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Archives
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Attorneys hope to lift malpractice damages cap Las Vegas Sun, NV - Mar 31, 2009 ...Health care leaders say the initiative has done that and more in Nevada. They commissioned a study that concluded the cap on noneconomic damages is saving roughly $381 million a year in medical costs. The study showed the cap also has stabilized the medical profession and improved access to health care here... Bill would include patients in Nevada physician discipline process Reno Gazette, NV - Mar 31, 2009 ...The bill would also call for a voluntary "remediation agreement" between the board and doctors on complaints or risky behavior that don't meet the criteria for malpractice... US grapples with solutions to preventable medical errors CMAJ, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada - Mar 31, 2009 ...In the 1980s, the American Society of Anesthesiologists scoured every claim filed against its members to identify unsafe practices and developed new guidelines to reduce errors. The anesthesiologists are now among the safest practitioners, and their insurance rates have fallen... Plaintiffs bar pushes Capitol Hill agenda Law.com, New York, NY - Mar 31, 2009 ...The House Judiciary Committee had a preview of the coming fight last week, when a subcommittee held a hearing on legislation that would allow active-duty members of the military to sue the federal government for medical malpractice... Melanoma detector ScienCentral News, New York, NY - Mar 30, 2009 ...In fact, melanoma misdiagnosis is the second most common cause of cancer malpractice suits in the US, behind breast cancer... Medical malpractice news
Opinion - Hans A. von Spakovsky: The tragedy of supremely bad law The American Spectator, Arlington, VA - Mar 30, 2009 ...The Supreme Court's decision will inevitably lead pharmaceutical firms to pull drugs off the market, particularly those developed for relatively small populations of sufferers. The risk of tort liability suits in 50 different states will be too great to keep selling many of them... NC malpractice arbitration going unused Asheville Citizen-Times, NC - Mar 29, 2009 ...Before it became state law in 2007, a new method of resolving lawsuits against doctors was hailed as a historic détente between physicians and trial lawyers.... Editorial: Defeat bill placing caps on damages Jackson Sun, TN - Mar 29, 2009 ...It also would place every negligent act that occurs in a nursing home under the protection of the Medical Malpractice Act.... Malpractice change goes to House floor Asheville Citizen-Times, NC - Mar 27, 2009 ...It would order the online publication of any judgment or jury award against a physician or physician's assistant, as well as any settlement or payment of at least $75,000. The threshold would mean the public could have access to about 70 percent of cases... Medical malpractice news
Sides debate tort reform, see problems with the system The Journal Record, Oklahoma City, OK - Mar 27, 2009 ...Oklahoma courts set the standard of proof high for medical malpractice cases. Most lawsuits against physicians in Oklahoma that go to trial are decided in favor of the physician... Thursday at the North Carolina General Assembly The Fayetteville Observer, NC (Associated Press) - Mar 26, 2009 ...The committee became the second in two days to approve a bill that would make all malpractice judgments and jury awards public information, but legal settlements only if they top $75,000... I-LAW urges reform and opposition to trial lawyer bill The Record, Edwardsville, IL - Mar 26, 2009 Illinois Lawsuit Abuse Watch (I-LAW) is beginning a grassroots campaign to get meaningful lawsuit reforms passed, which will in turn create a more favorable job creation climate... Opinion - Jeff Raymond: Doctor flight a myth The Edmond Sun, Edmond, OK - Mar 26, 2009 ...The state’s leading medical malpractice insurer, doctor-owned Physicians Liability Insurance Co., also is doing well. PLICO is in the best financial shape of its three-decade existence... Opinion - Bill Summers: Legal reforms = jobs, stronger economy and greater access to care Southeast Texas Record, Beaumont, TX - Mar 26, 2009 ...We also expect to see efforts to reverse medical liability reforms that have dramatically increased access to health care for countless Texans, especially those in rural and underserved areas of our state... Opinion - Pete Kotz: The Tennessee Legislature: Fighting for whoever has the cash Nashville Scene, TN - Mar 26, 2009 ...The same for medical liability limits. When legislatures started passing these, politicians claimed it would lower malpractice insurance, and thus lower the overall cost of medicine. That worked out well, didn't it?... Medical malpractice news
