Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report Examines Developments Related to Medical Malpractice in Texas, D.C.

Main Category: Litigation / Medical Malpractice
Article Date: 06 Aug 2005 - 23:00 PDT

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The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report highlights recent developments related to medical malpractice in Texas and Washington, D.C. Summaries appear below.

• Texas: Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and two Texas hospital administrators on Saturday promoted a 2003 state malpractice reform law as a model for federal legislation, the San Antonio Express-News reports. The U.S. House on July 28 passed a bill (HR 5) that would cap noneconomic damages in malpractice lawsuits at $250,000, similar to the Texas law. Mark Bernard, CEO of Northeast Methodist Hospital, praised Smith for his support of the legislation. In addition, Bernard said that a recent Texas Hospital Association study found that malpractice insurance premiums for Texas hospitals in the state have stabilized since the state law took effect. However, other recent studies have found that malpractice lawsuits and settlements "have had little effect" on increased health care costs, the Express-News reports (Russell, San Antonio Express-News, 7/31).
  


• Washington, D.C.: A City Council Health Committee task force on Friday released a report that detailed several recommendations to reform the city malpractice insurance system, the Washington Times reports. The task force, which convened in June, recommended that both sides involved in malpractice lawsuits seek to settle cases before trial, the city record "adverse events" related to medical errors in a centralized system and the city establish a Web site for malpractice insurers to report average premium rates to help physicians find lower-cost coverage. Committee Chair David Catania said, "This report reflects commonsense goals that the medical and legal communities can support." However, Peter Lavine, one of two physicians on the task force, criticized the recommendations as inadequate (Redding, Washington Times, 8/1).

"Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

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