42 U.S.C. § 11111 — Professional review

(a)(1) If a professional review action^* by a professional review body^* meets every standard in section 11112(a), the following people and organizations are not liable for damages under United States or State^* law for that action, except as provided in subsection (b):
(A) the professional review body;
(B) a person serving as the body’s member or staff;
(C) a person working under the body’s contract or other formal agreement; and
(D) a person who participates with or assists the body concerning the action.
This protection does not apply to damages claims under civil-rights laws, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Civil Rights Acts cited in the section. This paragraph does not prevent the United States or a State Attorney General from bringing an otherwise authorized action, including an action under section 15c of title 15.
(a)(2) A person who provides information to a professional review body about a physician’s competence or professional conduct is not liable for damages merely because the person provided it, unless the information was false and the provider knew it was false.
(b) If the Secretary^* has reason to believe that a health care entity^* failed to report information required by section 11133(a), the Secretary must investigate. After notice, an opportunity to correct the failure, and a hearing opportunity, if the Secretary finds a substantial failure, the Secretary must publish the entity’s name in the Federal Register. The subsection (a)(1) protections do not apply to that entity’s professional review actions begun during the 3-year period starting 30 days after publication.
(c)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), subsection (a) applies to State laws only for professional review actions begun on or after October 14, 1989.
(c)(2)(A) Subsection (a) applies to earlier actions if a State chooses that treatment^* by legislation.
(c)(2)(B) That choice is not effective for actions begun before the State law’s effective date, and the effective date cannot be earlier than the law’s enactment date.