President Obama’s agreement to examine the issue of medical-malpractice reform has some folks applauding — particularly medical professionals and GOP leaders — but others are concerned.
During his speech on reforming the health-care system on Wednesday night, Obama acknowledged the growing issue of tort reform in the debate. The president told the joint session of Congress: “Many in this chamber — particularly on the Republican side of the aisle — have long insisted that reforming our medical malpractice laws can help bring down the cost of health care. … I don’t believe malpractice reform is a silver bullet, but I have talked to enough doctors to know that defensive medicine may be contributing to unnecessary costs. So I am proposing that we move forward on a range of ideas about how to put patient safety first and let doctors focus on practicing medicine.”
Many Republican lawmakers broke out in thunderous applause.
Lawyers USA, Minnesota Lawyer’s sister publication, reported yesterday that Obama’s plan — testing state-level malpractice reform efforts with the help of federal grants — would not be part of the health-care reform bill or any other legislation, but would instead be implemented via an executive order.
The Center for Justice and Democracy in Washington has blasted the plan as “terrible public policy.”
“Medical errors are at epidemic levels and this proposal will not only fail to fully compensate catastrophically injured patents, but will also undermine restraints the civil justice system currently imposes on dangerous misconduct,” according to Joanne Doroshow, executive director of the center. “Reducing legal accountability will lead to more errors and system costs.”
The nation’s largest trial attorney group, the American Association of Justice, has warned that any reform would have to put patient safety first.
Linda Lipsen, senior vice president of public affairs at the AAJ, said while she is “heartened by the president’s continued concern about patient safety,” details of the plan would have to be spelled out before she can give a true assessment of its potential impact.
The president’s move drew immediate praise, however, from groups including the American Medical Association.
“We cannot ignore this problem if health system reform is going to address the growing cost of care,” AMA President Dr. J. James Rohack said in a statement after the speech.
President Obama will be at the Target Center in Minneapolis tomorrow to tout his health-care reform efforts.
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