U.S. Rep. Jim Greenwood (R-PA) has introduced House Resolution 5, tort reform legislation that would safeguard patients' access to care. HR 5, also known as the HEALTH Act, is the same as the legislation introduced last year that was passed in the House but not in the Senate. 65 House members have signed on as HR 5 co-sponsors.
The HEALTH Act safeguards patients' access to care through the following common sense reforms: 1) allow injured patients to recover unlimited economic damages - past and future medical expenses and rehabilitation costs, loss of past and future earnings, cost of domestic services and more; 2) limit attorneys' contingency fees on a sliding scale to ensure patients - not trial lawyers - receive the largest share possible of any money awarded by a jury; 3) cap non-economic damages at $250,000; and 4) fairly allocate damages by holding defendants liable only for their proportion of responsibility. Watch the AMC/NOMA web site for additional information on this issue. AMC/NOMA members may write to their representatives directly through the AMC/NOMA web site go to www.amcnoma.org and go to the legislative section.