Bill > S884

This bill, the Health Care Safety Net Enhancement Act of 2015, amends the Public Health Service Act to provide liability protection for hospitals, emergency departments, and their physicians or physician groups when they provide emergency and post-stabilization services. Specifically, starting January 1, 2016, these entities and individuals will be considered employees of the Public Health Service for the purpose of civil lawsuits, meaning the United States government would provide liability protection. This protection applies to services rendered under Section 1867 of the Social Security Act, which mandates that Medicare-participating hospitals provide emergency medical treatment to individuals regardless of their ability to pay, and to "post-stabilization services," which are services provided after a patient is stabilized to maintain that condition or improve it. The bill also clarifies definitions for "on-call provider" and "post stabilization services" and makes specific adjustments to how funds are estimated and allocated for these protected entities.