[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 23 Placed on Calendar Senate (PCS)]







                                                       Calendar No. 423
109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                 S. 23

To improve women's access to health care services and provide improved 
  medical care by reducing the excessive burden the liability system 
   places on the delivery of obstetrical and gynecological services.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 3, 2006

  Mr. Santorum (for himself, Mr. Gregg, Mr. Frist, Mr. McConnell, Mr. 
 Ensign, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Inhofe, Mrs. Dole, Mr. Burns, Mr. Talent, Mr. 
 Voinovich, Mr. Burr, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Allard, Mr. DeMint, Mr. Vitter, 
 and Mr. Alexander) introduced the following bill; which was read the 
                               first time

                              May 4, 2006

            Read the second time and placed on the calendar

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To improve women's access to health care services and provide improved 
  medical care by reducing the excessive burden the liability system 
   places on the delivery of obstetrical and gynecological services.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Healthy Mothers and Healthy Babies 
Access to Care Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.

    (a) Findings.--
            (1) Effect on women's access to health services.--Congress 
        finds that--
                    (A) the current civil justice system is eroding 
                women's access to obstetrical and gynecological 
                services;
                    (B) the American College of Obstetricians and 
                Gynecologists (ACOG) has identified nearly half of the 
                States as having a medical liability insurance crisis 
                that is threatening access to high-quality obstetrical 
                and gynecological services;
                    (C) because of the high cost of medical liability 
                insurance and the risk of being sued, one in seven 
                obstetricians and gynecologists have stopped practicing 
                obstetrics and one in five has decreased their number 
                of high-risk obstetrics patients; and
                    (D) because of the lack of availability of 
                obstetrical services, women--
                            (i) must travel longer distances and cross 
                        State lines to find a doctor;
                            (ii) have longer waiting periods (in some 
                        cases months) for appointments;
                            (iii) have shorter visits with their 
                        physicians once they get appointments;
                            (iv) have less access to maternal-fetal 
                        medicine specialists, physicians with the most 
                        experience and training in the care of women 
                        with high-risk pregnancies; and
                            (v) have fewer hospitals with maternity 
                        wards where they can deliver their child, 
                        potentially endangering the lives and health of 
                        the woman and her unborn child.
            (2) Effect on interstate commerce.--Congress finds that the 
        health care and insurance industries are industries affecting 
        interstate commerce and the health care liability litigation 
        systems existing throughout the United States are activities 
        that affect interstate commerce by contributing to the high 
        costs of health care and premiums for health care liability 
        insurance purchased by health care system providers.
            (3) Effect on federal spending.--Congress finds that the 
        health care liability litigation systems existing throughout 
        the United States have a significant effect on the amount, 
        distribution, and use of Federal funds because of--
                    (A) the large number of individuals who receive 
                health care benefits under programs operated or 
                financed by the Federal Government;
                    (B) the large number of individuals who benefit 
                because of the exclusion from Federal taxes of the 
                amounts spent to provide them with health insurance 
                benefits; and
                    (C) the large number of health care providers who 
                provide items or services for which the Federal 
                Government makes payments.
    (b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this Act to implement 
reasonable, comprehensive, and effective health care liability reforms 
designed to--
            (1) improve the availability of health care services in 
        cases in which health care liability actions have been shown to 
        be a factor in the decreased availability of services;
            (2) reduce the incidence of ``defensive medicine'' and 
        lower the cost of health care liability insurance, all of which 
        contribute to the escalation of health care costs;
            (3) ensure that persons with meritorious health care injury 
        claims receive fair and adequate compensation, including 
        reasonable noneconomic damages;
            (4) improve the fairness and cost-effectiveness of our 
        current health care liability system to resolve disputes over, 
