Subject: “Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act of 2018”
Dear Chairman Walden and Ranking Member Pallone:
Representing a diverse coalition of providers and associations working to reduce medical lawsuit abuse
and improve timely access to quality care, the Health Coalition on Liability and Access requests that you
include the Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act of 2018 (H.R. 1876) in the Pandemic and All
Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act of 2018 when the House Energy & Commerce Committee
marks up the latter bill this week.
As you are well aware, the Committee previously approved H.R. 1876 by unanimous voice vote earlier
this year. This bipartisan legislation would address inconsistencies in current federal and state laws that
could subject medical professionals and licensed health care providers to unjust medical liability
lawsuits when they volunteer their services to disaster victims. The Good Samaritan Health
Professionals Act of 2018 would help protect medical volunteers from such lawsuits during a federallydeclared disaster, and ensure that vital health care services often provided by medical volunteers remain
available – all while respecting existing medical liability laws in individual states.
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Read full letter here
