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Patients First Act of 2005

Introduced: July 27, 2005 See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 109th Congress ended
It never became law before the 109th Congress (2005–2006) 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 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jul 27, 2005
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S9160-9182)
Jul 27, 2005
Introduced in Senate
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Healthy America Act of 2005 - Patients First Act of 2005 - Sets forth provisions governing health care lawsuits, including provisions establishing a statute of limitations and limiting recovery of non-economic damages and punitive damages.

Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish an Office of the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology to develop a nationwide interoperable health information technology infrastructure. Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) establish the public-private American Health Information Collaborative; and (2) facilitate the electronic exchange of health information.

Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to require the Secretary to: (1) develop quality measurement systems to provide value-based payments to providers; (2) establish a value-based purchasing pilot program; and (3) authorize waivers for states to establish such programs for state Medicaid programs.

Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 - Requires the Secretary to maintain a patient safety network of databases to accept, aggregate, and analyze non-identifiable patient safety data voluntarily reported by patient safety organizations.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow: (1) an advanceable credit for health insurance; (2) a deduction for premiums under a high deductible health plan; and (3) a credit for a small employer's contribution to an employee's health savings account.

Reauthorizes grants to states to create and operate high risk health insurance pools.

Covering Kids Act of 2005 - Amends Title XXI (State Children's Health Insurance) (SCHIP) of the Social Security Act to provide awards for innovative outreach and enrollment efforts.

Allows the Secretary to make grants for qualified integrated health care systems that provide care to medically underserved populations. Provides coverage under Medicare and Medicaid for integrated health center services.

Allows a forbearance on student loans for volunteering at a free clinic.

What's happening now July 27, 2005

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (text of measure as introduced: CR S9160-9182)

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 4: Healthy America Act of 2005. 109th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-4/
MLA
"S. 4: Healthy America Act of 2005." 109th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-4/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 4, 109th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-4/.
Markdown link
[S. 4: Healthy America Act of 2005](https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-4/)
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