text: OF CLAIMS.
  
      (a) In General.--Except as otherwise provided for in this section, 
  the time for the commencement of a health care lawsuit shall be 3 years 
  after the date of manifestation of injury or 1 year after the claimant 
  discovers, or through the use of reasonable diligence should have 
  discovered, the injury, whichever occurs first.
      (b) General Exception.--The time for the commencement of a health 
  care lawsuit shall not exceed 3 years after the date of manifestation 
  of injury unless the tolling of time was delayed as a result of--
              (1) fraud;
              (2) intentional concealment; or
              (3) the presence of a foreign body, which has no 
          therapeutic or diagnostic purpose or effect, in the person of 
          the injured person.
      (c) Minors.--An action by a minor shall be commenced within 3 years 
  from the date of the alleged manifestation of injury except that if 
  such minor is under the full age of 6 years, such action shall be 
  commenced within 3 years of the manifestation of injury, or prior to 
  the eighth birthday of the minor, whichever provides a longer period. 
  Such time limitation shall be tolled for minors for any period during 
  which a parent or guardian and a health care provider or health care 
  organization have committed fraud or collusion in the failure to bring 
  an action on behalf of the injured minor.
  
  SEC. 5. COMPENSATING PATIENT INJURY.
  
      (a) Unlimited Amount of Damages for Actual Economic Losses in 
  HEALTH Care Lawsuits.--In any health care lawsuit, nothing in this Act 
  shall limit the recovery by a claimant of the full amount of the 
  available economic damages, notwithstanding the limitation contained in 
  subsection (b).
      (b) Additional Noneconomic Damages.--In any health care lawsuit, 
  the amount of noneconomic damages recovered, if otherwise available 
  under applicable Federal or State law, may be as much as $250,000, 
  regardless of the number of parties against whom the action is brought 
  or the number of separate claims or actions brought with respect to the 
  same occurrence.
      (c) No Discount of Award for Noneconomic Damages.--In any health 
  care lawsuit--
              (1) an award for future noneconomic damages shall not be 
          discounted to present value;
              (2) the jury shall not be informed about the maximum award 
          for noneconomic damages under subsection (b);
              (3) an award for noneconomic damages in excess of $250,000 
          shall be reduced either before the entry of judgment, or by 
          amendment of the judgment after entry of judgment, and such 
          reduction shall be made before accounting for any other 
          reduction in damages required by law; and
              (4) if separate awards are rendered for past and future 
          noneconomic damages and the combined awards exceed $250,000, 
          the future noneconomic damages shall be reduced first.
      (d) Fair Share Rule.--In any health care lawsuit, each party shall 
  be liable for that party's several share of any damages only and not 
  for the share of any other person. Each party shall be liable only for 
  the amount of damages allocated to such party in direct proportion to 
  such party's percentage of responsibility. A separate judgment shall be 
  rendered against each such party for the amount allocated to such 
  party. For purposes of this section, the trier of fact shall determine 
  the proportion of responsibility of each party for the claimant's harm.
  
  SEC. 6. MAXIMIZING PATIENT RECOVERY.
  
