S 4086

The Patient Safety and Whistleblower Protections Act aims to safeguard health care providers who report concerns about the quality of patient care. It prohibits retaliation against these providers for communicating about patient safety issues to various parties, including supervisors, government officials, and patient safety organizations. The bill establishes a rebuttable presumption of retaliation if adverse actions occur within 180 days of a safety concern report and allows for class-action lawsuits against facilities engaging in retaliatory practices. It also includes provisions for reporting and addressing patient safety concerns for Medicare providers and protects healthcare practitioners from using safety concerns against them in professional liability actions.