March 1, 2011 by matray

side note: Here's an unusual piece of politics. The Democratic Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, is proposing malpractice damage caps to heal the state's economic woes. With the intention of re-structuring New York’s Medicaid system, Governor Cuomo is urging various changes to how medical malpractice suits are resolved. Primarily,… Continue reading...

February 22, 2011 by matray

side note: Uh-oh! Is the Commissioner cracking the whip on out-of-control medical professional liability insurance rates? Or is he off-base, and rates are where they should be in California? Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones today contacted several medical malpractice insurers raising concerns about excessive rates and asking that they make a… Continue reading...

February 17, 2011 by matray

side note: On the heels of Wisconsin, here's another new republican majority working to further the tortreform agenda. Should be an interesting process to watch. North Carolina lawmakers have begun what promises to be a long fight over medical malpractice laws as insurance and medical services companies square off against… Continue reading...

February 16, 2011 by matray

side note: No shocker here. None of the $250 million can be used for implementing damage caps (like the Republican HEALTH Act seeks), but the President is in favor of states implementing ideas like health courts. WASHINGTON (AP) - Putting his own stamp on a long-standing Republican priority, President Barack… Continue reading...

February 10, 2011 by matray

side note: Wow! Here is an interesting case where the Tea Party philosophy clashes with the Republican agenda. The HEALTH Act (proposed federal tort reform) was set to be "marked up" yesterday by the House Judicial Committee, but had to be postponed because Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas), a member of… Continue reading...

February 7, 2011 by matray

side note: Here is the lead story in the February 2011 issue of Medical Liability Monitor. MLM is a must-read for those in the medical professional liability insurance industry. Wisconsin could be the best barometer of a reshaped political landscape following the Nov. 2, 2010, elections—the only state in the… Continue reading...

January 27, 2011 by matray

In his recent, Jan. 25, State of the Union address, President Barack Obama indicated that he is “willing to look at other ideas to bring down [healthcare] costs, including one that Republicans suggested last year: medical malpractice reform to rein in frivolous lawsuits.” Shortly after the State of the Union,… Continue reading...

January 25, 2011 by matray

side note: I find this very interesting. In today's partisan political climate, can Sens. Daschle and Frist find common ground to the nation's healthcare ailments? Calling “constructive engagement on health reform vital to our nation’s future,” the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) launched its Health Project on Jan. 18, led by… Continue reading...

January 25, 2011 by matray

side note: While Ohio's closed medical professional liability claims experience an uptick in 2009, the total is still down 33 percent from the 5,051 claims that closed cataloged in the report's inaugural edition from 2005. The Ohio Department of Insurance recently issued its fifth annual Ohio Medical Professional Liability Closed… Continue reading...

January 24, 2011 by matray

side note: Here is an interesting wrinkle in the Kansas Supreme Court's hearing on the constitutionality of the state's cap on non-economic damages. It is quite unusual for a court to order a re-argument of a case before it. TOPEKA — In a rare move, a highly watched medical malpractice… Continue reading...