House Committee Approves Med Mal Cap
By Steven Brostoff, Washington Editor
NU Online News Service, March 5, 10:00 a.m. EST?The House Energy and Commerce Committee late yesterday approved legislation that would place a $250,000 cap on non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases.
The action came on a voice vote, and no amendments were adopted. The House Judiciary Committee, which held a hearing on the legislation yesterday, is expected to approve the legislation today.
If so the legislation, H.R. 5, could be considered on the floor of the House next week.
Insurance groups strongly support H.R. 5, arguing that runaway medical malpractice litigation is largely responsible for dramatic increases both in liability insurance and health insurance.
Opponents of the legislation, however, say that the "crisis" in medical malpractice liability is caused by insurance industry practices, and not by problems in the civil justice system.
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