PROFESSIONAL ISSUES

Doctors rally against rising liability insurance rates

Physicians in states across the country find strength in numbers as they protest premium increases.

By Tanya Albert, AMNews staff. March 3, 2003.

Utah doctors gathered in the state Capitol in February in support of legislation aimed at strengthening arbitration laws and creating a scale for attorney contingency fees. Physicians also support language in the bill that would allow Utah to abide by a $250,000 federal cap on pain and suffering, if such legislation is approved by the U.S. Congress, rather than the $400,000 cap now in place in the state.

Other news on the liability front:

A new study commissioned by the nonprofit public interest group National Tax Limitation Committee found that tort reform passed in Nevada last year won't be much help keeping physicians' medical liability insurance rates affordable unless the legislation is strengthened. The study says that the $350,000 cap on noneconomic damages currently in place won't be effective because the limit applies "per defendant" rather than per claim.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry, during his state of the state speech in February, again called for the Legislature to pass a $250,000 cap on noneconomic damages awarded in medical malpractice cases.
A survey of a small number of the 12,678 obstetrician-gynecologists practicing in the 12 states the AMA has identified as being in a medical liability insurance crisis indicates that half are considering relocating to another state because of rising premiums, according to the recently released Merritt, Hawkins & Associates 2003 Obstetrics Gynecology Survey.

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