        and provide compensation for, health care liability by reducing 
        uncertainty in the amount of compensation provided to injured 
        individuals; and
            (5) provide an increased sharing of information in the 
        health care system which will reduce unintended injury and 
        improve patient care.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Alternative dispute resolution system; adr.--The term 
        ``alternative dispute resolution system'' or ``ADR'' means a 
        system that provides for the resolution of health care lawsuits 
        in a manner other than through a civil action brought in a 
        State or Federal court.
            (2) Claimant.--The term ``claimant'' means any person who 
        brings a health care lawsuit, including a person who asserts or 
        claims a right to legal or equitable contribution, indemnity or 
        subrogation, arising out of a health care liability claim or 
        action, and any person on whose behalf such a claim is asserted 
        or such an action is brought, whether deceased, incompetent, or 
        a minor.
            (3) Collateral source benefits.--The term ``collateral 
        source benefits'' means any amount paid or reasonably likely to 
        be paid in the future to or on behalf of the claimant, or any 
        service, product or other benefit provided or reasonably likely 
        to be provided in the future to or on behalf of the claimant, 
        as a result of the injury or wrongful death, pursuant to--
                    (A) any State or Federal health, sickness, income-
                disability, accident, or workers' compensation law;
                    (B) any health, sickness, income-disability, or 
                accident insurance that provides health benefits or 
                income-disability coverage;
                    (C) any contract or agreement of any group, 
                organization, partnership, or corporation to provide, 
                pay for, or reimburse the cost of medical, hospital, 
                dental, or income disability benefits; and
                    (D) any other publicly or privately funded program.
            (4) Compensatory damages.--The term ``compensatory 
        damages'' means objectively verifiable monetary losses incurred 
        as a result of the provision of, use of, or payment for (or 
        failure to provide, use, or pay for) health care services or 
        medical products, such as past and future medical expenses, 
        loss of past and future earnings, cost of obtaining domestic 
        services, loss of employment, and loss of business or 
        employment opportunities, damages for physical and emotional 
        pain, suffering, inconvenience, physical impairment, mental 
        anguish, disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of 
        society and companionship, loss of consortium (other than loss 
        of domestic service), hedonic damages, injury to reputation, 
        and all other nonpecuniary losses of any kind or nature. Such 
        term includes economic damages and noneconomic damages, as such 
        terms are defined in this section.
            (5) Contingent fee.--The term ``contingent fee'' includes 
        all compensation to any person or persons which is payable only 
        if a recovery is effected on behalf of one or more claimants.
            (6) Economic damages.--The term ``economic damages'' means 
        objectively verifiable monetary losses incurred as a result of 
        the provision of, use of, or payment for (or failure to 
        provide, use, or pay for) health care services or medical 
        products, such as past and future medical expenses, loss of 
        past and future earnings, cost of obtaining domestic services, 
        loss of employment, and loss of business or employment 
        opportunities.
            (7) Health care goods or services.--The term ``health care 
        goods or services'' means any obstetrical or gynecological 
        goods or services provided by a health care institution, 
        provider, or by any individual working under the supervision of 
        a health care provider, that relates to the diagnosis, 
        prevention, care, or treatment of any obstetrical or 
        gynecological-related human disease or impairment, or the 
        assessment of the health of human beings.
            (8) Health care institution.--The term ``health care 
        institution'' means any entity licensed under Federal or State 
        law to provide health care services (including but not limited 
        to ambulatory surgical centers, assisted living facilities, 
        emergency medical services providers, hospices, hospitals and 
        hospital systems, nursing homes, or other entities licensed to 
        provide such services).
            (9) Health care lawsuit.--The term ``health care lawsuit'' 
        means any health care liability claim concerning the provision 
        of obstetrical or gynecological goods or services affecting 
        interstate commerce, or any health care liability action 
        concerning the provision of (or the failure to provide) 
        obstetrical or gynecological goods or services affecting 
        interstate commerce, brought in a State or Federal court or 
        pursuant to an alternative dispute resolution system, against a 
        physician or other health care provider who delivers 
        obstetrical or gynecological services or a health care 
