Senate Tables Medical Liability
Reform, Delays Vote on Patient Safety
April 9, 2004 - In an April 7 floor vote, Senate Republicans
failed to obtain the 60-vote majority needed to avert a filibuster
over the second medical liability reform bill to be introduced
this year (S.
2077). Three Republicans crossed party lines in the 49
- 48 vote, including Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Mike Crapo
(R-Idaho), and Richard Shelby (R-Ala.). Sen. Zell Miller (D-Ga.)
was the sole Democrat to support the cloture vote.
The bill was sponsored by Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) and contained
the reforms outlined by the AAMC-supported House-passed HEALTH
Act (H.R.
5). However, the provisions in S. 2077 applied only to
obstetrical, emergency, and trauma services. In February,
Sen. Gregg had introduced legislation that was limited to
obstetrical services (S.
2061).
In anticipation of the April 7 vote, the AAMC signed an
April 2 group letter
(PDF, 2 pages - 186KB) to the entire Senate that urged
a "yes" cloture vote "so that meaningful debate
can take place on the benefits of medical liability reform."
The letter was signed by members of the Health Coalition on
Liability and Access (HCLA).
During the debate over S. 2077, Sen. Gregg had also called
for passage of AAMC-supported patient safety legislation (S.
720) under unanimous consent. Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.)
objected, asking that the Democrats have additional time to
review the legislative language. While Sen. Reid offered no
specific reasons for revisiting the provisions, Sen. Edward
Kennedy (D-Mass.) has consistently opposed the level of legal
protections that S. 720 affords patient safety data.
Information:
Christiane Mitchell, Senior Legislative Analyst
AAMC Government Relations
cmitchell@aamc.org
(202) 828-0526
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