Health Care Coalition Applauds House Passage of Medical Liability Reform Legislation
Posted on: Friday, 29 July 2005, 18:00 CDT
WASHINGTON, July 29 /PRNewswire/ -- The Coalition for Affordable and Reliable Health Care (CARH) today applauded the U.S. House of Representatives for passing medical liability reform legislation to address the nation's health care crisis. The Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Health Care (HEALTH) Act of 2005 (H.R. 5) was approved by the House yesterday afternoon by a vote of 230-194.
"We are pleased that the House has once again moved to protect access to quality and affordable health care for all Americans," said John Thomas, CARH president. The House-passed bill places a cap of $250,000 on non-economic damage jury awards while still allowing injured patients to receive unlimited economic damages which include lost wages and medical costs. Thomas pointed out that similar medical liability reform bills were passed by the House in 2003 and 2004, but stalled in the Senate. "It's time for the Senate to stop blocking needed reforms and start adopting them," he added.
Rising jury awards in medical liability lawsuits continue to drive medical malpractice premiums up. In fact, over the last decade medical malpractice insurance premiums have increased over 500 percent. The skyrocketing costs of these premiums are forcing hospitals, doctors, and other health care professionals to close their doors. Particularly hard hit have been specialties such as obstetrics, neurosurgeons, and orthopedics. The resulting lack of health care has prompted the American Medical Association to identify at least 21 states that are experiencing a full health care crisis.
"This really is about access to quality health care," said Thomas. "As more and more doctors close their doors seniors, families, and other patients will be denied the medical care they need," said Thomas. He noted that the provisions in the HEALTH Act work. "California adopted these same reforms 30 years ago, and they're still working today. Texas passed similar legislation in 2003 and as a result, access to medical care is on the rise and premiums to physicians have decreased across the State. These reforms need to be implemented by Congress nationwide."
"CARH calls on lawmakers from both sides of the aisle in the Senate to work together to ensure that this common-sense medical liability reform legislation is enacted immediately and access to quality health care for all Americans is protected."
For more information about the growing health care crisis in the United States, please visit http://www.carh.net/.
Coalition for Affordable and Reliable Health Care
CONTACT: Marlon Duke, +1-202-737-5339, for the Coalition for Affordableand Reliable Health Care
Web site: http://www.carh.net/
Source: PRNewswire
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