,i  #aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #chac  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,july #ag1 #bjai,mr4  
,mead[s 7= himself & ,mrs4 ,radewag57   
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to
 ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a 
,,bill  ,to am5d title #ch1 ,unit$      
,/ates ,code1 to ensure t c]ta9 heal?   
c>e contractors ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans
 ,affairs are subject to ,f$]al tort    
claims laws1 to improve ! acc\ntability 
( physicians ( ! ,dep>tm5t1 & = o!r     
purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may
 be cit$ z ! ,brian ,tally ,,va ,m$ical 
,c>e & ,liability ,improvem5t ,act4  #b4
 ,acc\ntability ( heal? c>e provid]s at 
facilities ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans     
,affairs  7a7 ,treatm5t ( contractors "u
 ,f$]al tort claims laws ,section #gcaf 
( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is    
am5d$ by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new     
subsection3  7g7  7#a7  7,a7 ,except z  
provid$ by p>agraph 7#b71 ?is section   
%all n apply ) respect to civil actions 
or o!r proce$+s br\ght by an individual1

 or ! e/ate ( an individual1 = damages =
 p]sonal injury1 includ+ dea?1 alleg$ly 
aris+ f malpractice or neglig5ce ( a    
non-,dep>tm5t provid] if ! ,secret>y    
notifies ! individual1 or ! e/ate ( !   
individual1 ( ! foll[+3  7i7 ,!         
involvem5t ( ! non-,dep>tm5t provid] 9 !
 heal? c>e furni%$ to ! individual4     
7ii7 ,! nature ( su* heal? c>e furni%$  
to ! individual by ! non-,dep>tm5t      
provid]4  7iii7 ,! full "n ( !          
non-,dep>tm5t provid]4  7iv7 ,! fact t !
 notification is made pursuant to ?is   
p>agraph4  7v7 ,a /atem5t t applicable  
,/ate law may provide = a civil action  
or o!r proce$+ by ! individual1 or !    
e/ate ( ! individual1 aga9/ !           
non-,dep>tm5t provid]1 includ+ in=mation
 t specifies any /atute ( limitations = 
su* applicable ,/ate law4  7,b7 ,!      
,secret>y %all make ea* notification "u 
subp>agraph 7,a7 n lat] ?an #cj days    
aft] ! date on :i* an individual or     
e/ate files a claim pursuant to section 
#bfge ( title #bh1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4 

,! ,secret>y %all make su* notification 
us+ c]tifi$ mail 7) ei!r return receipt 
reque/$ or o!r means ( v]ification t !  
notification 0 s5t7 to ! individual or !
 e/ate1 & to any attorney ( ! individual
 or ! e/ate repres5t+ ! individual or ! 
e/ate ) respect to su* claim4  7#b7 ,if 
! ,secret>y does n make ! notification  
requir$ by p>agraph 7#a7 dur+ ! p]iod   
requir$ by t p>agraph ) respect to civil
 actions or o!r proce$+s br\ght by an   
individual1 or ! e/ate ( an individual1 
= damages = p]sonal injury1 includ+     
dea?1 alleg$ly aris+ f malpractice or   
neglig5ce ( a non-,dep>tm5t provid]1 !  
non-,dep>tm5t provid] %all be treat$ z  
if ! provid] 7 a heal? c>e employee ( ! 
,adm9i/ration ) respect to ! heal? c>e  
or treatm5t furni%$ by t provid] 9 a    
facility ( ! ,dep>tm5t to ! individual4 
7#c7 ,if a non-,dep>tm5t provid]        
describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#b7 is ! def5dant  
employee ( a civil action or proce$+    
pursuant to ?is section1 any claim ( t  
provid] = b5efits "u an insurance policy

