Bush reaffirms commitment to tort reform in national address

Health insurance tax credits and health savings accounts' expansion are also high on the president's health agenda.

By Tanya Albert and Joel B. Finkelstein, AMNews staff. Feb. 21, 2005.

Much to physicians' satisfaction, President George W. Bush continued his push for medical liability reform, this time mentioning it in his Feb. 2 State of the Union speech.

In his 53-minute address to the nation, Bush asked Congress to move forward on "medical liability reform that will reduce health care costs and make sure patients have the doctors and care they need."

The president's comment encouraged Jay Alexander, MD, a cardiologist from Bannockburn, Ill.

"It was a brief mention, but a very important one because he's keeping it in front of the public," Dr. Alexander said. "It is pretty clear that this is one of the things on his agenda besides Social Security."

Tort reform has been high on the president's to-do list for several years.

He and physicians see reforms, such as a $250,000 cap on noneconomic damages, as a key component in trying to stabilize a medical liability insurance market in which many physicians can't afford the coverage they need.

The House last session twice passed reforms that include the cap, but legislation stalled in the Senate.

American Medical Association President John C. Nelson, MD, MPH, said he applauded Bush for his continued commitment to health care and to enactment of reforms needed to improve the nation's health care system.

The AMA lists 20 states as being in the midst of a medical liability insurance crisis that has physicians retiring early, moving to other states and cutting high-risk services. Consequently, tort reform remains the Association's top legislative priority.