Jefferson Medical College
Dean Testifies on Impact of Rising Malpractice Premiums
February 14, 2003 - At a Feb. 10 field
hearing of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee
on Oversight and Investigations in Langhorne, Pennsylvania,
Thomas Nasca, M.D., Dean of Jefferson Medical College at Thomas
Jefferson University, provided testimony that addressed the
major impact of rising malpractice premiums on the missions
of medical schools and teaching hospitals. Subcommittee Chairman
Rep. Jim Greenwood (R-Pa.) asked Dr. Nasca to testify at the
hearing, which occurred soon after Rep. Greenwood introduced
new medical liability reform legislation, the "Help Efficient
Accessible, Low-Cost, Timely Health Care Act of 2003"
(HEALTH Act) (H.R.
5).
Using Jefferson Medical College as an example, Dr. Nasca,
who is also President of Thomas Jefferson University Physicians,
warned that their education, research, and patient care missions
are "in jeopardy of disruption due to the recent, unprecedented
increases in cost for medical liability insurance." Nasca
added that academic medicine could be "disintegrating"
because rising premiums demand that academic centers divert
funding and time away from education and research activities.
Dr. Nasca reported, for example, that physicians have been
forced to increase their clinical work and decrease their
teaching activities to generate the additional revenue needed
to cover malpractice premium increases. This shift of responsibilities
has negatively affected faculty morale. Dr. Nasca reported
that when frustrated physicians ultimately decide to leave,
it is increasingly difficult to recruit replacements because
faculty practices can no longer assure a balance of clinical
responsibilities and time for education and research.
Dr. Nasca also referenced preliminary data compiled by the
AAMC, which indicates that medical students are increasingly
concerned about problems with the malpractice liability system.
The preliminary data also shows the possibility of a link
between the malpractice issue and the declining number of
Pennsylvania-trained residents in "high -risk" specialties
who choose to ultimately practice in the state.
H. R. 5 is similar to legislation that Rep. Greenwood had
sponsored, and the House had ultimately passed, in 2002. The
bill would establish a statute of limitations for filing claims,
cap non-economic and punitive damages, and establish joint
and several liability guidelines to assure physicians pay
only their "fair share" of damages. The legislation
would also limit attorneys' contingency fees and prohibit
"double recoveries" by plaintiffs (e.g., may not
collect amounts already paid by their health plan).
Information:
Christiane Mitchell, Senior Legislative Affairs Manager
AAMC Government Relations
cmitchell@aamc.org
(202) 828-0526
Get Washington Highlights
in your Inbox!
| 