      (a) Court Supervision of Share of Damages Actually Paid to 
  Claimants.--
              (1) In general.--In any health care lawsuit, the court 
          shall supervise the arrangements for payment of damages to 
          protect against conflicts of interest that may have the effect 
          of reducing the amount of damages awarded that are actually 
          paid to claimants.
              (2) Contingency fees.--
                      (A) In general.--In any health care lawsuit in 
                  which the attorney for a party claims a financial stake 
                  in the outcome by virtue of a contingent fee, the court 
                  shall have the power to restrict the payment of a 
                  claimant's damage recovery to such attorney, and to 
                  redirect such damages to the claimant based upon the 
                  interests of justice and principles of equity.
                      (B) Limitation.--The total of all contingent fees 
                  for representing all claimants in a health care lawsuit 
                  shall not exceed the following limits:
                              (i) 40 percent of the first $50,000 
                          recovered by the claimant(s).
                              (ii) 33\1/3\ percent of the next $50,000 
                          recovered by the claimant(s).
                              (iii) 25 percent of the next $500,000 
                          recovered by the claimant(s).
                              (iv) 15 percent of any amount by which the 
                          recovery by the claimant(s) is in excess of 
                          $600,000.
      (b) Applicability.--
              (1) In general.--The limitations in subsection (a) shall 
          apply whether the recovery is by judgment, settlement, 
          mediation, arbitration, or any other form of alternative 
          dispute resolution.
              (2) Minors.--In a health care lawsuit involving a minor or 
          incompetent person, a court retains the authority to authorize 
          or approve a fee that is less than the maximum permitted under 
          this section.
      (c) Expert Witnesses.--
              (1) Requirement.--No individual shall be qualified to 
          testify as an expert witness concerning issues of negligence in 
          any health care lawsuit against a defendant unless such 
          individual--
                      (A) except as required under paragraph (2), is a 
                  health care professional who--
                              (i) is appropriately credentialed or 
                          licensed in 1 or more States to deliver health 
                          care services; and
                              (ii) typically treats the diagnosis or 
                          condition or provides the type of treatment 
                          under review; and
                      (B) can demonstrate by competent evidence that, as 
                  a result of training, education, knowledge, and 
                  experience in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment 
                  of the disease or injury which is the subject matter of 
                  the lawsuit against the defendant, the individual was 
                  substantially familiar with applicable standards of 
                  care and practice as they relate to the act or omission 
                  which is the subject of the lawsuit on the date of the 
                  incident.
              (2) Physician review.--In a health care lawsuit, if the 
          claim of the plaintiff involved treatment that is recommended 
          or provided by a physician (allopathic or osteopathic), an 
          individual shall not be qualified to be an expert witness under 
          this subsection with respect to issues of negligence concerning 
          such treatment unless such individual is a physician.
              (3) Specialties and subspecialties.--With respect to a 
          lawsuit described in paragraph (1), a court shall not permit an 
          expert in one medical specialty or subspecialty to testify 
          against a defendant in another medical specialty or 
          subspecialty unless, in addition to a showing of substantial 
          familiarity in accordance with paragraph (1)(B), there is a 
          showing that the standards of care and practice in the two 
          specialty or subspecialty fields are similar.
              (4) Limitation.--The limitations in this subsection shall 
          not apply to expert witnesses testifying as to the degree or 
          permanency of medical or physical impairment.
  
  SEC. 7. ADDITIONAL HEALTH BENEFITS.
  
      (a) In General.--The amount of any damages received by a claimant 
  in any health care lawsuit shall be reduced by the court by the amount 
  of any collateral source benefits to which the claimant is entitled, 
  less any insurance premiums or other payments made by the claimant (or 
  by the spouse, parent, child, or legal guardian of the claimant) to 
  obtain or secure such benefits.
      (b) Preservation of Current Law.--Where a payor of collateral 
  source benefits has a right of recovery by reimbursement or subrogation 
  and such right is permitted under Federal or State law, subsection (a) 
  shall not apply.
      (c) Application of Provision.--This section shall apply to any 
  health care lawsuit that is settled or resolved by a fact finder.
  
  SEC. 8. PUNITIVE DAMAGES.
  