Opinion - DJ Funkhouser: Least-worst solutions Indiana Daily Student, Bloomington, IN - Mar 26, 2009 ...“neither drug company profits nor malpractice costs nor ‘free riding’ amounts to even one half of 1 percent of GDP, when total health spending is 15 percent of GDP.”... Pharmacists given medical malpractice reform protections The Register-Herald, Beckley, WV - Mar 25, 2009 Health care providers grabbed center stage Wednesday with Senate approval of bills putting pharmacists under the medical malpractice reform umbrella and making it a felony to practice medicine without a license... Wednesday at the North Carolina General Assembly The Fayetteville Observer, NC (Associated Press) - Mar 25, 2009 _ S901, to allow judges in medical malpractice cases to provide separate trials on the issue of liability and the issue of damages if requested by a party in the case if the plaintiff alleges damages greater than $100,000... Medical malpractice news
Hospitals offer to take pregnant patients The Philadelphia Inquirer, PA - Mar 25, 2009 ...The three hospitals are evidence that even in a region that has lost 17 maternity units since 1997 - victims, hospitals say, of poor funding and high malpractice costs - there are still some welcoming beds for women in labor... Opinion - Charles M. Arlinghaus: State is wrongly seizing private funds Union Leader, Manchester, NH - Mar 25, 2009 ...The medical malpractice fund is a privately funded high-risk insurance pool administered by a private company through a provision in state law for joint underwriting agreements. The state doesn't pay for it or administer it. It is merely set up through state rules that allow for such joint agreements... Judge denies move to oust prison receiver Los Angeles Daily News, CA (Associated Press) - Mar 25, 2009 ...Henderson gave the receiver control of the prison medical system in 2006 after finding conditions in the state's 33 adult prisons so bad that an average of an inmate a week was dying of neglect or malpractice. That hasn't changed, he said in Tuesday's ruling... Congress mulls malpractice bill for military The Times Herald Record, Middletown, NY - Mar 25, 2009 Congress is considering legislation that would allow members of the military to sue the government for medical malpractice. The bill is an about-face over current policy, which shields the military from all medical negligence lawsuits... NC offers malpractice agreement Asheville Citizen-Times, NC - Mar 25, 2009 State lawmakers presented a compromise Tuesday in a dispute between doctors and state medical regulators over how much information about malpractice judgments and settlements should be made public... Less disclosure sought for medical-malpractice cases Asheville Citizen-Times, NC - Mar 24, 2009 ..."As we continue to talk about tort reform as it relates to medical malpractice," Rapp said, "I think the one thing that we are always lacking is information, solid information." Northeastern Hospital closing WHYY Radio, Philadelphia, PA - Mar 24, 2009 ...Kolker says malpractice and reimbursement reform has to happen at the state level to ensure that hospitals will be able to handle Philadelphia’s approximately 20,000 births a year... Medical malpractice news
Cigarette-tax hike has smokers in Berks smoldering Reading Eagle, Reading, PA - Mar 24, 2009 ...State tobacco taxes are now distributed among the state's children's health insurance program, a medical liability insurance assistance fund, farmland preservation and the general fund... House panel to weigh military malpractice bill The Times Herald Record, Middletown, NY - Mar 24, 2009 ..The bill would supplant a 1950 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that bars military members and their families from suing the military for negligent medical care given during their service. It is called the Feres Doctrine... Mexico the new dental destination Chicago Tribune, IL - Mar 24, 2009 ..Experts say one reason for the cost disparity is that U.S. providers must guard against devastating malpractice lawsuits by securing expensive insurance—costs that are passed on to the