HOUSE BILL No. 4669

April 26, 2005, Introduced by Reps. Vander Veen, Caswell, Taub, Green, Amos, Huizenga, Stahl, Ball, Sheen, Kahn, Pearce, Newell, Emmons and Farhat and referred to the Committee on Health Policy.

 

     A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled

 

"Public health code,"

 

by amending section 16277 (MCL 333.16277), as added by 2001 PA 172.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 16277. (1) A  Subject to subsection (3), a licensee or

 

registrant who provides to a patient nonemergency health care that

 

the licensee or registrant is licensed or registered under this

 

article to provide, and who receives no compensation for providing

 

the nonemergency health care, is not liable in a civil action for

 

damages for acts or omissions in providing the nonemergency health

 

care, unless the acts or omissions were the result of gross

 

negligence or willful and wanton misconduct or were intended to

 

injure the patient.


 

     (2) The  Subject to subsection (3), the limitation on

 

liability provided under subsection (1) also applies  only if the  

 

to the following facilities or entities if nonemergency health care

 

is provided by a licensee or registrant inside the premises of or

 

as a result of a referral from  either of the following  the

 

facility or entity:

 

     (a) A health facility organized and operated for the sole

 

purpose of delivering nonemergency health care without receiving

 

compensation.

 

     (b) An entity that is not a health facility and that provides

 

nonemergency health care to uninsured or under-insured individuals

 

through the voluntary services of licensees or registrants who

 

receive no compensation for providing the nonemergency health care.

 

     (3) In addition to the restrictions under subsection (1), the

 

The limitation on liability provided in subsection (1)  subsections

 

(1) and (2) does not apply in regard to the nonemergency health

 

care of a patient unless, before the licensee or registrant

 

provides that health care, both of the following occur:

 

     (a) The licensee or registrant provides the patient with a

 

written disclosure describing the limitation on liability and

 

stating that the health care is free and compensation for the

 

health care will not be requested from any source.

 

     (b) The patient signs an acknowledgment of receipt of the

 

written disclosure.

 

     (4) A health facility, other than a health facility described

 

in subsection (2), that provides financial, in-kind, or other

 

support, not including health care services, to a health facility


 

or other entity described in subsection (2) is not liable in a

 

civil action for damages based on nonemergency health care provided

 

by the health facility or entity described in subsection (2).

 

     (5) This section does not affect the liability of a health

 

facility or entity described in subsection (2) as that liability

 

existed before  the effective date of this section  January 1,

 

2002.

 

     (6) This section does not apply to a civil action for damages

 

for acts or omissions if the nonemergency health care is surgery

 

that customarily requires more than a local anesthetic.

 

     (7) As used in this section:

 

     (a) "Compensation" means receipt of payment or expected

 

receipt of payment from any source, including, but not limited to,

 

receipt of payment or expected receipt of payment directly from a

 

patient, from a patient's parent, guardian, or spouse, or from a

 

public or private health care payment or benefits plan on behalf of

 

the patient, or indirectly in the form of wages, salary, or other

 

valuable consideration under an employment or service agreement.

 

     (b) "Health facility" means a health facility or agency

 

licensed under article 17.