        institution (only with respect to obstetrical or gynecological 
        services) regardless of the theory of liability on which the 
        claim is based, or the number of claimants, plaintiffs, 
        defendants, or other parties, or the number of claims or causes 
        of action, in which the claimant alleges a health care 
        liability claim.
            (10) Health care liability action.--The term ``health care 
        liability action'' means a civil action brought in a State or 
        Federal Court or pursuant to an alternative dispute resolution 
        system, against a health care provider who delivers obstetrical 
        or gynecological services or a health care institution (only 
        with respect to obstetrical or gynecological services) 
        regardless of the theory of liability on which the claim is 
        based, or the number of plaintiffs, defendants, or other 
        parties, or the number of causes of action, in which the 
        claimant alleges a health care liability claim.
            (11) Health care liability claim.--The term ``health care 
        liability claim'' means a demand by any person, whether or not 
        pursuant to ADR, against a health care provider who delivers 
        obstetrical or gynecological services or a health care 
        institution (only with respect to obstetrical or gynecological 
        services), including third-party claims, cross-claims, counter-
        claims, or contribution claims, which are based upon the 
        provision of, use of, or payment for (or the failure to 
        provide, use, or pay for) obstetrical or gynecological 
        services, regardless of the theory of liability on which the 
        claim is based, or the number of plaintiffs, defendants, or 
        other parties, or the number of causes of action.
            (12) Health care provider.--
                    (A) In general.--The term ``health care provider'' 
                means any person (including but not limited to a 
                physician (as defined by section 1861(r) of the Social 
                Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(r)), nurse, dentist, 
                podiatrist, pharmacist, chiropractor, or optometrist) 
                required by State or Federal law to be licensed, 
                registered, or certified to provide health care 
                services, and being either so licensed, registered, or 
                certified, or exempted from such requirement by other 
                statute or regulation.
                    (B) Treatment of certain professional 
                associations.--For purposes of this Act, a professional 
                association that is organized under State law by an 
                individual physician or group of physicians, a 
                partnership or limited liability partnership formed by 
                a group of physicians, a nonprofit health corporation 
                certified under State law, or a company formed by a 
                group of physicians under State law shall be treated as 
                a health care provider under subparagraph (A).
            (13) Malicious intent to injure.--The term ``malicious 
        intent to injure'' means intentionally causing or attempting to 
        cause physical injury other than providing health care goods or 
        services.
            (14) Noneconomic damages.--The term ``noneconomic damages'' 
        means damages for physical and emotional pain, suffering, 
        inconvenience, physical impairment, mental anguish, 
        disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of society and 
        companionship, loss of consortium (other than loss of domestic 
        service), hedonic damages, injury to reputation, and all other 
        nonpecuniary losses of any kind or nature.
            (15) Obstetrical or gynecological services.--The term 
        ``obstetrical or gynecological services'' means services for 
        pre-natal care or labor and delivery, including the immediate 
        postpartum period (as determined in accordance with the 
        definition of postpartum used for purposes of title XIX of the 
        Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.)).
            (16) Punitive damages.--The term ``punitive damages'' means 
        damages awarded, for the purpose of punishment or deterrence, 
        and not solely for compensatory purposes, against a health care 
        provider who delivers obstetrical or gynecological services or 
        a health care institution. Punitive damages are neither 
        economic nor noneconomic damages.
            (17) Recovery.--The term ``recovery'' means the net sum 
        recovered after deducting any disbursements or costs incurred 
        in connection with prosecution or settlement of the claim, 
        including all costs paid or advanced by any person. Costs of 
        health care incurred by the plaintiff and the attorneys' office 
        overhead costs or charges for legal services are not deductible 
        disbursements or costs for such purpose.
            (18) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several 
        States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto 
        Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern 
        Mariana Islands, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, 
        and any other territory or possession of the United States, or 
        any political subdivision thereof.

