119-hr1358

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1358 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 1358

 To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to codify patients 
 rights to hospital visitation, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 February 13, 2025

 Mr. Van Drew introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy 
 and Commerce, 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

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to codify patients 
 rights to hospital visitation, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``No Patient Left Alone Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. PATIENT VISITATION RIGHTS.

 

Section 1861 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x) is 
amended--

    (1) in subsection

    (e) --
        (A) in paragraph

    (8) , by striking ``and'' at the 
 end;
        (B) by redesignating paragraph

    (9) as paragraph

    (10) ;
            (C) by inserting after paragraph

    (8) the following 
 new paragraph:
 ``

    (9) has written policies and procedures regarding the 
 visitation rights of individuals receiving items and services 
 at the institution, which shall include a description of any 
 clinically necessary or reasonable restriction or limitation 
 that such institution may need to place on such rights and the 
 reasons for the clinical restriction or limitation, and a 
 requirement that such institution--
 ``
        (A) inform each such individual of his or her 
 visitation rights, including any clinical restriction 
 or limitation on such rights;
 ``
        (B) inform each such individual of the right, 
 subject to the individual's consent, to receive the 
 visitors whom the individual designates, including a 
 spouse, another family member, or a friend, and the 
 individual's right to withdraw or deny such consent at 
 any time;
 ``
            (C) may not restrict, limit, or otherwise deny 
 visitation privileges on the basis of race, color, 
 national origin, religion, sex, or disability; and
 ``
            (D) ensure that all visitors enjoy full and equal 
 visitation privileges consistent with this paragraph; 
 and''; and
            (D) in the matter following paragraph

    (10) , as 
 redesignated, by striking ``paragraph

    (9) '' each place 
 it appears and inserting ``paragraph

    (10) '' in each 
 such place; and

    (2) in subsection

    (f) , by striking ``

    (9) '' and inserting 
 ``

    (10) ''.
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