On Wednesday the U.S. House Rules Committee passed its resolution to place H.R. 5 on the congressional calendar for consideration this week. Among the bills important provisions, H.R. 5 Help Efficient Accessible, Low-Cost, Timely Healthcare Act of 2005 would limit non-economic damages to $250,000 and allocate damages in proportion to a party's degree of fault. The legislation is based on the successful liability reforms enacted in California under the Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act of 1975. And, according to a recent study by the Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, states that have capped liability lawsuit awards have seen a larger growth in the number of practicing physicians than states without such caps. AMC/NOMA had previously urged physicians to write to Congress in support of this legislation and we will keep you apprised of the status.