PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Feb 25, 2008
Medicare Funding Warning Response Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to: (1) develop and implement a system for encouraging nationwide adoption and use of interoperable electronic health records and to make available personal health records for Medicare beneficiaries; (2) develop and implement a plan for ensuring that, by the year 2013, quality measures are available and reported with respect to at least 50% of the care provided under the Medicare program; (3) design and implement a system under which a portion of Medicare payments that would otherwise be made to some or all classes of individuals and entities furnishing items or services to beneficiaries would be based on the quality and efficiency of their performance; (4) implement incentives for Medicare beneficiaries to use more efficient providers and preventive services known to reduce costs; and (5) use and release Medicare data for quality improvement, performance measurement, public reporting, and treatment-related purposes.
Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to authorize the public release of physician performance measurements.
Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act of 2008 - Sets conditions for health care lawsuits to: (1) require commencement of such lawsuits within three years after manifestation or one year after discovery of injury; (2) limit noneconomic damages and attorneys' contingent fees; (3) prescribe requirements for determining punitive damages; (4) deny punitive damages in the case of products approved, cleared, or licensed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or otherwise considered in compliance with FDA standards; and (4) authorize periodic payment of future damages.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Amends SSA title XVIII part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) to require high income-related reductions in the part D premium subsidy.
People & committees
Sen. Baucus, Max [D-MT] · D–MT
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1127)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
Source last updated: Jan 21, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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