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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Tony DeLuca |
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Governor signs DeLuca bill aimed at reducing medical errors
HARRISBURG, June 10 – State Rep. Tony DeLuca, D-Allegheny, said legislation he introduced was signed into law today by Gov. Ed Rendell.
The new law prohibits health-care providers from seeking reimbursement for serious, preventable medical errors, or for any service needed to correct or treat a problem caused by a serious, preventable medical error.
"This law will protect patients and insurance companies from having to pay for serious medical errors that were not their fault and could have been avoided," DeLuca said. "Moreover, it will provide an important incentive for hospitals and other health-care facilities to reduce preventable medical errors, and reduce the cost of health care overall.
"I am pleased that the governor has signed this consumer protection and patient safety bill into law."
DeLuca, chairman of the House Insurance Committee, said the legislation (Act 1 of 2009) is part of the House Democratic Caucus' Health PAct, a package of bills focused on improving access to and reducing the cost of health care in Pennsylvania.
Other legislation signed by the governor today includes:
· Act 2 of 2009 – extends COBRA coverage to employees of small businesses in Pennsylvania. COBRA allows employees who lose their jobs to pay to continue their employer provided health-care coverage for a period of time after they are laid off.
· Act 3 of 2009 – reauthorizes the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council, also known as PHC4, which gathers important health care data and recommends steps to improve care and reduce costs in the health-care industry.
· Act 4 of 2009 – allows uninsured, single adult children up to age 30 to be covered under their parents' health insurance plans.
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