,,ii #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #iee ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #ae1 #bjac ,mr4 ,thune 7for himself and ,mr4 ,casey7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,public ,health ,service ,act to provide liability protections for volunteer practitioners at health centers under section #ccj of such ,act4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,family ,health ,care ,accessibility ,act of #bjac4 #b4 ,liability protections for health professional volunteers at community health centers ,section #bbd of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bcc7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7q7 7#a7 ,for purposes of this section1 a health professional volunteer at an entity described in subsection 7g77#d7 shall1 in providing a health professional service eligible for funding under section #ccj to an individual1 be deemed to be an employee of the ,public ,health ,service for a calendar year that begins during a fiscal year for which a transfer was made under paragraph 7#d77;,c74 ,the preceding sentence is subject to the provisions of this subsection4 7#b7 ,in providing a health service to an individual1 a health care practitioner shall for purposes of this subsection be considered to be a health professional volunteer at an entity described in subsection 7g77#d7 if the following conditions are met3 7,a7 ,the service is provided to the individual at the facilities of an entity described in subsection 7g77#d71 or through offsite programs or events carried out by the entity4 7,b7 ,the entity is sponsoring the health care practitioner pursuant to paragraph 7#c77;,b74 7,c7 ,the health care practitioner does not receive any compensation for the service from the individual or from any third-party payer 7including reimbursement under any insurance policy or health plan1 or under any ,federal or ,state health benefits program71 except that the health care practitioner may receive repayment from the entity described in subsection 7g77#d7 for reasonable expenses incurred by the health care practitioner in the provision of the service to the individual4 7,d7 ,before the service is provided1 the health care practitioner or the entity described in subsection 7g77#d7 posts a clear and conspicuous notice at the site where the service is provided of the extent to which the legal liability of the health care practitioner is limited pursuant to this subsection4 7,e7 ,at the time the service is provided1 the health care practitioner is licensed or certified in accordance with applicable law regarding the provision of the service4 7#c7 ,subsection 7g7 7other than paragraphs 7#c7 and 7#e77 and subsections 7h71 7i71 and 7l7 apply to a health care practitioner for purposes of this subsection to the same extent and in the same manner as such subsections apply to an officer1 governing board member1 employee1 or contractor of an entity described in subsection 7g77#d71 subject to paragraph 7#d7 and subject to the following3 7,a7 ,the first sentence of paragraph 7#a7 applies in lieu of the first sentence of subsection 7g77#a77;,a74 7,b7 ,with respect to an entity described in subsection 7g77#d71 a health care practitioner is not a health professional volunteer at such entity unless the entity sponsors the health care practitioner4 ,for purposes of this subsection1 the entity shall be considered to be sponsoring the health care practitioner if-- 7i7 with respect to the health care practitioner1 the entity submits to the ,secretary an application meeting the requirements of subsection 7g77#a77;,d72 and 7ii7 the ,secretary1 pursuant to subsection 7g77#a77;,e71 determines that the health care practitioner is deemed to be an employee of the ,public ,health ,service4 7,c7 ,in the case of a health care practitioner who is determined by the ,secretary pursuant to subsection 7g77#a77;,e7 to be a health professional volunteer at such entity1 this subsection applies to the health care practitioner 7with respect to services performed on behalf of the entity sponsoring the health care practitioner pursuant to subparagraph 7,b77 for any cause of action arising from an act or omission of the health care practitioner occurring on or after the date on which the ,secretary makes such determination4 7,d7 ,subsection 7g77#a77;,f7 applies to a health care practitioner for purposes of this subsection only to the extent that1 in providing health services to an individual1 each of the conditions specified in paragraph 7#b7 is met4 7#d7 7,a7 ,amounts in the fund established under subsection 7k77#b7 shall be available for transfer under subparagraph 7,c7 for purposes of carrying out this subsection4 7,b7 ,not later ,may #a of each fiscal year1 the ,attorney ,general1 in consultation with the ,secretary1 shall submit to the ,congress a report providing an estimate of the amount of claims 7together with related fees and expenses of witnesses7 that1 by reason of the acts or omissions of health professional volunteers1 will be paid pursuant to this section during the calendar year that begins in the following fiscal year4 ,subsection 7k77#a77;,b7 applies to the estimate under the preceding sentence regarding health professional volunteers to the same extent and in the same manner as such subsection applies to the estimate under such subsection regarding officers1 governing board members1 employees1 and contractors of entities described in subsection 7g77#d74 7,c7 ,not later than ,december #ca of each fiscal year1 the ,secretary shall transfer from the fund under subsection 7k77#b7 to the appropriate accounts in the ,treasury an amount equal to the estimate made under subparagraph 7,b7 for the calendar year beginning in such fiscal year1 subject to the extent of amounts in the fund4 7#e7 7,a7 ,this subsection takes effect on ,october #a1 #bjac1 except as provided in subparagraph 7,b74 7,b7 ,effective on the date of the enactment of this subsection-- 7i7 the ,secretary may issue regulations for carrying out this subsection1 and the ,secretary may accept and consider applications submitted pursuant to paragraph 7#c77;,b72 and 7ii7 reports under paragraph 7#d77;,b7 may be submitted to the ,congress4 4