Dear Representatives Blackburn and Matheson:
On behalf of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and Congress of Neurological
Surgeons (CNS), we are pleased to support H.R. 1733, the “Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act of
2013,” and extend our offer to help advance this important legislation.
As you know, your bill is designed to provide liability protections to health professionals, including
physicians, who volunteer to help victims of federally-declared disasters. Swift and timely medical
response in a disaster can greatly decrease loss of life and improve outcomes for patients who
desperately need care.
While neurosurgeons have a long history of stepping forward to assist disaster victims, medical
volunteers are often turned away due to inconsistent Good Samaritan laws, as well as confusion and
uncertainty about the application of these laws. Sadly, this lack of uniformity has greatly hindered the
ability of volunteer health professionals to provide care, and in many cases, physicians could not provide
these critical services — even if they wanted to — due to lack of liability protections. Your legislation will
help ensure that neurosurgeons who volunteer their services in future disasters will not face similar
uncertainties, thereby allowing them to focus on providing aid to victims.
We applaud you for introducing the “Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act of 2013” and thank you
for your leadership in recognizing the need for a federal solution to ensure protection for volunteer health
professionals. We look forward to working with you to move this important bill forward.
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