Bill · H.R. 8310· House(119-HR-8310)
Patient Safety and Whistleblower Protections Act
- Introduced
- 4/15/2026
- Last activity
- 4/15/2026 — Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Sponsored by
- Mary Gay Scanlon
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Patient Safety and Whistleblower Protections Act aims to establish protections for health care providers who raise concerns regarding the quality of health care services. It prohibits health care facilities from retaliating against practitioners who communicate about patient safety concerns to various authorities or the media. The bill provides for legal remedies, including actual damages and punitive damages, for those facing retaliation. It also includes provisions to nullify certain contracts and non-competition agreements that interfere with these protections. Additionally, the act mandates that Medicare-participating providers establish mechanisms for anonymous reporting and addressing safety concerns.
Yes· 3 of 5
Does this protect what people are allowed to say in public life?+7
The bill protects the right of health care practitioners to speak truthfully about patient safety concerns to authorities and the media.
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?+5
The bill protects patients by allowing practitioners to report safety concerns without fear of retaliation.
Would union members be better off under this?+5
The bill provides strong legal protections and the ability to file class actions for practitioners facing retaliation.
The opposite
Would business owners be better off under this?-6
Health care facilities face significant financial liability and potential punitive damages due to retaliation claims.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Protection from Retaliation: Health care practitioners are protected from adverse employment actions or other material actions when they communicate about patient safety concerns, such as staffing practices or equipment sufficiency (Section 3(a)).
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Legal Recourse for Practitioners: If retaliation occurs, practitioners can seek damages including actual damages, attorney's fees, and punitive damages of up to $1,000,000 (Section 4(a)).
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Empowerment via Class Actions: Practitioners can join class actions to challenge systemic retaliation schemes at a single facility or among facilities under common management (Section 4(b)).
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Freedom of Speech and Movement: The bill ensures that any contract prohibiting a provider from speaking truthfully about care quality is void, and it releases practitioners from non-competition agreements when they report safety concerns (Section 3(e) and Section 3(f)).
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Increased Safety Reporting: Medicare-participating providers must create ways for practitioners to report safety concerns anonymously and a process to investigate and address those concerns (Section 6(a)).
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Protection in Legal Proceedings: Communications about safety concerns made before a legal action cannot be used to draw an adverse inference regarding the quality of care provided (Section 5).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Risk of Lawsuits for Bad Faith: Health care practitioners may still face civil lawsuits if an independent investigation determines that their reported patient safety concerns were made in bad faith (Section 3(g)).
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Liability for Facilities: Health care facilities are held liable for retaliation by various staff members or contractors, which includes the potential for significant punitive damages and payouts based on a percentage of net worth (Section 3(c) and Section 4(b)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Healthcare
- Improves Healthcare Access+4Increases Medicare Funding+3
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Freedom Of Speech+7
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Consumer Protection+5
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Union Workers+5Good For Business Owners-6
- 4/15/2026
- Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.