106th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 1304
AN ACT
To ensure and foster continued patient safety and quality of care by making
the antitrust laws apply to negotiations between groups of health care
professionals and health plans and health insurance issuers in the same manner
as such laws apply to collective bargaining by labor organizations under the
National Labor Relations Act.
HR 1304 EH
106th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 1304
AN ACT
To ensure and foster continued patient safety and quality of care by
making the antitrust laws apply to negotiations between groups of health care
professionals and health plans and health insurance issuers in the same manner
as such laws apply to collective bargaining by labor organizations under the
National Labor Relations Act.
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 `Quality Health-Care Coalition Act of
2000'.
SEC. 2. APPLICATION OF THE ANTITRUST LAWS TO HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS
NEGOTIATING WITH HEALTH PLANS.
(a) IN GENERAL- Any health care professionals who are engaged in
negotiations with a health plan regarding the terms of any contract under
which the professionals provide health care items or services for which
benefits are provided under such plan shall, in connection with such
negotiations, be entitled to the same treatment under the antitrust laws as
the treatment to which bargaining units which are recognized under the
National Labor Relations Act are entitled in connection with such collective
bargaining. Such a professional shall, only in connection with such
negotiations, be treated as an employee engaged in concerted activities and
shall not be regarded as having the status of an employer, independent
contractor, managerial employee, or supervisor.
(b) PROTECTION FOR GOOD FAITH ACTIONS- Actions taken in good faith
reliance on subsection (a) shall not be the subject under the antitrust laws
of criminal sanctions nor of any civil damages, fees, or penalties beyond
actual damages incurred.
(1) NO NEW RIGHT FOR COLLECTIVE CESSATION OF SERVICE- The exemption
provided in subsection (a) shall not confer any new right to participate in
any collective cessation of service to patients not already permitted by
existing law.
(2) NO CHANGE IN NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS ACT- This section applies only
to health care professionals excluded from the National Labor Relations Act.
Nothing in this section shall be construed as changing or amending any
provision of the National Labor Relations Act, or as affecting the status of
any group of persons under that Act.
(d) 3-YEAR SUNSET- The exemption provided in subsection (a) shall only
apply to conduct occurring during the 3-year period beginning on the date of
the enactment of this Act and shall continue to apply for 1 year after the end
of such period to contracts entered into before the end of such period.
(e) LIMITATION ON EXEMPTION- Nothing in this section shall exempt from the
application of the antitrust laws any agreement or otherwise unlawful
conspiracy that excludes, limits the participation or reimbursement of, or
otherwise limits the scope of services to be provided by any health care
professional or group of health care professionals with respect to the
performance of services that are within their scope of practice as defined or
permitted by relevant law or regulation.
(f) NO EFFECT ON TITLE VI OF CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964- Nothing in this
section shall be construed to affect the application of title VI of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964.
(g) NO APPLICATION TO FEDERAL PROGRAMS- Nothing in this section shall
apply to negotiations between health care professionals and health plans
pertaining to benefits provided under any of the following:
(1) The Medicare Program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.).
(2) The Medicaid Program under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 1396 et seq.).
(3) The SCHIP program under title XXI of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.).
(4) Chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code (relating to medical and
dental care for members of the uniformed services).
(5) Chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code (relating to Veterans'
medical care).
(6) Chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code (relating to the Federal
employees' health benefits program).
(7) The Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1601 et
seq.).
(h) EXEMPTION OF ABORTION AND ABORTION SERVICES- Nothing in this section
shall apply to negotiations specifically relating to requiring a health plan
to cover abortion or abortion services.
(i) GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE STUDY AND REPORT- The Comptroller General of
the United States shall conduct a study on the impact of enactment of this
section during the 6-month period beginning with the third year of the 3-year
period described in subsection (d). Not later than the end of such 6-month
period the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report on such study
and shall include in the report such recommendations on the extension of this
section (and changes that should be made in making such extension) as the
Comptroller General deems appropriate.
(j) DEFINITIONS- For purposes of this section:
(1) ANTITRUST LAWS- The term `antitrust laws'--
(A) has the meaning given it in subsection (a) of the first section of
the Clayton Act (15 U.S.C. 12(a)), except that such term includes section
5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 45) to the extent such
section 5 applies to unfair methods of competition; and
(B) includes any State law similar to the laws referred to in
subparagraph (A).
(2) HEALTH PLAN AND RELATED TERMS-
(A) IN GENERAL- The term `health plan' means a group health plan or a
health insurance issuer that is offering health insurance
coverage.
(B) HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE; HEALTH INSURANCE ISSUER- The terms
`health insurance coverage' and `health insurance issuer' have the
meanings given such terms under paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively, of
section 733(b) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29
U.S.C. 1191b(b)).
(C) GROUP HEALTH PLAN- The term `group health plan' has the meaning
given that term in section 733(a)(1) of the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1191b(a)(1)).
(3) HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL- The term `health care professional' means
an individual who provides health care items or services, treatment,
assistance with activities of daily living, or medications to patients and
who, to the extent required by State or Federal law, possesses specialized
training that confers expertise in the provision of such items or services,
treatment, assistance, or medications.
(k) SENSE OF THE CONGRESS- It is the sense of the Congress that decisions
regarding medical care and treatment should be made by the physician or health
care professional in consultation with the patient.
Passed the House of Representatives June 30 (legislative day, June 29), 2000.
Attest:
Clerk.
END