consumer... Doctor prescribes fix for health care The Connecticut Post, Bridgeport, CT - Mar 23, 2009 ..Doctors are often forced to order expensive tests that may be unnecessary and may even be harmful in order to protect themselves from malpractice suits, or because the patient demands them, or because they are recommended screenings that aren't the lifesavers patients may think... Opinion - Deane Waldman: Why are health care costs so high? What should we do? The Huffington Post, NY - Mar 23, 2009 ...To state that more clearly, the true costs of anything in healthcare - hernia repair; HIPAA compliance; medical errors - are unknown. All of the nine cost categories are real, significant, but not precisely quantified.... Opinion - Travis Akin: Illinois' medical liability reform law keeps on working The Record, Edwardsville, IL - Mar 22, 2009 ...Despite these successes, the Illinois Supreme Court could overturn the medical malpractice reform law in the near future. No one can accurately predict what the Court will do, but the last thing Illinois needs is another healthcare crisis... Medical malpractice news
Speaker to warn of doctor shortage Battle Creek Enquirer, Battle Creek, MI - Mar 23, 2009 ...Doctors are being squeezed by low reimbursements from state and federal governments on one side and by the high cost of maintaining a private practice with malpractice insurance on the other. It's also frustrating for patients who are experiencing longer waits for basic care... The rising cost of coverage Nashville, City Paper, TN - Mar 23, 2009 ...could force companies to consider more cuts late this year just when the economy is expected to turn up. “That kind of activity has happened in the past,” said Weisbart. “Physicians, especially ob/gyns, have made the choice to pull back because of high malpractice premiums.”... New 'sorry' programs seen as cutting down on malpractice suits against doctors, hospitals The Jersey Journal, Jersey City, NJ - Mar 21, 2009 A new trend toward encouraging doctors and hospitals to own up to and apologize for their mistakes is cutting down on malpractice lawsuits, according to a report by the Herald News... Medical malpractice news
Health care is re-examined The Tennessean, Nashville, TN - Mar 20, 2009 ...McWhorter also attributed some of the excess costs in the nation's health-care system to providers practicing "defensive medicine" to ensure they comply with the numerous regulations and avoid medical malpractice lawsuits... New fraud unit targets workers' comp abusers Daily Herald, Arlington Heights, IL - Mar 20, 2009 ...the Illinois legislature passed the Medical Malpractice Reform Act of 2005, which made workers' compensation fraud a class 4 felony, and created a state Workers' Compensation Fraud Unit to crack down on these cases... Thursday at the North Carolina General Assembly The Fayetteville Observer, NC (Associated Press) - Mar 20, 2009 ..._ S734, would require that details of negotiated settlements to medical malpractice lawsuits be reported to the state Insurance Department. Sponsor: Sen. Joe Sam Queen, R-Haywood... Lawyers divided over proposal Wisconsin Law Journal, Milwaukee, WI - Mar 19, 2009 A 14-year-old law that established negligence thresholds in personal injury and medical malpractice cases could be amended by a provision in Gov. Jim Doyle’s 2009-11 budget... Medical malpractice news
Health reform to include medical liability reform, Democrats say ClaimsJournal.com, CA (Associated Press) - Mar 19, 2009 ...Research, prevention and "medical liability issues -- I think all those things have to be on the table,'' the president said... Medical malpractice news
Malpractice changes are under discussion Philadelphia Inquirer, PA (Associated Press) - Mar 18, 2009 The Obama administration and key congressional Democrats are taking a hard look at the nation's medical malpractice system as part of a broader health care overhaul... Arizona high court upholds law on malpractice suits Insurance Journal, CA (Associated Press) - Mar 18, 2009 The Arizona Supreme Court upheld a state law that lawmakers intended to weed out meritless medical malpractice lawsuits by tightening qualifications of expert witnesses... Lawyer group blasts state civil justice bills Tulsa World, Tulsa, OK (Associated Press) - Mar 17, 2009 ...Among other things, the measure would cap non-economic damages, also known as pain and suffering, at $300,000, require a certificate from an expert that a lawsuit has merit before it can proceed in state court and change class-action lawsuit guidelines by requiring litigants to "opt in" to a lawsuit rather than "opt out."