[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9721]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                               TEXAS MLR

  (Mr. BURGESS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, some good news today from down in my home 
State of Texas. Recognizing that a unique turnaround is under way in 
the State of Texas in the arena of medical liability reform, the 
American Medical Association today announced that it was removing Texas 
from its list of States in crisis from the medical liability crisis.
  The medical liability crisis in Texas was halted thanks to sweeping 
reforms that took place almost 2 years ago, in September, 2003, when 
voters in the State of Texas passed a constitutional amendment which 
placed an upper limit on noneconomic damages on pain and suffering.
  Since those reforms were passed, signs of improvement are widespread 
in Texas. Access to care is increasing and claims are down; physician 
recruitment, physician retention is up, especially in high-risk 
specialties. New insurers are entering the Texas medical liability 
market, creating more choices for doctors. Subsequently, competition is 
increasing; and all five of the largest insurers in the Texas medical 
liability market have announced rate cuts. Rates are down. Doctors are 
coming back to the State of Texas. This is good news for the patients 
of Texas as access and affordability have increased.
  This House should take up the bill that we passed 2 years ago and 
react similarly.

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