Election Day Results Indicate Progress on Medical Liability Reform
WASHINGTON, Nov. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Health Coalition on Liability and Access applauds the forward progress on medical liability reform following Tuesday's elections, as a California ballot initiative thwarted attempts by personal injury lawyers to overturn the state's successful medical liability reform laws, and as HCLA supported candidate, Joni Ernst from Iowa, was elected to the US Senate.
"The effects of medical lawsuit abuse on access to care are clear to voters, and patients, across the country," said Mike Stinson, HCLA Chair. "We look forward to working with current and newly elected members of Congress to advance key liability reforms and initiatives that ensure deserving patients are fairly compensated and health care services are both affordable and accessible to all."
Joni Ernst, the Senator-elect from Iowa, supports comprehensive federal medical liability reform laws and introduced legislation in Iowa to ensure patient access to quality medical care. The Health Coalition on Liability and Access supported Senator-elect Ernst's campaign by running statewide radio ads in the weeks leading up to Election Day.
In California, voters were successful in rejecting the ballot initiative that aimed to quadruple the reasonable limits on non-economic damages and increase health care costs by $1,000 for a family of four, and instead maintained the limits that made California's Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA) a model for medical liability reform at the state and federal level. The initiative was defeated by more than a 2-1 margin, dealing a huge blow to the political efforts of personal injury lawyers.
The Health Coalition on Liability and Access will continue to support comprehensive federal medical liability reform based on efforts that have been proven to be effective in states across the country.
HEALTH CARE LIABILITY EXPERTS AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS CONTACT LAUREN SLEPIAN, 609-744-4794
For more details, visit www.hcla.org. The Health Coalition on Liability and Access is a national advocacy coalition representing physicians, hospitals, health care liability insurers, employers, health care providers and consumers. HCLA believes federal legislation is needed to bring fairness, timeliness and cost-effectiveness to America's medical liability system.
SOURCE Health Coalition on Liability and Access
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