... Medical Society appeals judge's ruling on transfer WXOW News 19, La Crosse, WI (Associated Press) - Mar 17, 2009 The Wisconsin Medical Society has appealed a judge's ruling that a $200 million transfer from a fund intended to pay medical malpractice claims was legal... Medical Society appeals fund case The Business Journal of Milwaukee, WI - Mar 17, 2009 ...The fund was created in 1975 when few insurance companies were offering adequate medical liability policies. Raids on the fund were also proposed in 2003-2005 and 2005-2007 budgets but were removed before the budget was passed. Medical malpractice news
Washington more receptive to medical malpractice reform? KTVN-TV, Reno, NV (Associated Press) - Mar 17, 2009 ...Senator Ron Wyden, who has a bipartisan health bill that includes incentives to get states to enact malpractice reform, says changing medical malpractice is key to overhauling the health care system in general... Malpractice changes are a part of health debate The Southern, Carbondale, IL (Associated Press) - Mar 17, 2009 Medical malpractice overhauls have died many deaths in Congress over the years, often at the hands of Democratic lawmakers backed by trial lawyers. Attempts to change the system may be getting new life... 'Apology legislation' in Pennsylvania would hurt lawsuits against nursing homes, physicians McKnight's Long-Term Care News, Northfield, IL - Mar 17, 2009 ...So-called "apology legislation" or "disclosure programs" have been successful in reducing the number of medical liability lawsuits in the 35 states that currently employ such practices... Opinion - Frank H. Boehm, MD: Most doctors will follow guidelines The Tennessean, Nashville, TN - Mar 17, 2009 ...He does, however, need to be significantly sanctioned by the medical community and keep in mind that he has exposed himself as well to a claim of medical malpractice by departing from the standard of care... Trial lawyers plan tort reform fight Politico, Arlington, VA - Mar 16, 2009 ...Trial lawyers are preparing for a fight, and plan to paper Capitol Hill in the coming weeks with a 29-page research document, saying the lawsuits aren’t to blame for rising health care costs. The American Medical Association says curbing the lawsuits is an absolute must for them in any health bill... Medical malpractice news
Opinion - J.P. Schmidt: Tort reform will lure more physicians to Hawaii Star Bulletin, Honlulu, HI - Mar 16, 2009 ...This bill recently passed the House and is now pending before the Senate Health Committee. We don't need more lawyers making more money in the current system; we need more doctors to care for all of us. Medical apology bill gains support The Times-Tribune, Scranton, PA - Mar 15, 2009 ...Proponents believe creating a legal climate where such statements can be made more easily could result in fewer medical malpractice lawsuits and leave patients and their families more satisfied with the health care provided them... Physician shortages growing concern in state's rural areas Cumberland Times-News, MD - Mar 15, 2009 ...Battista said new physicians typically do not seek out Maryland to establish practices. Many other states offer extensive medical loan forgiveness; have dramatically better medical malpractice climates... Court ruling a win for doctors who are sued The Herald, Sierra Vista, AZ - Mar 14, 2009 In a major victory for doctors, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled Friday that lawmakers can limit who can testify as expert witnesses for patients who sue... State high court votes 4-1 to preserve law designed to limit medical litigation Casa Grande Valley Newspapers, AZ (Associated Press) - Mar 14, 2009 The Arizona Supreme Court on Friday upheld a state law that lawmakers intended to weed out meritless medical malpractice lawsuits by tightening qualifications of expert witnesses... Shortage of primary care physicians is affecting care WFTS-TV, Tampa, FL - Mar 13, 2009 ...Shaw says, "So there's a bit of a perfect storm brewing. Now add to that some of the malpractice rates in Florida are some of the most egregious in the country, there’s already that sense Florida is not a friendly place for physicians."... Medical malpractice news