SEC. 4. ENCOURAGING SPEEDY RESOLUTION OF CLAIMS.

    (a) In General.--Except as otherwise provided for in this section, 
the time for the commencement of a health care lawsuit shall be 3 years 
after the date of manifestation of injury or 1 year after the claimant 
discovers, or through the use of reasonable diligence should have 
discovered, the injury, whichever occurs first.
    (b) General Exception.--The time for the commencement of a health 
care lawsuit shall not exceed 3 years after the date of manifestation 
of injury unless the tolling of time was delayed as a result of--
            (1) fraud;
            (2) intentional concealment; or
            (3) the presence of a foreign body, which has no 
        therapeutic or diagnostic purpose or effect, in the person of 
        the injured person.
    (c) Minors.--An action by a minor shall be commenced within 3 years 
from the date of the alleged manifestation of injury except that if 
such minor is under the full age of 6 years, such action shall be 
commenced within 3 years of the manifestation of injury, or prior to 
the eighth birthday of the minor, whichever provides a longer period. 
Such time limitation shall be tolled for minors for any period during 
which a parent or guardian and a health care provider or health care 
institution have committed fraud or collusion in the failure to bring 
an action on behalf of the injured minor.
    (d) Rule 11 Sanctions.--Whenever a Federal or State court 
determines (whether by motion of the parties or whether on the motion 
of the court) that there has been a violation of Rule 11 of the Federal 
Rules of Civil Procedure (or a similar violation of applicable State 
court rules) in a health care liability action to which this Act 
applies, the court shall impose upon the attorneys, law firms, or pro 
se litigants that have violated Rule 11 or are responsible for the 
violation, an appropriate sanction, which shall include an order to pay 
the other party or parties for the reasonable expenses incurred as a 
direct result of the filing of the pleading, motion, or other paper 
that is the subject of the violation, including a reasonable attorneys' 
fee. Such sanction shall be sufficient to deter repetition of such 
conduct or comparable conduct by others similarly situated, and to 
compensate the party or parties injured by such conduct.

SEC. 5. COMPENSATING PATIENT INJURY.

    (a) Unlimited Amount of Damages for Actual Economic Losses in 
Health Care Lawsuits.--In any health care lawsuit, nothing in this Act 
shall limit the recovery by a claimant of the full amount of the 
available economic damages, notwithstanding the limitation contained in 
subsection (b).
    (b) Additional Noneconomic Damages.--
            (1) Health care providers.--In any health care lawsuit 
        where final judgment is rendered against a health care 
        provider, the amount of noneconomic damages recovered from the 
        provider, if otherwise available under applicable Federal or 
        State law, may be as much as $250,000, regardless of the number 
        of parties other than a health care institution against whom 
        the action is brought or the number of separate claims or 
        actions brought with respect to the same occurrence.
            (2) Health care institutions.--
                    (A) Single institution.--In any health care lawsuit 
                where final judgment is rendered against a single 
                health care institution, the amount of noneconomic 
                damages recovered from the institution, if otherwise 
                available under applicable Federal or State law, may be 
                as much as $250,000, regardless of the number of 
                parties against whom the action is brought or the 
                number of separate claims or actions brought with 
                respect to the same occurrence.
                    (B) Multiple institutions.--In any health care 
                lawsuit where final judgment is rendered against more 
                than one health care institution, the amount of 
                noneconomic damages recovered from each institution, if 
                otherwise available under applicable Federal or State 
                law, may be as much as $250,000, regardless of the 
                number of parties against whom the action is brought or 
                the number of separate claims or actions brought with 
                respect to the same occurrence, except that the total 
                amount recovered from all such institutions in such 
                lawsuit shall not exceed $500,000.
    (c) No Discount of Award for Noneconomic Damages.--In any health 
care lawsuit--
            (1) an award for future noneconomic damages shall not be 
        discounted to present value;
            (2) the jury shall not be informed about the maximum award 
        for noneconomic damages under subsection (b);
            (3) an award for noneconomic damages in excess of the 
        limitations provided for in subsection (b) shall be reduced 
        either before the entry of judgment, or by amendment of the 
        judgment after entry of judgment, and such reduction shall be 
        made before accounting for any other reduction in damages 
        required by law; and
            (4) if separate awards are rendered for past and future 
        noneconomic damages and the combined awards exceed the 
        limitations provided for in subsection (b), the future 
        noneconomic damages shall be reduced first.
    (d) Fair Share Rule.--In any health care lawsuit, each party shall 
be liable for that party's several share of any damages only and not 
for the share of any other person. Each party shall be liable only for 
the amount of damages allocated to such party in direct proportion to 
such party's percentage of responsibility. A separate judgment shall be 
rendered against each such party for the amount allocated to such 
party. For purposes of this section, the trier of fact shall determine 
the proportion of responsibility of each party for the claimant's harm.

SEC. 6. MAXIMIZING PATIENT RECOVERY.

