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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>77664</law_id><section_number>32.1-127.3</section_number><catch_line>Immunity from liability for certain free health care services</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="32.1">Health</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="5">Regulation of Medical Care Facilities and Services</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">Hospital and Nursing Home Licensure and Inspection</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> No <span class="dictionary">hospital</span> employee who renders health care services at his place of employment and within the limits of his licensure, certification, or multistate licensure <span class="dictionary">privilege</span> to practice nursing, or, if such employee is not required to be licensed or certified pursuant to Title 54.1, within the scope of his employment, shall be liable for any civil <span class="dictionary">damages</span> for any act or omission resulting from the rendering of such services to a patient of a clinic which is organized in whole or in part for the delivery of health care services without charge unless such act or omission was the result of gross <span class="dictionary">negligence</span> or willful misconduct. Such clinic shall have on record written agreements with each <span class="dictionary">hospital</span> providing such services, and immunity shall apply only to those services provided by the <span class="dictionary">hospital</span> without charge. <a id="paragraph-278554" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-127.3/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> For the purposes of Article 5 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Division of Risk Management" href="/2.2-1832/">2.2-1832</a> et seq.) of Chapter 18 of Title 2.2, any personnel employed by a <span class="dictionary">hospital</span> licensed pursuant to this article and rendering health care services pursuant to subsection A shall be deemed an agent of the Commonwealth and to be acting in an authorized governmental capacity with respect to delivery of such health care services if (i) the <span class="dictionary">hospital</span> has agreed in writing to provide health care services at no charge for patients referred by a clinic organized in whole or in part for the delivery of health care services without charge, (ii) the employing <span class="dictionary">hospital</span> is registered with the Division of Risk Management, and (iii) the employee delivering such services has no legal or financial interest in the clinic from which the patient is referred. The premium for coverage of such <span class="dictionary">hospital</span> employees under the Risk Management Plan shall be paid by the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of Health. <a id="paragraph-278555" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-127.3/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The provisions of this section shall only apply to health care personnel providing care pursuant to subsections A and B during the period in which such care is rendered. <a id="paragraph-278556" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-127.3/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Moreover, no officer, director or employee of any such clinic, or the clinic itself, as described in subsection A shall, in the absence of gross <span class="dictionary">negligence</span> or willful misconduct, be liable for civil <span class="dictionary">damages</span> resulting from any act or omission relating to the providing of health care services without charge to patients of the clinic. <a id="paragraph-278557" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-127.3/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> For the purposes of this section and Article 5 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Division of Risk Management" href="/2.2-1832/">2.2-1832</a> et seq.) of Chapter 18 of Title 2.2, &#x201C;delivery of health care services without charge&#x201D; shall be deemed to include the delivery of dental or medical services in a dental or medical clinic when a reasonable minimum fee is charged to cover administrative costs. <a id="paragraph-278558" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/32.1-127.3/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1993, c. 785; 1994, c. 444; 1996, c. 748; 2000, cc. 618, 632; 2004, c. 49.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
