Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare
Chapter 157 — Quality, Affordable Health Care for All Americans
§ 18122. Rule of construction regarding health care providers
Statutory text
In general
Subject to paragraph (3), the development, recognition, or implementation of any guideline or other standard under any Federal health care provision shall not be construed to establish the standard of care or duty of care owed by a health care provider to a patient in any medical malpractice or medical product liability action or claim.
Definitions
For purposes of this section:
Federal health care provision
The term “Federal health care provision” means any provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111–148), title I or subtitle B of title II of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–152), or title XVIII or XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq., 42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.).
Health care provider
The term “health care provider” means any individual, group practice, corporation of health care professionals, or hospital—
licensed, registered, or certified under Federal or State laws or regulations to provide health care services; or
required to be so licensed, registered, or certified but that is exempted by other statute or regulation.
Medical malpractice or medical product liability action or claim
The term “medical malpractice or medical product liability action or claim” means a medical malpractice action or claim (as defined in section 11151(7) of this title) and includes a liability action or claim relating to a health care provider’s prescription or provision of a drug, device, or biological product (as such terms are defined in section 321 of title 21 or section 262 of this title).
State
The term “State” includes the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and any other commonwealth, possession, or territory of the United States.
No preemption
Nothing in paragraph (1) or any provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111–148), title I or subtitle B of title II of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–152), or title XVIII or XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq., 42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) shall be construed to preempt any State or common law governing medical professional or medical product liability actions or claims.
Legislative history
Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.
Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015
Pub. L. 114–10 title I § 106(d) · 129 Stat. 87
Enacted · 42 U.S.C. § 18122
(Pub. L. 114–10, title I, § 106(d), Apr. 16, 2015, 129 Stat. 142.)
Source evidence
Code source credit
(Pub. L. 114–10, title I, § 106(d), Apr. 16, 2015, 129 Stat. 142.)Enacted provision · exact public law section
(d) Rule of Construction Regarding Health Care Providers.— (1) In general.— Subject to paragraph (3), the development, recognition, or implementation of any guideline or other standard under any Federal health care provision shall not be construed to establish the standard of care or duty of care owed by a health care provider to a patient in any medical malpractice or medical product liability action or claim. (2) Definitions.— For purposes of this subsection: (A) Federal health care provision.— The term “Federal health care provision” means any provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111–148), title I or subtitle B of title II of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–152), or title XVIII or XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq., 42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.). (B) Health care provider.— The term “health care provider” means any individual, group practice, corporation of health care professionals, or hospital— (i) licensed, registered, or certified under Federal or State laws or regulations to provide health care services; or (ii) required to be so licensed, registered, or certified but that is exempted by other statute or regulation. (C) Medical malpractice or medical product liability action or claim.— The term “medical malpractice or medical product liability action or claim” means a medical malpractice action or claim (as defined in section 431(7) of the Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986 (42 U.S.C. 11151(7))) and includes a liability action or claim relating to a health care provider’s prescription or provision of a drug, device, or biological product (as such terms are defined in section 201 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321) or section 351 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 262)). (D) State.— The term “State” includes the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and any other commonwealth, possession, or territory of the United States. (3) No preemption.— Nothing in paragraph (1) or any provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111–148), title I or subtitle B of title II of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–152), or title XVIII or XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq., 42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) shall be construed to preempt any State or common law governing medical professional or medical product liability actions or claims.
1 of 1 references resolved to an enrolled provision
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, referred to in pars. (2)(A) and (3), is Pub. L. 111–148, , 124 Stat. 119. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 18001 of this title and Tables.
The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, referred to in pars. (2)(A) and (3), is Pub. L. 111–152, , 124 Stat. 1029. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 2010 Amendment note set out under section 1305 of this title and Tables.
The Social Security Act, referred to in pars. (2)(A) and (3), is act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, 49 Stat. 620. Titles XVIII and XIX of the Act are classified generally to subchapters XVIII (§ 1395 et seq.) and XIX (§ 1396 et seq.), respectively, of chapter 7 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1305 of this title and Tables.
Codification
Section was enacted as part of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, and not as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act which comprises this chapter.