    (a) Court Supervision of Share of Damages Actually Paid to 
Claimants.--
            (1) In general.--In any health care lawsuit, the court 
        shall supervise the arrangements for payment of damages to 
        protect against conflicts of interest that may have the effect 
        of reducing the amount of damages awarded that are actually 
        paid to claimants.
            (2) Contingency fees.--
                    (A) In general.--In any health care lawsuit in 
                which the attorney for a party claims a financial stake 
                in the outcome by virtue of a contingent fee, the court 
                shall have the power to restrict the payment of a 
                claimant's damage recovery to such attorney, and to 
                redirect such damages to the claimant based upon the 
                interests of justice and principles of equity.
                    (B) Limitation.--The total of all contingent fees 
                for representing all claimants in a health care lawsuit 
                shall not exceed the following limits:
                            (i) 40 percent of the first $50,000 
                        recovered by the claimant(s).
                            (ii) 33\1/3\ percent of the next $50,000 
                        recovered by the claimant(s).
                            (iii) 25 percent of the next $500,000 
                        recovered by the claimant(s).
                            (iv) 15 percent of any amount by which the 
                        recovery by the claimant(s) is in excess of 
                        $600,000.
    (b) Applicability.--
            (1) In general.--The limitations in subsection (a) shall 
        apply whether the recovery is by judgment, settlement, 
        mediation, arbitration, or any other form of alternative 
        dispute resolution.
            (2) Minors.--In a health care lawsuit involving a minor or 
        incompetent person, a court retains the authority to authorize 
        or approve a fee that is less than the maximum permitted under 
        this section.
    (c) Expert Witnesses.--
            (1) Requirement.--No individual shall be qualified to 
        testify as an expert witness concerning issues of negligence in 
        any health care lawsuit against a defendant unless such 
        individual--
                    (A) except as required under paragraph (2), is a 
                health care professional who--
                            (i) is appropriately credentialed or 
                        licensed in 1 or more States to deliver health 
                        care services; and
                            (ii) typically treats the diagnosis or 
                        condition or provides the type of treatment 
                        under review; and
                    (B) can demonstrate by competent evidence that, as 
                a result of training, education, knowledge, and 
                experience in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment 
                of the disease or injury which is the subject matter of 
                the lawsuit against the defendant, the individual was 
                substantially familiar with applicable standards of 
                care and practice as they relate to the act or omission 
                which is the subject of the lawsuit on the date of the 
                incident.
            (2) Physician review.--In a health care lawsuit, if the 
        claim of the plaintiff involved treatment that is recommended 
        or provided by a physician (allopathic or osteopathic), an 
        individual shall not be qualified to be an expert witness under 
        this subsection with respect to issues of negligence concerning 
        such treatment unless such individual is a physician.
            (3) Specialties and subspecialties.--With respect to a 
        lawsuit described in paragraph (1), a court shall not permit an 
        expert in one medical specialty or subspecialty to testify 
        against a defendant in another medical specialty or 
        subspecialty unless, in addition to a showing of substantial 
        familiarity in accordance with paragraph (1)(B), there is a 
        showing that the standards of care and practice in the two 
        specialty or subspecialty fields are similar.
            (4) Limitation.--The limitations in this subsection shall 
        not apply to expert witnesses testifying as to the degree or 
        permanency of medical or physical impairment.

SEC. 7. ADDITIONAL HEALTH BENEFITS.

    (a) In General.--The amount of any damages received by a claimant 
in any health care lawsuit shall be reduced by the court by the amount 
of any collateral source benefits to which the claimant is entitled, 
less any insurance premiums or other payments made by the claimant (or 
by the spouse, parent, child, or legal guardian of the claimant) to 
obtain or secure such benefits.
    (b) Preservation of Current Law.--Where a payor of collateral 
source benefits has a right of recovery by reimbursement or subrogation 
and such right is permitted under Federal or State law, subsection (a) 
shall not apply.
    (c) Application of Provision.--This section shall apply to any 
health care lawsuit that is settled or resolved by a fact finder.

SEC. 8. PUNITIVE DAMAGES.

