Goodlatte & King Praise House Passage of Medical Lawsuit Reform Legislation

House Judiciary Committee

June 28, 2017

Contact: Kathryn Rexrode or Jessica Collins (202) 225-3951

Goodlatte & King Praise House Passage of Medical Lawsuit Reform Legislation

Washington, D.C. -- House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Constitution and Civil Justice Subcommittee Chairman Steve King (R-Iowa) issued the following statements applauding House passage of the Protecting Access to Care Act (H.R. 1215) by a vote of 218-210. The Protecting Access to Care Act, a product of the House Judiciary Committee, reforms medical litigation laws in order to reduce the costly practice of defensive medicine, and save taxpayers billions of dollars while increasing access to healthcare.

Chairman Goodlatte: "The endless amount of lawsuits brought against our nation's doctors increases the cost of health care and limits the availability of doctors nationwide.

"Today, House Republicans continue delivering on their promise to pass legislation aimed at making health care more affordable and more accessible for all Americans.

"The Protecting Access to Care Act is much-needed, common sense, and cost-saving litigation reform that will increase health care accessibility for all, while ensuring injured patients have the access to justice that they rightly deserve."

Subcommittee Chairman King: "Health care costs are out of control due in large part to unlimited lawsuits and other problems ObamaCare failed to solve or ObamaCare made worse. My bill, the Protecting Access to Care Act, is common sense litigation reform legislation that will rein in overly aggressive health care lawsuits while preserving the ability of plaintiffs to recover unlimited economic damages.

"H.R. 1215's conservative reforms will save taxpayers over $50 billion according to the Congressional Budget Office. President Trump has indicated that he will sign this bill into law, and Congress should give him the opportunity to do so. Today's passage of the bill by the House brings us one step closer to making these needed reforms the law of the land."

Background: The Protecting Access to Care Act is modeled on California's Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (called MICRA), which has curbed California's medical professional liability premiums and increased access to care.

MICRAs reforms, which are included in the Protecting Access to Care Act, include a $250,000 cap on noneconomic damages; limits on the contingency fees lawyers can charge to maximize patient recovery; and a fair share rule, by which damages are allocated in direct proportion to fault.

The Protecting Access to Care Act protects State laws regarding damages. Nothing in the bill interferes with the ability of states to enact their own caps on non-economic damages - whether significantly higher or lower than the cap in the legislation. Furthermore, the bill only applies to claims concerning the provision of goods/services for which coverage is provided in whole or in part via a Federal program, subsidy, or tax benefit, giving it a clear federal nexus.

The Protecting Access to Care Act does not limit in any way an award of economic damages to injured victims.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, the Protecting Access to Care Act would save $50 billion in federal taxpayers money.

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