Health-care diaglogue urged CantonRep.com, Canton, OH - Mar 13, 2009 ..Another positive note, he said, has been a three-year decline in medical liability rates. Currently, 15 medical liability companies vie for business in the Ohio marketplace... Editorial: Finally free to say sorry National Post, Don Mills, Ontario, Canda - Mar 13, 2009 ...Surveys have shown that the desire to pry an explanation out of reluctant, defensive experts and authorities is a common factor in malpractice lawsuits. And though it's pure speculation on our part, this might end up being doubly true in an environment where health care is provided by a centralized monopoly. Apology act passed yesterday Wawa-news.com, Wawa, Ontario, Canada - Mar 12, 2009 ...Ontario has become the fifth jurisdiction in Canada to pass Apology legislation. In 2007, the Uniform Law Conference of Canada passed a resolution recommending all provinces adopt apology legislation either as an amendment to the Evidence Code or as a stand alone Act. As well, thirty five US states have some form of apology legislation... Health reforms become law Davis County Clipper, Bountiful, UT - Mar 12, 2009 ...Among those signed was SB79, which elevated the standard of evidence required in medical malpractice cases against emergency department providers... Sides square off over nursing home bill Shelbyville Times-Gazette, TN - Mar 12, 2009 State Sen. Jim Tracy says a bill he is co-sponsoring would help improve patient care by lowering liability insurance costs for nursing homes. Critics, however, say the bill would make it harder to hold nursing homes accountable for error and is backed by nursing home operators who made campaign contributions to its sponsors... Medical malpractice news
UAB doctor pushes federal bill to tackle emergency room crisis The Birmingham News, AL - Mar 12, 2009 ...Create a bipartisan commission on access to emergency medical services. The commission would examine factors such as crowding, a shortage of on-call specialists and medical liability issues... AMA honors Perry for tort reform efforts Southeast Texas Record, Beaumont, TX - Mar 11, 2009 For his leadership in reforming Texas' tort system, the American Medical Association honored Gov. Rick Perry with its Dr. Nathan Davis Award for Outstanding Government Service... Tort reform making little headway in General Assembly Atlanta Business Chronicle, GA - Mar 11, 2009 The Georgia Senate approved a substantially watered-down version of a tort-reform bill late Tuesday, dealing a blow to Gov. Sonny Perdue’s 2009 legislative agenda... Legislature keeping its tax-raising options open The Honlulu Advertiser, HI - Mar 11, 2009 ...The House passed a bill that could lead to further caps on noneconomic damages in medical malpractice lawsuits against doctors in five specialties. A task force would recommend the caps, while a rate commission would suggest market-based malpractice premium rates... Opinion - Robert M. Wah, MD: Hawaii's physician shortage will be helped by medical tort reform Hawaii Reporter, Honolulu, HI - Mar 11, 2009 ...Strong medical liability reforms can help reverse this alarming trend and provide Hawai'i residents with better access to quality healthcare by keeping physicians in the state... Medical malpractice news
Legislature moves to protect ER doctors from malpractice suits Standard-Examiner, Ogden, UT - Mar 11, 2009 The Utah Legislature took a step toward reforming the state's medical malpractice laws Tuesday by passing a measure making it harder for patients to win claims against emergency room doctors... Opinion - Andrew Weil: Ask Dr. Weil: Medical Tourism: It's a real and growing trend The Arizona Star, Tucson, AZ - Mar 11, 2009 ...There are other downsides: little legal recourse in the form of medical malpractice suits if something goes wrong, and local epidemics of diseases such as malaria, from which you need protection... Malpractice lawsuit restrictions pass House Deseret News, Salt Lake City, UT - Mar 10, 2009 ...The new standards are being adopted on a trial basis and expire after four years. Some lawmakers said that attorneys, in working out the compromise and a sunset clause, are getting what they've wanted for years... House sends dozens of bills to the Senate after today's crossover Hawaii Reporter, Honolulu, HI - Mar 10, 2009 ...HB 1784 - Improves the medical tort law by, among other things, setting a maximum award limit for noneconomic damages in medical tort cases against physician specialists. Requires all insurers providing professional liability insurance for health care