Sad but not surprising...

[NewGuyBob]

By Jim Drinkard, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON ? Senate Democrats on Wednesday killed President Bush's effort to put a $250,000 limit on awards for pain and suffering in medical malpractice lawsuits.
The 49-48 vote was 11 votes short of the 60 needed to overcome a procedural roadblock put up by Democrats. It meant the debate over whether to limit liability awards is likely to become part of the 2004 campaigns for the White House and Congress.

Damn!!

Read alla about it here: http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2003-07-09-malpractice_x.htm

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[MacGyver]

Tort reform is a bad way to go.

Now, a nationwide insurance regulation program on the other hand is JUST what the doctor ordered

 

[Careofme]

"A study by USA TODAY in March found that although some doctors in high-risk specialties face serious problems with insurance coverage, warnings of a serious national crisis are overblown. Most physicians are minimally affected, and the worst problems are concentrated in a handful of states, the study found."


Hmmm....But what about those states that ARE in a medical crisis and the effect on access to care that has been documented repeatedly...

 

[Idiopathic]

The bill that failed has a major provision in it that would have allowed HMO's protection under the same limits. Therefore, the HMOs would have payed out less due to doctor negligence AND payed out less due to its own mismanagement (in lawsuits), and escapes regulation entirely. They would be the only true winners in this scenario...i guarantee that malpractice premiums would not be cut in half, but settlements/lawsuit payouts sure would.