Medical Malpractice Update:
Competing Annapolis task forces eye reform options

8-27-04 -- Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. and state legislators have established two competing task forces this interim to discuss short and long-term solutions to the issue of rising medical malpractice premiums and their impact on health care in Maryland.

Arguing that rising malpractice insurance rates are driving Maryland doctors out of practice, Gov. Ehrlich is advocating for tort reform placing limitations on how medical malpractice cases are handled in the state's court system.

The health care industry is the number one industry in the region, and provides thousands of jobs at all income levels for central Maryland.

Meanwhile, opponents of tort reform argue against limiting patients' legal rights. Among other things, they contend that there is no malpractice "crisis" in Maryland and that drastic increases in insurance premiums are not justified.

So far, the task forces in Annapolis have focused their attention on possible limits to economic and non-economic damages in malpractice suits, the potential for establishing a state malpractice compensation pool, limiting attorney fees and establishing a physician oversight panel regulated by the state.

The GBC Health Care Committee is monitoring the work of these task forces and will begin discussions on more long-term, outside of the box strategies to address the issue.

Below are web links to news reports and information on the malpractice insurance issue.

Medical malpractice - online links:

THE CASE FOR TORT REFORM
MedChi, the Maryland State Medical Society:
Insurance crisis fact sheet

Medical Mutual of Maryland: Medical malpractice insurance crisis
Background, history, summary and data
Response to Public Citizen report on medical malpractice

THE CASE AGAINST TORT REFORM
Public Citizen, a national nonprofit consumer advocacy organization, web sites:
Press release, Sept. 2003
The Facts About Medical Malpractice in Maryland, Sept. 2003

OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND ANALYSIS
Summary of medical malpractice law in 50 states
Source: McCullough, Campbell & Lane, 2002