AMA calls for medical liability reform

A board member of the American Medical Association (AMA) last week testified in Congress in support of medical liability reform, calling on legislators to cap non-economic damages. The U.S. House of Representatives passed medical liability legislation, H.R. 5, last July. Now the Senate is expected to take up medical liability legislation during its Health Week in May.

"Escalating jury awards and settlements, coupled with the high cost of defending against lawsuits, force highly skilled doctors to limit services or retire early, which seriously impedes patient access to care," the AMA stated in a press release. "The AMA supports proven reforms including a quarter-million dollar cap on non-economic damages to stop the medical liability crisis."

AMA board member Cecil B. Wilson, MD, testified before Congress that the "broken medical liability system" has human costs as well as significant financial costs to every American. According to the AMA, medical liability adds $70 to $126 billion to the cost of healthcare each year.

Source: Click here to read the AMA press release.