Statement by Stuart L. Weinstein, M.D.
Yesterday, Congressman Phil Gingery (R-GA) re-introduced comprehensive medical liability reform legislation designed to stem the growing crisis in patient access to medical care.
The HEALTH Act contains several important reform provisions that have proven effective at the state level in bringing balance to the medical liability justice system and ensuring that Americans are able to get the healthcare they need when they need it.
California enacted similar reforms more than thirty years ago. Those reforms have enabled that state to avoid the critical access to care crisis afflicting so many others across the country.
Most recently, we have the example of “The Texas Miracle.” Before reforms, highly trained doctors, such as surgeons and obstetricians, were forced to flee the state due to medical lawsuit abuse. Once the people of Texas instituted comprehensive reforms, including reasonable limits on non-economic damages, doctors started coming back faster than they could be certified. Now, historically disadvantaged areas are being served.
In much of the rest of the country, however, the crisis continues unabated. Emergency rooms are closing down or being forced to turn away patients for lack of specialists. Women have to go without critical prenatal care and travel hours to have their babies delivered in a safe, hospital environment.
By overwhelming majorities, the American people favor commonsense medical liability reform that includes reasonable limits on non-economic damages, and they want their elected representatives to vote for it. We urge the House to take up this far-sighted bill, give it a fair and open debate, and allow the will of the people to prevail.