providers to implement ... Hawaii tort reform bill passes House Pacific Business News, Honolulu, HI - Mar 10, 2009 ...Current Hawaii law does not have any limits on non-economic damages, which can include mental anguish or disfigurement, so awards can be unpredictable or even exorbitant, they say. However, state law caps at $375,000 the award for pain and suffering... Opinion - Philip K. Howard: Fixing America's legal infrastructure is free Detroit Free Press, MI - Mar 10, 2009 ...The solution is to create new courts focused only on healthcare, with special healthcare judges, neutral experts, and streamlined procedures so that injured patients get paid in months (not the average of five years) and get to keep most of the proceeds... Opinion - Gary Lewis: Health care: The worst of both worlds The Times Gazette, Hillsboro, OH - Mar 10, 2009 ...Another area that could be reformed is in medical law. Is there any reason why we don't have statutes that would punish those who bring frivolous malpractice suits and extort money from doctors?... Medical malpractice news
'Direct Access' care save patients time, money for physical therapy WTAE-TV, Pittsburgh, PA - Mar 9, 2009 ...Some physicians, podiatrists and chiropractors opposed Direct Access, claiming physical therapists didn't have sufficient training to diagnose and that malpractice cases would increase... Compromise medical malpractice bill passes Senate KCPW, Salt Lake City, UT - Mar 9, 2009 A bill that would make it harder to win a medical malpractice lawsuit against an emergency room physician garnered widespread support as it passed in the Utah Senate this morning... Editorial: The cure could be worse Star-News, Wilmington, NC - Mar 9, 2009 ...they are undoubtedly less reliable for judging competence. For that information, a better source would be the state medical board's Web site or, if you're particularly dogged in your quest for information, malpractice case filings... Medical malpractice news
South Carolina reform in 2005 reducing claims against doctors Insurance Journal, CA (Associated Press) - Mar 9, 2009 South Carolina legislators considering restricting lawsuits against companies were told that fewer lawsuits are being filed since a 2005 state law limited costs for doctors... In Va., it's up to patients to keep an eye on doctors The Virginian-Pilot, Hampton Roads, VA - Mar 9, 2009 ...Public Citizen also advocates lowering the legal standard for disciplining doctors. Virginia law now requires "clear and convincing" evidence. Public Citizen favors replacing that with a "preponderance" of the evidence - the same standard used in civil litigation. It has been adopted by medical boards in 38 states... GOP squeezing lawsuit reform opposition Tulsa World, OK (Associated Press) - Mar 8, 2009 ...Among other things, the measure would cap non-economic damages, also known as pain and suffering, at $300,000, require a certificate from an expert that a lawsuit has merit before it can proceed in state court and change class-action lawsuit guidelines... Health care overhaul becomes bipartisan issue Asbury Park Press, NJ - Mar 7, 2009 ...Republicans generally oppose national insurance pools, and Democrats are often against limiting malpractice damages... Medical malpractice news
Highlights of the White House health care summit Seattle Times, WA (Associated Press) - Mar 6, 2009 ...Among the problems they discussed: disparities in the costs of health care around the country, soaring medical malpractice costs, the high costs of health insurance, uneven standards of care, huge costs for prescription drugs, shortages of medical professionals... 4Q earnings fall 70% for FPIC Jacksonville Business Journal, FL - Mar 5, 2009 ...The Jacksonville-based provider of medical liability insurance reported Wednesday that it made $4.5 million in the quarter ended Dec. 31... Lawsuit claims for SC docs decline since 2005 law MSNBC (Associated Press) - Mar 5, 2009 ...It was good news for Republicans leading an expansion of the 2005 medical lawsuit limits to businesses... Medical malpractice news
