[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 22 (Thursday, February 26, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H635]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TIME FOR MEDICAL MALPRACTICE REFORM

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, Americans pay a lot for health care, and 
there are a lot of reasons for the high costs. One of them is excessive 
awards in medical malpractice cases. In Pennsylvania alone there are 
$1.2 billion in payouts for medical malpractice cases a year. That is 
$1,000 for every man, woman and child in our Commonwealth.
  People who are mistreated by medical professionals should receive the 
money they need to compensate for their injuries, but in my State, 40 
percent of these awards go to trial attorneys. The result is out-of-
control insurance premiums on doctors and higher costs for consumers.
  A recent survey this year said that 70 percent of Pennsylvania's 
doctors have considered closing their practice because of the cost of 
medical malpractice insurance. Many have left, and many of the new 
doctors are going elsewhere. Of those that purchase coverage, the costs 
are going up exponentially every year, as much as 50 percent a year. 
The same survey reported that frivolous lawsuits are preventing them 
from getting specialized care for their patients. This is a big 
problem, and one that Congress should address.
  The House has acted with common-sense reform. Now the other body 
should get past political games and pass reform of the medical 
liability lawsuit system in this country. Our doctors need it. More 
importantly, the American people need it. We need to pass lawsuit abuse 
reform.

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