PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.

Ethics in Referrals and Billing Act

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Feb 4, 1993

Ethics in Referrals and Billing Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish a new title, Title XXVII: Physician Referral and Billing. Prohibits a physician from referring a patient to an entity in which the physician or an immediate family member has a financial relationship. Sets forth exceptions. Prohibits any patient from being required to pay for any service provided pursuant to a prohibited referral. Subjects a physician who makes referrals in violation of this Act to civil monetary penalties, suspension of laboratory certification for the lab of referral, and exclusion from participation in the Medicare program. Makes it unlawful, subject to exception, for any: (1) person who furnishes ancillary health services to present a bill to any person other than the patient receiving the services; or (2) physician to present a bill to any ancillary service recipient unless the services were furnished personally or under the supervision of the referring physician or a member of that physician's group practice or by individuals employed by that physician or group practice. Sets forth sanctions for violations of such restrictions.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

Who introduced it

Sen. Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM] · D–NM

Committees

  • Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
1 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

  1. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources.

  2. Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1443-1445)

  3. Introduced in Senate

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Aug 26, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.337 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources
Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.337 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources
Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.337 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources
Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.337 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources