House Judiciary Committee considers medical liability reform bill

The House Judiciary Committee today held a markup to consider the Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare Act (H.R. 4771), AHA-supported legislation that would implement medical liability reforms shown to lower health care costs and make health care more accessible. Reintroduced last week by Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ), the bill would eliminate joint and several liability, provide for periodic payment of future economic damages and cap non-economic damages at $250,000, among other reforms, based on a model enacted decades ago in California. “Across the nation, access to health care is being negatively impacted as physicians move from states with high insurance costs or stop providing services that may expose them to a greater risk of litigation,” wrote AHA Executive Vice President Tom Nickels in a letter of support to Franks and Committee Chairman Robert Goodlatte (R-VA). “…To help make health care more affordable and efficient, the current medical liability system must be reformed.” The committee debated the bill but adjourned before voting.