Hudson County Medical Society - Political Action

Founded 1851

Tort Reform
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We Need Tort Reform Now!!

Steadily rising jury awards for 'pain and suffering' in professional liability cases are driving escalating insurance premiums for physician's professional liability insurance. These insurance premium increases have become so extreme that many doctors, particularly in high risk specialties such as Obstetrics and Neurosurgery, have found the insurance unaffordable. Some have left practice, retired early or have limited their practices in such a way as to minimize their risk exposure.

While the medical community acknowledges the right of true victims of negligence and malpractice to receive reasonable compensation for their injuries, 'Jackpot Justice' must be eliminated before the entire healthcare system is driven into bankruptcy. Rising professional liability insurance premiums in combination with diminishing reimbursement from managed care and Medicare is creating a 'Perfect Storm' which threatens to distroy the Medical Profession. We cannot curb the cost of healthcare without placing some limitation on professional liability.

News
Who Pays for Medical Lawsuit Abuse?	New Survey Addresses Relationship of EMRs to Malpractice Risk	Tort Reform Ushers in New Era in Medical Malpractice Coverage
Failed Heart Attack Diagnosis Frequent Med Malpractice	N.J. Appeals Court Lets $70.8 Million Med-Mal Verdict Stand	Protecting Your Access To Emergency Medical Care
Patient-Physician Contracts: Will They Sign?, 6/07/2007	Study in NEJM Asserts Many Medical Malpractice Suits Groundless, 5/11/2006	A New Malpractice Data Bank Is Launched: This One Accessible by Everyone, 4/16/2007
Lawyers Who Sue Lawyers For Legal Malpractice, 12/02/2006	Judge Halts Defendant's Bid to Avoid $116 Million Med-Mal Verdict, 10/31/2006	BestWeek: New York to Face What Ails Its Medical Liability Market
Arbitrate, not litigate: A growing and popular alternative to lawsuits	Medical Malpractice Liability Task Force Members Announced	At 2-year anniversary, Illinois' malpractice law nears first court challenge
New York to Face What Ails Its Medical Liability Market	Carnival Cruise Lines Sued By "Super Lawyer" In Medical Malpractice Death	State blocks dividend by malpractice insurer
A Break For State's Doctors: Many Will See A Decrease In Malpractice Insurance Premium	Barbour: Tort Reform Led to Lower Rates	Tort reform: Barbour didn't lead fight alone
Health Courts?	Is there a doctor in the house ... who hasn’t been sued?	Freedom From Unnecessary Litigation Act - by Ron Paul
Madison County's med mal rules approved by Illinois Supreme Court	The price of loony litigation	Roses are red, but lawsuits make us blue
Election 2008 \| Presidential Candidate Edwards Discusses Proposals To Address Medical Malpractice Lawsuits, Provide Universal Health Coverage	Edwards: Lawyers should first show their malpractice lawsuits are meritorious	John Edwards’ Medical Liability Reform Proposals – a “Nothingburger?”
Statement of Stuart L. Weinstein, M.D.,	At 2-year anniversary, Illinois' malpractice law nears first court challenge	Barbour: Tort Reform Led to Lower Rates
It's Time For Med-Mal Writers to Learn from Mistakes, Expert Says	Is there a doctor in the house ... who hasn’t been sued?	Ky. Gov Wants Compromise on Malpractice
Edwards: Limit Frivolous Lawsuits	Soft P-C Prices Don’t Halt RRG Growth	IS THERE A TRIAL LAWYER IN THE HOUSE?
Broken Healthcare and Justice Systems	At 2-year anniversary, Illinois' malpractice law nears first court challenge	Medical Justice Act of 2007 (H.R. 3509)
RRGs Can Offer Relief For Med-Mal Ills	Health Care Marketplace \| Newspapers Examine Medical Malpractice Reform Efforts in Three States	Malpractice insurer plans to exit subsidy program early
Frivolous Legal Malpractice Lawsuits – What Happens After Tort Reform, 9/21/2007	OH, BABY: N.Y. OB/GYN CRISIS	Malpractice screening laws under scrutiny
Sen. Scott expects to revisit malpractice debate	Malpractice caps pay off for the public	State Watch \| Doctors Relocating to Texas After Implementation of Medical Malpractice Caps
Be prepared for malpractice suits	More Doctors in Texas After Malpractice Caps	Mo. Governor: 2006 Med Mal Report Shows Positive Results
Defendants See a Case of Diagnosing for Dollars	McCain Calls for Medical Liability Reform	Report: New York’s Med Mal Crisis Self-Inflicted
Every Day Over 100 Medical Malpractice Lawsuits Are Filed. Some Of The More "Creative" Ones...., 11/20/2007	Trying to solve Philadelphia's Maternity Crisis	http://www.protectpatientsnow.org/site/c.8oIDJLNnHlE/b.3614539/#1
Captive Audience: MDs Fighting Back on Malpractice	State helps high-risk doctors pay malpractice bills	SJC decision could further chill medical practice
Corker Cosponsors Amendment to Improve Women’s Access to OB/GYNs	Massachusetts SJC ruling adds to doctor liability	Support your local doctors and hospitals
A Doctor’s Career Through a Magnifying Glass, 11/27/2007	Taxpayers May Still Foot Doctor's Malpractice Bills	Wrongful death changes face another hurdle
Bill broadens right to sue for 'wrongful death'	Staten Island pols ask governor to skip surcharge on docs	Massachusetts Supreme Court Rules Duty, Duty Everywhere, 1/04/2008
Emergency room liability law under attack	Should I Sue My Doctor?	A Dozen Effortless Ways to Keep Attorneys Out Of Your Life - Part 1, 1/08/2008
Dr Hotlist Highlights Dangerous Doctors	New Website Unjustly Labels 35% Of All Physicians As "Incompetent", 2/18/2008	Trust your doctors and not the lawyers
Protect Patients Now - JANUARY 2008 Newsletter	Another Outrageous Lawsuit: Here's Your Publicity, but Never Again (Well, Unless . . .)	Ethics, rules for lawyers spotlighted
Lawsuit Inc.	Leading Class-Action Lawyer Is Sentenced to Two Years in Kickback Scheme	Albany protest might have effect, doctors say
Protect Patients Now - February 2008	Negligent credentialing: Is the danger growing?	Negligent Credentialing as A Cause of Action
Jury awards disabled boy $19M in malpractice suit
Reference
Professional Liabilility Survey	American Tamil Medical Association Group Excess Liability Insurance	Medical Care Task Force - Final Report
Medical Care Availability Task Force - by Peter Leone	Crisis Erupts in Hawaii	Minimizing Liability and Enhancing Surgical Outcomes Through Effective Communication
Peter Leone on Professional Liability	Government Negligence
Tools
DMLR: Action Center