      (a) Punitive Damages Permitted.--
              (1) In general.--Punitive damages may, if otherwise 
          available under applicable State or Federal law, be awarded 
          against any person in a health care lawsuit only if it is 
          proven by clear and convincing evidence that such person acted 
          with malicious intent to injure the claimant, or that such 
          person deliberately failed to avoid unnecessary injury that 
          such person knew the claimant was substantially certain to 
          suffer.
              (2) Filing of lawsuit.--No demand for punitive damages 
          shall be included in a health care lawsuit as initially filed. 
          A court may allow a claimant to file an amended pleading for 
          punitive damages only upon a motion by the claimant and after a 
          finding by the court, upon review of supporting and opposing 
          affidavits or after a hearing, after weighing the evidence, 
          that the claimant has established by a substantial probability 
          that the claimant will prevail on the claim for punitive 
          damages.
              (3) Separate proceeding.--At the request of any party in a 
          health care lawsuit, the trier of fact shall consider in a 
          separate proceeding--
                      (A) whether punitive damages are to be awarded and 
                  the amount of such award; and
                      (B) the amount of punitive damages following a 
                  determination of punitive liability.
          If a separate proceeding is requested, evidence relevant only 
          to the claim for punitive damages, as determined by applicable 
          State law, shall be inadmissible in any proceeding to determine 
          whether compensatory damages are to be awarded.
              (4) Limitation where no compensatory damages are awarded.--
          In any health care lawsuit where no judgment for compensatory 
          damages is rendered against a person, no punitive damages may 
          be awarded with respect to the claim in such lawsuit against 
          such person.
      (b) Determining Amount of Punitive Damages.--
              (1) Factors considered.--In determining the amount of 
          punitive damages under this section, the trier of fact shall 
          consider only the following:
                      (A) the severity of the harm caused by the conduct 
                  of such party;
                      (B) the duration of the conduct or any concealment 
                  of it by such party;
                      (C) the profitability of the conduct to such party;
                      (D) the number of products sold or medical 
                  procedures rendered for compensation, as the case may 
                  be, by such party, of the kind causing the harm 
                  complained of by the claimant;
                      (E) any criminal penalties imposed on such party, 
                  as a result of the conduct complained of by the 
                  claimant; and
                      (F) the amount of any civil fines assessed against 
                  such party as a result of the conduct complained of by 
                  the claimant.
              (2) Maximum award.--The amount of punitive damages awarded 
          in a health care lawsuit may not exceed an amount equal to two 
          times the amount of economic damages awarded in the lawsuit or 
          $250,000, whichever is greater. The jury shall not be informed 
          of the limitation under the preceding sentence.
      (c) Liability of Health Care Providers.--A health care provider who 
  prescribes, or who dispenses pursuant to a prescription, a drug or 
  device (including blood products) approved by the Food and Drug 
  Administration shall not be named as a party to a product liability 
  lawsuit invoking such drug or device and shall not be liable to a 
  claimant in a class action lawsuit against the manufacturer, 
  distributor, or product seller of such drug or device.
  
  SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF PAYMENT OF FUTURE DAMAGES TO CLAIMANTS IN 
                HEALTH CARE LAWSUITS.
  
      (a) In General.--In any health care lawsuit, if an award of future 
  damages, without reduction to present value, equaling or exceeding 
  $50,000 is made against a party with sufficient insurance or other 
  assets to fund a periodic payment of such a judgment, the court shall, 
  at the request of any party, enter a judgment ordering that the future 
  damages be paid by periodic payments in accordance with the Uniform 
  Periodic Payment of Judgments Act promulgated by the National 
  Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws.
      (b) Applicability.--This section applies to all actions which have 
  not been first set for trial or retrial before the effective date of 
  this Act.
  
  SEC. 10. EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS.
  
      (a) Vaccine Injury.--
              (1) In general.--To the extent that title XXI of the Public 
          Health Service Act establishes a Federal rule of law applicable 
          to a civil action brought for a vaccine-related injury or 
          death--
                      (A) this Act shall not affect the application of 
                  the rule of law to such an action; and
                      (B) any rule of law prescribed by this Act in 
                  conflict with a rule of law of such title XXI shall not 
                  apply to such action.
              (2) Exception.--If there is an aspect of a civil action 
          brought for a vaccine-related injury or death to which a 
          Federal rule of law under title XXI of the Public Health 
          Service Act does not apply, then this Act or otherwise 
          applicable law (as determined under this Act) will apply to 
          such aspect of such action.
      (b) Other Federal Law.--Except as provided in this section, nothing 
  in this Act shall be deemed to affect any defense available to a 
  defendant in a health care lawsuit or action under any other provision 
  of Federal law.
  
  SEC. 11. STATE FLEXIBILITY AND PROTECTION OF STATES' RIGHTS.
  