    (a) Punitive Damages Permitted.--
            (1) In general.--Punitive damages may, if otherwise 
        available under applicable State or Federal law, be awarded 
        against any person in a health care lawsuit only if it is 
        proven by clear and convincing evidence that such person acted 
        with malicious intent to injure the claimant, or that such 
        person deliberately failed to avoid unnecessary injury that 
        such person knew the claimant was substantially certain to 
        suffer.
            (2) Filing of lawsuit.--No demand for punitive damages 
        shall be included in a health care lawsuit as initially filed. 
        A court may allow a claimant to file an amended pleading for 
        punitive damages only upon a motion by the claimant and after a 
        finding by the court, upon review of supporting and opposing 
        affidavits or after a hearing, after weighing the evidence, 
        that the claimant has established by a substantial probability 
        that the claimant will prevail on the claim for punitive 
        damages.
            (3) Separate proceeding.--At the request of any party in a 
        health care lawsuit, the trier of fact shall consider in a 
        separate proceeding--
                    (A) whether punitive damages are to be awarded and 
                the amount of such award; and
                    (B) the amount of punitive damages following a 
                determination of punitive liability.
        If a separate proceeding is requested, evidence relevant only 
        to the claim for punitive damages, as determined by applicable 
        State law, shall be inadmissible in any proceeding to determine 
        whether compensatory damages are to be awarded.
            (4) Limitation where no compensatory damages are awarded.--
        In any health care lawsuit where no judgment for compensatory 
        damages is rendered against a person, no punitive damages may 
        be awarded with respect to the claim in such lawsuit against 
        such person.
    (b) Determining Amount of Punitive Damages.--
            (1) Factors considered.--In determining the amount of 
        punitive damages under this section, the trier of fact shall 
        consider only the following:
                    (A) the severity of the harm caused by the conduct 
                of such party;
                    (B) the duration of the conduct or any concealment 
                of it by such party;
                    (C) the profitability of the conduct to such party;
                    (D) the number of products sold or medical 
                procedures rendered for compensation, as the case may 
                be, by such party, of the kind causing the harm 
                complained of by the claimant;
                    (E) any criminal penalties imposed on such party, 
                as a result of the conduct complained of by the 
                claimant; and
                    (F) the amount of any civil fines assessed against 
                such party as a result of the conduct complained of by 
                the claimant.
            (2) Maximum award.--The amount of punitive damages awarded 
        in a health care lawsuit may not exceed an amount equal to two 
        times the amount of economic damages awarded in the lawsuit or 
        $250,000, whichever is greater. The jury shall not be informed 
        of the limitation under the preceding sentence.
    (c) Liability of Health Care Providers.--
            (1) In general.--A health care provider who prescribes, or 
        who dispenses pursuant to a prescription, a drug, biological 
        product, or medical device approved by the Food and Drug 
        Administration, for an approved indication of the drug, 
        biological product, or medical device, shall not be named as a 
        party to a product liability lawsuit invoking such drug, 
        biological product, or medical device and shall not be liable 
        to a claimant in a class action lawsuit against the 
        manufacturer, distributor, or product seller of such drug, 
        biological product, or medical device.
            (2) Medical product.--The term ``medical product'' means a 
        drug or device intended for humans. The terms ``drug'' and 
        ``device'' have the meanings given such terms in sections 
        201(g)(1) and 201(h) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act 
        (21 U.S.C. 321), respectively, including any component or raw 
        material used therein, but excluding health care services.

SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF PAYMENT OF FUTURE DAMAGES TO CLAIMANTS IN 
              HEALTH CARE LAWSUITS.

    (a) In General.--In any health care lawsuit, if an award of future 
damages, without reduction to present value, equaling or exceeding 
$50,000 is made against a party with sufficient insurance or other 
assets to fund a periodic payment of such a judgment, the court shall, 
at the request of any party, enter a judgment ordering that the future 
damages be paid by periodic payments. In any health care lawsuit, the 
court may be guided by the Uniform Periodic Payment of Judgments Act 
promulgated by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform 
State Laws.
    (b) Applicability.--This section applies to all actions which have 
not been first set for trial or retrial before the effective date of 
this Act.

SEC. 10. EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS.

