Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Introduced as S.689 in the U.S. Senate by Sens. John Thune (R-SD) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)and introduced as H.R. 921 in the U.S. House by Reps. Brett Guthrie (R-KY) and Cedric Richmond (D-LA), the bipartisan bill clarifies medical liability rules for athletic trainers and other medical professionals to ensure they are properly covered by their malpractice insurance while traveling with athletic teams in another state.
With this new legislation, health care services provided by a covered athletic trainer or other sports medicine professional to an athlete, athletic team or a staff member of an athlete or athletic team in another state will be deemed to have occurred in the profession’s primary state of licensure. In addition, the providers will be able to treat injured athletes across state lines without the fear of incurring great professional loss. The bill aims to preserve athletes and athletic teams’ access to sports medicine professionals who provide high-quality health care services.
“The bottom line is better sports medicine care for more athletes,” said NATA President Jim Thornton, MA, ATC, CES. “This bill ensures appropriate care for teams whether they play at home or away and guarantees that the sports medicine professionals in charge are properly covered by insurance. This is all in an effort to provide the best sports safety practices so athletes can excel at their sport knowing appropriate medical coverage is provided.”
Athletic trainers are encouraged to contact their members of Congress and ask for support of the Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act. For more information, please visit http://www.nata.org/government-affairs-advocacy/federal-government
About NATA: National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) – Health Care for Life & Sport
Athletic trainers are health care professionals who specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries and sport-related illnesses. They prevent and treat chronic musculoskeletal injuries from sports, physical and occupational activity, and provide immediate care for acute injuries. Athletic trainers offer a continuum of care that is unparalleled in health care. The National Athletic Trainers' Association represents and supports 39,000 members of the athletic training profession.