      (a) HEALTH Care Lawsuits.--The provisions governing health care 
  lawsuits set forth in this Act shall preempt, subject to subsections 
  (b) and (c), State law to the extent that State law prevents the 
  application of any provisions of law established by or under this Act. 
  The provisions governing health care lawsuits set forth in this Act 
  supersede chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code, to the extent 
  that such chapter--
              (1) provides for a greater amount of damages or contingent 
          fees, a longer period in which a health care lawsuit may be 
          commenced, or a reduced applicability or scope of periodic 
          payment of future damages, than provided in this Act; or
              (2) prohibits the introduction of evidence regarding 
          collateral source benefits.
      (b) Preemption of Certain State Laws.--The provisions of this Act 
  shall preempt any constitutional provision, statute, or rule of State 
  law, whether enacted prior to, on, or after the date of enactment of 
  this Act, that--
              (1) prohibits the application of any limitation on the 
          amount of compensatory, punitive, or total damages in a health 
          care lawsuit; or
              (2) provides for a greater amount of compensatory, 
          punitive, or total damages in a health care lawsuit than those 
          provided for under this Act.
      (c) Protection of State's Rights and Other Laws.--
              (1) In general.--Any issue that is not governed by a 
          provision of law established by or under this Act (including 
          the State standards of negligence) shall be governed by 
          otherwise applicable Federal or State law.
              (2) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this Act shall be 
          construed to--
                      (A) preempt or supersede any Federal or State law 
                  that imposes greater procedural or substantive 
                  protections (such as a shorter statute of limitations) 
                  for a health care provider, health care organization, 
                  or the manufacturer, distributor, supplier, marketer, 
                  promoter, or seller of a medical product from 
                  liability, loss, or damages than those provided by this 
                  Act;
                      (B) create a cause of action that is not otherwise 
                  available under Federal or State law; or
                      (C) affect the scope of preemption of any other 
                  Federal law.
  
  SEC. 12. APPLICABILITY; EFFECTIVE DATE.
  
      This Act shall apply to any health care lawsuit brought in a 
  Federal or State court, or subject to an alternative dispute resolution 
  system, that is initiated on or after the date of the enactment of this 
  Act, except that any health care lawsuit arising from an injury 
  occurring prior to the date of enactment of this Act shall be governed 
  by the applicable statute of limitations provisions in effect at the 
  time the injury occurred.
target: Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-Cost, Timely Healthcare Act of 2005 or the HEALTH Act of 2005 - Sets forth provisions regulating lawsuits for health care liability claims concerning the provisions of health care goods or services or any medical product affecting interstate commerce.
  
  Sets a statute of limitations of three years after the date of manifestation of injury or one year after the claimant discovers the injury, with certain exceptions.
  
  Provides that nothing in this Act limits recovery of the full amount of available economic damages. Limits noneconomic damages to $250,000. Makes each party liable only for the amount of damages directly proportional to such party's percentage of responsibility.
  
  Allows the court to restrict the payment of attorney contingency fees. Limits the fees to a decreasing percentage based on the increasing value of the amount awarded.
  
  Prescribes qualifications for expert witnesses.
  
  Requires the court to reduce damages received by the amount of collateral source benefits to which a claimant is entitled, unless the payor of such benefits has the right to reimbursement or subrogation under Federal or State law.
  
  Authorizes the award of punitive damages only where: (1) it is proven by clear and convincing evidence that a person acted with malicious intent to injure the claimant or deliberately failed to avoid unnecessary injury such person knew the claimant was substantially certain to suffer; and (2) compensatory damages are awarded. Limits punitive damages to the greater of two times the amount of economic damages or $250,000.
  
   Prohibits a health care provider from being named as a party in a product liability or class action lawsuit for prescribing or dispensing an Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved prescription drug or device.
  
   Provides for periodic payments of future damage awards.
feat_title: A bill to improve patient access to health care services and provide improved medical care by reducing the excessive burden the liability system places on the health care delivery system.