Healthy Mothers and Healthy Babies Access to Care Act of 2003

P.L.108-214-Medical Devices Technical Corrections Act (Public Law to make technical corrections relating to the amendments made by the Medical Device User Fee and Modernization Act of 2002 and to prohibit FDA from arbitrarily raising medical device user fees.) S.15-Project BioShield Act of 2004 H.R.3266-Faster and Smarter Funding for First Responders Act of 2004 H.R.2122-Project BioShield Act of 2003 (Bills to enhance, research, development, procurement, and use of biomedical countermeasures to respond to public health threats affecting national security.) H.R.663/S.720-Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act (Bills to reduce the number of health care mistakes by defining a new voluntary medical error reporting system.) H.R.3658/S.1909-The Stroke Treatment and Ongoing Prevention Act (To strengthen education, prevention, and treatment programs relating to stroke.) H.R.4280/H.R.5-Medical Malpractice Liability Limitation (HEALTH) Act of 2004 S.11-Patients First Act of 2003 (Bills to improve patient access to health care services and provide improved medical care by reducing the excessive burden the liability system places on the health care delivery system.) S.2061-Healthy Mothers and Healthy Babies Access to Care Act of 2003 S.2207-Pregnancy and Trauma Care Access Protection Act of 2004 (Bills to improve women's health access to health care services and provide improved medical care by reducing excessive burden the liability system places on the delivery of obstetrical and gynecological services.) S.Con.Res.80/H.Con.Res.324-Concurrent Resolutions urging Japan to honor its commitments under the 1986 Market-Oriented Sector-Selective (MOSS) Agreement on Medical Equipment and Pharmaceuticals, and for other purposes.) (Concurrent Resolutions providing that medical technology has driven dynamic productivity gains for the benefit of patients, providers, employers, and our economy.) P.L.108-286-United States-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (Public Law to approve the U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement entered into with the Government of Australia, and the statement of administrative action proposed to implement the Agreement.) H.R.4281-Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2004 (Bill to improve access and choice for entrepreneurs with small businesses with respect to medical care for their employees.)

Client expense: $2,900,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), SENATE, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)

Asbestos litigation reform; S. 2290, "Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act of 2004;" allocation of trust fund responsibilities. Reform of class action litigation rules; S. 2062, "Class Action Fairness Act of 2004." Limitation on medical malpractice damages; S. 2207, "Pregnancy and Trauma Care Access Protection Act of 2004," and S. 2061, Healthy Mothers and Healthy Babies Access to Care Act of 2003."

Client expense: $240,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Natl Credit Union Administration (NCUA), SENATE, Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), Treasury, Dept of

HR 5, the Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-Cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act of 2003, introduced by Rep. James Greenwood in the House and S. 607 by Senator John Ensign in the Senate to improve patient access to health care services and provide improved medical care by reducing the excessive burden the liability system places on the health care delivery system. S 2061 A bill to improve women's health 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 – introduced by Senator Judd Gregg. S 2207 A bill to improve women's access to health care services, and the access of all individuals to emergency and trauma care services, by reducing the excessive burden the liability system places on the delivery of such services – introduced by Senator Judd Gregg. HR663, the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act, introduced by Rep. Michael Bilirakis in the House Amends the Public Health Service Act to make patient safety work product privileged information. Defines "patient safety work product" as a record concerning patient information either reported to a patient safety organization by a health care provider (doctor, hospital, etc.) or created by a patient safety organization. Defines a "patient safety organization" as an organization, certified under this Act, that collects such information with the goal of improving patient safety and the quality of health care delivery. HR 877: The Patient Safety Improvement Act introduced by Rep. Nancy Johnson Amends title XI of the Social Security Act to add a new part D (Patient Safety Improvements) to provide for voluntary reporting to the Secretary of Health and Human Services of patient safety data. Prescribes confidentiality and peer review protections for such data. Directs the Secretary to ensure that the Center for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety supports public and private sector initiatives to improve patient safety for items and services furnished through health care providers. S. 1053, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2003, introduced by Senator Olympia Snowe. Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, the Public Health Service Act, and the Internal Revenue Code to prohibit health discrimination on the basis of genetic information or services. Defines genetic information as genetic tests of an individual or family member or occurrence of a disease or disorder in family members used to predict risk of disease in asymptomatic or undiagnosed individuals. Defines genetic services as health services provided for genetic education and counseling.

S 2061; S 2207; S 1125; S 2062

Client expense: $750,000 · Firm income: Not reported