Rachael Booth Act
3/13/2024, 3:04 AMSummary of Bill S 286
Bill 118 s 286, also known as the Rachael Booth Act, is a piece of legislation currently being considered by the US Congress. The bill is named after Rachael Booth, a young woman who tragically lost her life due to a preventable medical error. The purpose of the bill is to improve patient safety and reduce medical errors in hospitals across the country.The Rachael Booth Act includes several key provisions aimed at achieving these goals. One of the main components of the bill is the establishment of a national database for reporting and tracking medical errors. This database would allow healthcare providers to learn from past mistakes and implement measures to prevent similar errors in the future.
Additionally, the bill calls for increased transparency in healthcare facilities by requiring hospitals to disclose their rates of medical errors to the public. This provision is intended to empower patients to make informed decisions about their healthcare and hold providers accountable for their performance. Furthermore, the Rachael Booth Act includes measures to improve communication between healthcare providers and patients. This includes requiring hospitals to provide patients with clear and understandable information about their diagnosis, treatment options, and potential risks. Overall, the Rachael Booth Act aims to enhance patient safety, reduce medical errors, and improve the quality of care in hospitals nationwide. Supporters of the bill believe that these measures will ultimately save lives and prevent unnecessary suffering.
Congressional Summary of S 286
Rachel Booth Act
This bill expands eligibility for transitional compensation payments to dependents (or former dependents) of certain members of the Armed Forces who have committed a dependent-abuse offense.
Specifically, the bill provides eligibility for transitional compensation to dependents of members of the Armed Forces in situations where a member (1) has been convicted of a dependent-abuse offense in a civilian court but has been separated from duty for an offense other than the abuse offense; or (2) has been accused but not convicted of such an offense, but has been determined to have committed the offense by a commander and required to forfeit pay and allowances for an offense other than the abuse offense.
For purposes of determining a recipient of payments under such circumstances, an individual's status as a dependent child must be determined as of the first date on which an individual is held in pretrial confinement relating to the dependent-abuse offense or the date on which the commander determines there is probable cause the individual has committed the offense.
The bill prescribes when transitional compensation payments must commence based on the status of the conviction or confinement.
The military department concerned may delegate authority to authorize eligibility for benefits for dependents (and former dependents) to the first general or flag officer (or civilian equivalent) in the chain of command of the offending member.