    (a) General Vaccine Injury.--
            (1) In general.--To the extent that title XXI of the Public 
        Health Service Act establishes a Federal rule of law applicable 
        to a civil action brought for a vaccine-related injury or 
        death--
                    (A) this Act shall not affect the application of 
                the rule of law to such an action; and
                    (B) any rule of law prescribed by this Act in 
                conflict with a rule of law of such title XXI shall not 
                apply to such action.
            (2) Exception.--If there is an aspect of a civil action 
        brought for a vaccine-related injury or death to which a 
        Federal rule of law under title XXI of the Public Health 
        Service Act does not apply, then this Act or otherwise 
        applicable law (as determined under this Act) will apply to 
        such aspect of such action.
    (b) Smallpox Vaccine Injury.--
            (1) In general.--To the extent that part C of title II of 
        the Public Health Service Act establishes a Federal rule of law 
        applicable to a civil action brought for a smallpox vaccine-
        related injury or death--
                    (A) this Act shall not affect the application of 
                the rule of law to such an action; and
                    (B) any rule of law prescribed by this Act in 
                conflict with a rule of law of such part C shall not 
                apply to such action.
            (2) Exception.--If there is an aspect of a civil action 
        brought for a smallpox vaccine-related injury or death to which 
        a Federal rule of law under part C of title II of the Public 
        Health Service Act does not apply, then this Act or otherwise 
        applicable law (as determined under this Act) will apply to 
        such aspect of such action.
    (c) Other Federal Law.--Except as provided in this section, nothing 
in this Act shall be deemed to affect any defense available, or any 
limitation on liability that applies to, a defendant in a health care 
lawsuit or action under any other provision of Federal law.

SEC. 11. STATE FLEXIBILITY AND PROTECTION OF STATES' RIGHTS.

    (a) Health Care Lawsuits.--The provisions governing health care 
lawsuits set forth in this Act shall preempt, subject to subsections 
(b) and (c), State law to the extent that State law prevents the 
application of any provisions of law established by or under this Act. 
The provisions governing health care lawsuits set forth in this Act 
supersede chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code, to the extent 
that such chapter--
            (1) provides for a greater amount of damages or contingent 
        fees, a longer period in which a health care lawsuit may be 
        commenced, or a reduced applicability or scope of periodic 
        payment of future damages, than provided in this Act; or
            (2) prohibits the introduction of evidence regarding 
        collateral source benefits.
    (b) Preemption of Certain State Laws.--No provision of this Act 
shall be construed to preempt any State law (whether effective before, 
on, or after the date of the enactment of this Act) that specifies a 
particular monetary amount of compensatory or punitive damages (or the 
total amount of damages) that may be awarded in a health care lawsuit, 
regardless of whether such monetary amount is greater or lesser than is 
provided for under this Act, notwithstanding section 5(a).
    (c) Protection of State's Rights and Other Laws.--
            (1) In general.--Any issue that is not governed by a 
        provision of law established by or under this Act (including 
        the State standards of negligence) shall be governed by 
        otherwise applicable Federal or State law.
            (2) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this Act shall be 
        construed to--
                    (A) preempt or supersede any Federal or State law 
                that imposes greater procedural or substantive 
                protections for a health care provider or health care 
                institution from liability, loss, or damages than those 
                provided by this Act;
                    (B) preempt or supercede any State law that permits 
                and provides for the enforcement of any arbitration 
                agreement related to a health care liability claim 
                whether enacted prior to or after the date of enactment 
                of this Act;
                    (C) create a cause of action that is not otherwise 
                available under Federal or State law; or
                    (D) affect the scope of preemption of any other 
                Federal law.

SEC. 12. APPLICABILITY; EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act shall apply to any health care lawsuit brought in a 
Federal or State court, or subject to an alternative dispute resolution 
system, that is initiated on or after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, except that any health care lawsuit arising from an injury 
occurring prior to the date of enactment of this Act shall be governed 
by the applicable statute of limitations provisions in effect at the 
time the injury occurred.
                                                       Calendar No. 423

109th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                 S. 23

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

To improve women's access to health care services and provide improved 
  medical care by reducing the excessive burden the liability system 
   places on the delivery of obstetrical and gynecological services.

_______________________________________________________________________

                              May 4, 2006

            Read the second time and placed on the calendar