Oklahoma: Lawmakers approve bill to make tort changes The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO (Associated Press) - Mar 5, 2009 The Oklahoma House Wednesday passed legislation that makes sweeping changes to the state’s civil justice system which supporters said will help stop frivolous lawsuits and lower the price companies and doctors pay for liability insurance... House OKs tort-reform measure Tulsa World, OK - Mar 5, 2009 ...Among the bill's more controversial provisions: Virtual elimination of joint and several liability — the so-called "deep pockets rule." ... Editorial: Big-government, corporate immunity bill passes House Bixby Bulletin, Bixby, OK - Mar 5, 2009 ...Though Republican Representatives argued that this legislation would help attract doctors to Oklahoma, Rep. Cory Williams, D-Stillwater, said that this bill actually helps negligent doctors. “I’ve worked in medical malpractice defense, and I know that about 70% of lawsuits are filed against 4% of doctors... Bill would put caps on medical malpractice damages KPUA Hawaii News, Hilo, HI (Associated Press) - Mar 4, 2009 ...The measure approved by the House Judiciary Committee is supported by doctors. The committee had rejected similar measures in the past, and there's been opposition to other efforts at malpractice reform in the Senate... Opinion - Doug Hiller, MD: Doctors will continue to leave Hawaii unless lawmakers pass tort reform legislation Hawaii Reporter, Honolulu, HI - Mar 4, 2009 ...Three years ago I stopped taking ER call on the Big Island, as did Dr. Bellatti. We both quit because of the tort system, and, in fact, one lawyer is actually responsible for 170,000 people having zero orthopedic emergency coverage... Medical malpractice news
Doctors protest power of insurers Times Union, Albany, NY - Mar 4, 2009 ...The doctors also advocated for changing the medical malpractice system. In areas of medicine where lawsuits are more frequent, like neurology, obstetrics and surgery, doctors are paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in annual medical malpractice insurance... Hawaii Legislature advances bill to limit malpractice lawsuits Honolulu Advertiser, HI - Mar 4, 2009 ...The vote was a significant hurdle for doctors and other supporters of malpractice reform, since similar bills have died before the committee in the past. The bill was drafted as a compromise to get House approval and to encourage talks with the state Senate, where many senators are opposed... Opinion - Laurence M. Kelly, Esq.: Tort reform will further harm public during current financial crisis Susquehanna Independent, Montrose, PA - Mar 4, 2009 ...Even the corporate-funded American Tort Reform Foundation, the nation's most significant tort reform advocate, called Pennsylvania a 'point of light' in its annual report evaluating state courts' civil-justice systems from a corporate point of view... ProAssurance shares fall with downgrade MSNBC (Associated Press) - Mar 4, 2009 Shares of ProAssurance Corp. slipped Tuesday after a Raymond James & Associates Inc. analyst cut his rating on the medical malpractice insurer's stock, citing the likelihood of more medical claims being made in coming months... Could apologies reduce number of malpractice lawsuits? WHYY, Philadelphia, PA - Mar 3, 2009 ...The number of medical malpractice lawsuits in Pennsylvania has been going down slightly in recent years, hovering below 2,000 cases a year. New legislation proposed in the state senate aims to reduce that number further - simply by facilitating a conversation... Malpractice measure gets tentative OK Deseret News, Salt Lake City, UT - Mar 3, 2009 ...Knudson said the so-called frivolous lawsuits and shortage of ER doctors are just two aspects addressed in the bill. Regardless of the actual lawsuit count, the abiding threat of malpractice charges have had a chilling effect on the capacity of ERs to keep physicians on-call, Knudsen said... Bill increasing requirements for malpractice suits gets nod Salt Lake Tribune, UT - Mar 3, 2009 ...SB79 would require medical malpractice litigants to establish "clear and convincing" evidence in malpractice suits involving emergency care. Currently, litigants must only provide a preponderance of evidence. The bill is part of a broad effort to address the role of litigation to soaring medical costs... Warner outlines health care agenda Media General News Service, Washington, DC - Mar 3, 2009 ...The government should offer incentives for health care providers to adopt federally-approved computer networks and treatment practices, Sen. Mark R. Warner, D-Va., said Tuesday. Incentives should include reduced malpractice insurance premiums and tort reform, Warner said... Medical malpractice news
