Docs In Fla., Conn. Rally Over Insurance Rates

By Michael Ha

NU Online News Service, March 31, 3:21 p.m. EST?Last week thousands of physicians in white lab coats and surgical scrubs staged rallies in two states, voicing their concern for soaring medical malpractice insurance costs.

On Thursday, some 3,000 doctors and other health professionals in Florida gathered at the state Capitol in Tallahassee for an outdoor rally, calling on legislators to support a $250,000 cap on non-economic damages in medical malpractice lawsuits.

The Florida Medical Association, which organized the event, told National Underwriter that the rally was attended by a number of Republican legislators as well as Gov. Jeb Bush, who expressed his support for limiting jury awards on pain-and-suffering damages.

The spokesperson for the Florida Medical Association said other state officials who joined the rally include Tom Gallagher, chief financial officer for the Florida department of financial services, who told rally participants that caps are part of the solution to help provide stability in the insurance marketplace.

"Physicians in Florida are leaving the state, choosing to retire early, and ceasing to offer high-risk procedures," the spokesperson said.

Separately, some 1,600 Connecticut physicians staged a "White Coat Rally" Wednesday on the steps of the state Capitol building in Hartford.

Amy Cole, a spokesperson for the Fairfield County Medical Association, said the rally was part of the state's annual Doctors' Day event, which is organized by the Connecticut State Medical Society every year.

"Every specialty was represented, from every part of the state," Ms. Cole said, emphasizing that the event was not a job action or a strike, but just an effort by doctors to educate legislators about a growing medical malpractice crisis.

She noted precautionary measures had been taken by county medical associations prior to the rally to maintain adequate staff at local hospitals and prevent any disruption of patient care.

Ms. Cole also explained that doctors proposed state legislation that would limit non-economic damages in medical malpractice awards to $250,000.

"We are not asking for a cap on economic damages. We want to keep those 100 percent available," Ms. Cole told National Underwriter.

"The rally was organized to demonstrate to legislators that the medical malpractice crisis has reached a critical mass and that they have to address this issue this year. And this is not about doctors' pockets--this is all about the patient access," she said.

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Docs In Fla., Conn. Rally Over Insurance Rates

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