Burgess Response To President Obama's Answer To His Question On Medical Liability Reform

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 02 Jul 2009 - 3:00 PDT

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During today's White House online town hall on health care, a question was submitted by Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-Texas), Chairman of the Congressional Health Care Caucus. Following President Obama's response to the question on medical liability reform, Congressman Burgess issued the following statement:

"First and foremost, I would like to thank those of you who viewed my YouTube question to President Obama for today's White House online town hall on health care. It is very important that all Americans stay involved and engaged throughout the health care debate, and today's town hall made it possible for me to directly ask President Obama this important question on medical justice reform, and it would not have been possible without your help.

"On the issue of medical justice reform, I am pleased to hear that President Obama and I share the common goal of reducing medical liability insurance rates and the constant threat of lawsuits many doctors and hospitals face. Let me be clear - my goal is not to deny a patient who has been legitimately harmed what is due to them. Instead, I want to make sure that overzealous trial attorneys and the unmerited lawsuits they often bring about do not compromise the care provided by a doctor to his or her patient.

"My home state of Texas has shown that capping non-economic damages has only made the medical environment better. Since the reforms were implemented in 2003, Texas has seen thousands of new doctors, nurses and medical professionals flock to the state, the number of health care insurance companies has increased, giving patients more choice, and doctors have been able to provide the best care possible to their patients without fear of unwarranted lawsuits.

"While I do not think caps on non-economic damages are the only way to reduce costs and the practice of defensive medicine, it is without a doubt an important aspect of medical justice reform.

"On President Obama's other point - the issues raised by the New Yorker article in regards to higher utilization rates in McAllen, Texas, are complex, and are not likely to be directly caused by, or solved by, medical liability reform. This may just as likely point to one of the weaknesses of a government-run payment system - Medicare - as it does any other matter. This issue deserves careful study, which is why I am asking the Government Accountability Office to provide more answers on the study's results.

"As the health care debate heats up over the coming weeks, I look forward to continuing to hear from Americans all across the country - individuals, small businesses, and those with innovative ideas that have worked - on ways we can improve our country's health care system."

To see Congressman Burgess' video question to President Obama, and the president's response, click here.

To learn more about Congressman Burgess' efforts on health care, visit http://www.healthcaucus.org or http://burgess.house.gov.

Source
Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D

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