Commerce. (consideration: CR H1866-1871; text: CR H1866-1869)
Mar 13, 2003
The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
Mar 13, 2003
DEBATE - The House proceeded with two hours of debate on H.R. 5.
Mar 13, 2003
Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 5 with 2 hours of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Provides for 80 minutes equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary and 40 minutes equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. Measure will be considered read. The rule provides that in lieu of the amendments recommended by the Committees on the Judiciary and on Energy and Commerce now printed in the bill, the amendment in the nature of a substitute printed in the Rules Committee report (H. Rept. 108-34) shall be considered as adopted. The rule provides that H.Res. 126 is laid on...
Mar 13, 2003
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 139. (consideration: CR H1817-1871, H1879-1880; text of measure as reported in House: CR H1829-1832)
Mar 13, 2003
Rule H. Res. 139 passed House.
Mar 12, 2003
Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 139 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 5 with 2 hours of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Provides for 80 minutes equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary and 40 minutes equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. Measure will be considered read. The rule provides that in lieu of the amendments recommended by the Committees on the Judiciary and on Energy and Commerce now printed in the bill, the amendment in the nature of a substitute printed in the Rules Committee report (H. Rept. 108-34) shall be considered as adopted. The rule provides that H.Res. 126 is laid on...
Mar 11, 2003
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 20.
Mar 11, 2003
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 108-32, Part II.
Mar 11, 2003
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 108-32, Part I.
Mar 6, 2003
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Mar 6, 2003
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Mar 5, 2003
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 15 - 13.
Mar 5, 2003
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Mar 4, 2003
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Mar 4, 2003
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Mar 4, 2003
Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection.
Mar 4, 2003
Committee Hearings Held.
Feb 14, 2003
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Chairman.
Feb 5, 2003
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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 5, 2003
Introduced in House
 Votes taken on this bill 2
DateChamberWhat was voted onResultYes–No
Mar 13, 2003 House · vote #64 On Passage Passed 229–196 See who voted →
Mar 13, 2003 House · vote #63 On Motion to Recommit with Instructions Failed 191–234 See who voted →
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service
Help Efficient, Accessible, Low Cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act of 2003 - Makes changes to the health care liability system, including compensation for injured patients and other issues arising out of health care law suits.

Requires a suit to be brought within three years of the date of injury or one year after the claimant discovers or should have discovered the injury, whichever occurs first. Specifies exceptions when a suit may be brought later than three years after the date of injury.

Sets forth requirements and permissible recovery amounts for compensating patient injury, including: (1) the full amount of economic loss without limitation; (2) noneconomic damages as specified; and (3) a fair share rule.

Requires the court to supervise payment-of-damage arrangements, limiting contingency fees.

Permits the introduction of evidence of collateral source benefits, except that this section shall not apply to provisions of the Social Security Act pertaining to State plans for medical assistance and Medicare as secondary payer.

Limits the availability of punitive damages, requiring clear and convincing evidence of malicious intent to injure or a deliberate failure to avoid substantially certain, unnecessary injury. Prohibits their award for products that comply with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards, except if the manufacturer or distributor of a particular medical product or the supplier of a component or raw material of such a product causes harm by failing to comply with a specific requirement of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

Authorizes periodic payment of future damages to claimants.

Excludes suits for vaccine-related death or injury from the requirements of this Act if otherwise covered under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.

Preempts State law unless such law imposes greater protections for health care providers and organizations from liability, loss, or damages.

Expresses the sense of Congress that a health insurer should be liable for damages for harm caused when it makes a decision as to what care is medically necessary and appropriate.

What's happening now March 21, 2003

Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 49.

 Committees of jurisdiction 4
 Cosponsors 10
All 10 Republican 10