 ) respect to m$ical malpractice relat+ 
to su* civil action or proce$+ %all be  
subrogat$ to ! ,unit$ ,/ates4  7#d7     
7,a7 ,if a non-,dep>tm5t provid]        
describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#a7 or 7#b7 is !   
def5dant employee ( at lea/ ?ree sep>ate
 cov]$ cases dur+ a five-ye> p]iod1 !   
,secret>y--  7i7 %all revoke ! provid]'s
 au?orization to provide heal? c>e or   
treatm5t at a facility ( ! ,dep>tm5t2 & 
7ii7 may n ent] into any contract or    
agreem5t t au?orizes ! provid] to       
provide heal? c>e or treatm5t at a      
facility ( ! ,dep>tm5t4  7,b7 ,!        
,secret>y %all e/abli% a process by :i* 
a non-,dep>tm5t provid] may appeal an   
action "u subp>agraph 7,a74  7#e7 ,9 ?is
 subsection3 7,a7 ,! t]m cov]$ case     
means any ( ! foll[+3  7i7 ,a civil     
action or proce$+ pursuant to ?is       
section t result$ 9 a judgm5t aga9/ !   
,unit$ ,/ates1 or su* an action or      
proce$+ t ! ,unit$ ,/ates compromises or
 settles4  7ii7 ,a civil action or      
proce$+ pursuant to ,/ate law = p]sonal 

injury1 includ+ dea?1 alleg$ly aris+ f  
malpractice or neglig5ce t result$ 9 a  
judgm5t aga9/ a non-,dep>tm5t provid]1  
or su* an action or proce$+ t !         
non-,dep>tm5t provid] compromises or    
settles4  7,b7 ,! t]m non-,dep>tm5t     
provid] means a heal? c>e provid] :o is 
n an employee ( ! ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t b :o 
is au?oriz$ by ! ,secret>y to provide   
heal? c>e or treatm5t at a facility ( ! 
,dep>tm5t pursuant to a contract or o!r 
agreem5t4  4  7b7 ,notifications &      
outrea* reg>d+ ,f$]al tort claims ,su*  
section1 z am5d$ by subsection 7a71 is  
fur!r am5d$ by add+ at ! end ! foll[+   
new subsections3  7h7 ,n lat] ?an #cj   
days foll[+ ! date on :i* a judgm5t is  
ent]$ aga9/ ! ,unit$ ,/ates 9 a civil   
action or proce$+ pursuant to ?is       
section1 ! ,secret>y %all notify !      
foll[+ entities ) respect to su*        
judgm5t3  7#a7 ,! appropriate lic5s+    
entity ( ea* ,/ate 9 :i* a def5dant     
employee is lic5s$ z a heal? c>e        
pr(essional4  7#b7 ,! ,national         

,practition] ,data ,bank e/abli%$       
pursuant to ! ,heal? ,c>e ,quality      
,improvem5t ,act ( #aihf 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 
#aaaja et seq474  7i7 ,! ,secret>y %all 
publi% 9 a cle> & conspicu\s mann] on ! 
int]net website ( ! ,dep>tm5t an        
explanation ( ! rights ( an individual  
"u ?is section1 includ+--  7#a7 an      
explanation ( ! proc$ure to file an     
adm9i/rative claim pursuant to section  
#eae ( ?is title or section #bfge (     
title #bh2  7#b7 ! circum/ances "u :i*  
an individual may file a civil action or
 proce$+ pursuant to ?is section2 &     
7#c7 "t limits t c b> recov]y "u ?is    
section4  4  7c7 ,acc\ntability (       
physicians ( ! ,dep>tm5t ,section #gdfa 
( su* title is am5d$--  7#a7 9          
subsection 7a71 by add+ at ! end !      
foll[+ new s5t5ce3 8,! ,"u ,secret>y    
%all br+ su* *>ges bas$ on pr(essional  
conduct or compet5ce aga9/ a section    
#gdja7a7 employee :o is ! def5dant      
employee ( at lea/ ?ree sep>ate civil   
actions or proce$+s pursuant to section 

#gcaf ( ?is title t1 )9 a five-ye>      
p]iod--  7#a7 result$ 9 a judgm5t aga9/ 
! ,unit$ ,/ates2 or  7#b7 7 compromis$  
or settl$ by ! ,unit$ ,/ates4  2 &  7#b7
 9 subsection 7c77#c71 by add+ at ! end 
! foll[+ new subp>agraph3  7,c7 ,!      
provision ( c>e subject to a civil      
action or proce$+ pursuant to section   
#gcaf ( ?is title t--  7i7 result$ 9 a  
judgm5t aga9/ ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 or  7ii7 
is compromis$ or settl$ by ! ,unit$     
,/ates4  4  7d7 ,applicability ,!       
am5dm5ts made by ?is section %all take  
effect ) respect to actions or omissions
 cov]$ "u section #gcaf ( title #ch1    
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 occurr+ on or aft] 
! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act4