Protect Minors from Medical Malpractice Act of 2023

Protect Minors from Medical Malpractice Act of 2023

This bill makes a medical practitioner who performs a gender-transition procedure on an individual who is less than 18 years of age liable for any physical, psychological, emotional, or physiological harms from the procedure for 30 years after the individual turns 18.

Additionally, if a state requires medical practitioners to perform gender-transition procedures, that state shall be ineligible for federal funding from the Department of Health and Human Services.

Gender-transition procedures generally include certain surgeries or hormone therapies that change the body of an individual to correspond to a sex that is discordant with the individual's biological sex. They exclude, however, interventions to treat (1) individuals who either have ambiguous external biological sex characteristics or lack a normal sex chromosome structure, sex steroid hormone production, or sex steroid hormone action; (2) infections, injuries, diseases, or disorders caused by a gender-transition procedure; or (3) a physical disorder, injury, or illness that places an individual in imminent danger of death or impairment of a major bodily function.

Bill 118 hr 1276, also known as the Protect Minors from Medical Malpractice Act of 2023, aims to address issues related to medical malpractice involving minors. The bill seeks to protect minors from negligent or harmful medical practices by healthcare providers.

The key provisions of the bill include requiring healthcare providers to obtain informed consent from a minor's parent or legal guardian before performing certain medical procedures or treatments. This is intended to ensure that parents are fully aware of the risks and benefits of the proposed treatment before it is administered to their child.

Additionally, the bill establishes guidelines for healthcare providers to follow when treating minors, including maintaining accurate medical records, obtaining appropriate consent for treatment, and ensuring that minors are provided with appropriate care and support. The bill also includes provisions for penalties for healthcare providers who engage in medical malpractice involving minors, including fines and potential loss of medical licenses. Overall, the Protect Minors from Medical Malpractice Act of 2023 aims to improve the quality of care provided to minors and hold healthcare providers accountable for any negligent or harmful practices.