Medical lawsuits get new window? Times Union, Albany, NY - Mar 3, 2009 ...Although malpractice has been a longstanding issue, Democratic control of the state Senate could lead to measures that would make it easier for patients to sue. While such efforts have been rebuffed by the chamber's Republicans in past years, a proposal to ease the statute of limitations for malpractice suits has drawn the most attention so far... Hospitals struggle with lack of radiologists Chi-Town Daily News, Chicago, IL - Mar 3, 2009 ...Radiology is an unpopular medical field, hampered by historically low pay, a higher risk of malpractice suits and a lot of government regulation, says study author Margaret Langelier... Opinion - Collin M. "Marty" Fritz: Tort reform is not the cure for isle health care problems Star Bulletin, Honolulu, HI - Mar 3, 2009 ...In contrast, medical malpractice lawsuits have declined. Most people are not aware that before a lawsuit can be filed, Hawaii law requires that a claim must first be submitted to a panel called the Medical Claims Conciliation Panel... Doctors don't flee states over malpractice liability The Colorado Independent, Mar 2, 2009 Doctors aren’t running scared. That’s the finding of a recent report that looks at the notion that physicians are fleeing states without caps on medical malpractice judgments, fearing higher medical liability costs. The report from the American Association for Justice uses data from the American Medical Association... Opinion - Stuart H. Shapiro: Letting caregivers say they are sorry The Philadelphia Inquirer, Mar 2, 2009 ...Numerous studies have shown that anger - not greed - is the driving force behind most medical-malpractice suits. Patients and families are justifiably frustrated when something goes wrong and a health-care provider fails to discuss it with them honestly... Medical malpractice news
Opinion - Troy Andes: The state's legal climate does indeed matter Charleston Daily Mail, WV - Mar 2, 2009 ...Then doctors stopped coming to work because they couldn't get or afford their medical malpractice insurance... Doctors rally Tuesday to demand health care reforms North Country Gazette, Chestertown, NY - Mar 2, 2009 ...The physicians will focus on the need for medical liability reform, managed care reform and budget items that affect patient access to care and Medicaid funding... Obama picks Kansas Gov. Sebelius for HHS secretary Medscape Medical News, New York, NY - Mar 1, 2009 ...Malpractice insurance premiums would be capped and the government would invest in strategies to reduce medical errors. ... Opinion - Morton Kondracke: Obama's health summit needed to get a concensus on reforms Pasadena Star-News, CA - Mar 1, 2009 ...Kendall also recommends an idea that ought to appeal to Republicans: establishment of specialized "health courts" to hear medical malpractice claims, a step to reduce frivolous lawsuits and expensive "defensive medicine" and keep malpractice insurance costs from driving doctors out of business... Malpractice lawyers flay emergency room bill Deseret News, Salt Lake City, UT - Mar 1, 2009 Medical malpractice lawyers in Utah say a bill intended to improve emergency room and reduce so-called frivolous lawsuits will actually promote sloppy medicine... Program to provide care for uninsured could start in summer The State Journal-Register, Springfield, IL - Mar 1, 2009 ...By serving uninsured patients for free in existing medical offices, Albers said doctors, nurses and other personnel still would be insulated from most malpractice lawsuits by the state’s Good Samaritan law... Doctors in short supply in rural Maryland Baltimore Sun, MD - Mar 1, 2009 ...Rural doctors are saddled with more than school debt. They must also deal with the same high medical malpractice insurance rates and the lower-than-average reimbursements for services that all doctors in Maryland face... Opinion - Dr. Lee Goldman & Dr. Herbert Pardes: Docs need malpractice relief: The threat of lawsuits is crushing New York hospitals New York Daily News, NY - Feb 28, 2009 ...This much is certain: If allowed to continue, the current high costs of malpractice litigation and insurance coverage will drive more doctors away from medicine and could lead hospitals to close services... Opinion - Carter Wood: HHS-nominee Kathleen Sebelius, her trial lawyer background Point of Law, New York, NY - Feb 28, 2009 ...Well, it's not as if any health care reform package coming out of the Obama Administration was going to embrace medical malpractice reform. |
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