42 U.S.C. § 11111
If a professional review action (as defined in section 11151(9) of this title) of a professional review body meets all the standards specified in section 11112(a) of this title, except as provided in subsection (b)-
shall not be liable in damages under any law of the United States or of any State (or political subdivision thereof) with respect to the action. The preceding sentence shall not apply to damages under any law of the United States or any State relating to the civil rights of any person or persons, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 2000e, et seq. and the Civil Rights Acts, 42 U.S.C. 1981, et seq. Nothing in this paragraph shall prevent the United States or any Attorney General of a State from bringing an action, including an action under section 15c of title 15, where such an action is otherwise authorized.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person (whether as a witness or otherwise) providing information to a professional review body regarding the competence or professional conduct of a physician shall be held, by reason of having provided such information, to be liable in damages under any law of the United States or of any State (or political subdivision thereof) unless such information is false and the person providing it knew that such information was false.
If the Secretary has reason to believe that a health care entity has failed to report information in accordance with section 11133(a) of this title, the Secretary shall conduct an investigation. If, after providing notice of noncompliance, an opportunity to correct the noncompliance, and an opportunity for a hearing, the Secretary determines that a health care entity has failed substantially to report information in accordance with section 11133(a) of this title, the Secretary shall publish the name of the entity in the Federal Register. The protections of subsection (a)(1) shall not apply to an entity the name of which is published in the Federal Register under the previous sentence with respect to professional review actions of the entity commenced during the 3-year period beginning 30 days after the date of publication of the name.
Except as provided in paragraph (2), subsection (a) shall apply to State laws in a State only for professional review actions commenced on or after October 14, 1989.
Subsection (a) shall apply to State laws in a State for actions commenced before October 14, 1989, if the State by legislation elects such treatment.
An election under State law is not effective, for purposes of,1 for actions commenced before the effective date of the State law, which may not be earlier than the date of the enactment of that law.
1 So in original. Probably should be "for purposes of subparagraph (A),".
42 U.S.C. § 11111
EDITORIAL NOTES
REFERENCES IN TEXTThe Civil Rights Act of 1964, referred to in subsec. (a)(1), is Pub. L. 88-352, July 2, 1964, 78 Stat. 241, which is classified principally to subchapters II to IX (§2000a et seq.) of chapter 21 of this title. Title VII of this Act relates to equal employment opportunities, and is classified generally to subchapter VI (§2000e et seq.) of chapter 21 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 2000a of this title and Tables.The Civil Rights Acts, referred to in subsec. (a)(1), are classified generally to chapter 21 (§1981 et seq.) of this title.
AMENDMENTS1989-Subsec. (c)(2)(B), (C). Pub. L. 101-239 added Pub. L. 100-177, §402(c), see 1987 Amendment note below. 1987-Subsec. (c)(2)(B), (C). Pub. L. 100-177, §402(c), as added by Pub. L. 101-239 redesignated subpar. (C) as (B), struck out "subparagraphs (A) and (B)" after "for purposes of", and struck out former subpar. (B) which read as follows: "Subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to State laws in a State for actions commenced on or after October 14, 1989, if the State by legislation elects such treatment."
STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1987 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 100-177 effective Nov. 14, 1986, see section 402(d) of Pub. L. 100-177 as renumbered and amended, set out as a note under section 11137 of this title.
EFFECTIVE DATE Pub. L. 99-660 title IV, §416, Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3788, provided that: "This part [part A (§§411-416) of title IV of Pub. L. 99-660, enacting this subchapter] shall apply to professional review actions commenced on or after the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 14, 1986]."
- Secretary
- The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
- State
- The term "State" means the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
- health care entity
- The term "health care entity" means- (i) a hospital that is licensed to provide health care services by the State in which it is located,(ii) an entity (including a health maintenance organization or group medical practice) that provides health care services and that follows a formal peer review process for the purpose of furthering quality health care (as determined under regulations of the Secretary), and(iii) subject to subparagraph (B), a professional society (or committee thereof) of physicians or other licensed health care practitioners that follows a formal peer review process for the purpose of furthering quality health care (as determined under regulations of the Secretary).
- physician
- The term "physician" means a doctor of medicine or osteopathy or a doctor of dental surgery or medical dentistry legally authorized to practice medicine and surgery or dentistry by a State (or any individual who, without authority holds himself or herself out to be so authorized).
- professional review action
- The term "professional review action" means an action or recommendation of a professional review body which is taken or made in the conduct of professional review activity, which is based on the competence or professional conduct of an individual physician (which conduct affects or could affect adversely the health or welfare of a patient or patients), and which affects (or may affect) adversely the clinical privileges, or membership in a professional society, of the physician. Such term includes a formal decision of a professional review body not to take an action or make a recommendation described in the previous sentence and also includes professional review activities relating to a professional review action. In this chapter, an action is not considered to be based on the competence or professional conduct of a physician if the action is primarily based on-(A) the physician's association, or lack of association, with a professional society or association,(B) the physician's fees or the physician's advertising or engaging in other competitive acts intended to solicit or retain business,(C) the physician's participation in prepaid group health plans, salaried employment, or any other manner of delivering health services whether on a fee-for-service or other basis,(D) a physician's association with, supervision of, delegation of authority to, support for, training of, or participation in a private group practice with, a member or members of a particular class of health care practitioner or professional, or(E) any other matter that does not relate to the competence or professional conduct of a physician.
- professional review body
- The term "professional review body" means a health care entity and the governing body or any committee of a health care entity which conducts professional review activity, and includes any committee of the medical staff of such an entity when assisting the governing body in a professional review activity.