Senate to Debate New Liability
Legislation
February 20, 2004 - Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist
(R-Tenn.) has indicated that floor debate on a new medical
liability reform bill will begin on Feb. 23. The legislation,
the "Healthy Mothers and Healthy Babies Access to Care
Act of 2003" (S.
2061), was introduced by Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) on Feb.
10. Sen. Frist anticipates a Feb. 24 evening roll-call vote
on a motion to invoke cloture (prevent a filibuster) and a
motion to proceed.
The reforms in S. 2061 apply to providers of pre-natal, labor/delivery,
and immediate postpartum OB/GYN services. The remaining provisions
in S. 2061 are similar to those outlined by the AAMC-supported
and House-passed "Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-Cost,
Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act of 2003" (H.R.
5). However, the collateral source ("double recovery")
provisions in S. 2061 differ from those in H.R. 5. Unlike
the HEALTH Act, S. 2061 allows recovery of collateral benefits
(e.g., health plans may recover provider payments if a claimant's
economic damages award covers the costs).
Sens. Gregg, Susan Collins (R-Maine), John Ensign (R-Nev.),
Elizabeth Dole (R-N.C.), Craig Thomas (R-Wyo.), Kay Bailey
Hutchison (R-Texas), Michael Enzi (R-Wyo.), John Cornyn (R-Texas),
Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), James Inhofe (R-Ore.), Pat Roberts
(R-Kan.), Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Charles
Grassley (R-Iowa), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.)
joined Majority Leader Frist in requesting the cloture vote.
Information:
Christiane Mitchell, Senior Legislative Analyst
AAMC Government Relations
cmitchell@aamc.org
(202) 828-0526
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