Thousands Of Pa. Doctors Hold Rally

Thousands Of Pa. Doctors Hold Rally

By Michael Ha

NU Online News Service, April 29, 1:28 p.m. EDT? The Doctor was out yesterday for many Pennsylvania residents.

Two thousand doctors shut down their office activities for a rally in Philadelphia that kicked off a week-long series of events planned to protest soaring medical malpractice insurance premiums and underscore doctors' demands for insurance reform legislation.

In addition to doctors, total attendance at the Philadelphia rally was 5000, according to the Philadelphia-based Politically Active Physicians Association, one of the organizing groups for the rallies.

PAPA said there were also separate events in two other cities, with some 100 doctors and hundreds of supporters attending a rally in Harrisburg, and around 300 physicians and a couple of hundred supporters participating in a Pittsburgh march.

Many doctors across the state are closing their offices this week to attend various events, PAPA said. However, the group said physicians would not leave emergency patients at risk and that emergency rooms would remain open, with doctors on call.

Dr. James Tayoun, president of PAPA, told National Underwriter the main demands from doctors in his state include setting caps on non-economic damages at $250,000, as well as setting limits on contingency fees for lawyers involved in medical malpractice cases and more strict statute of limitations on malpractice suits.

Dr. Tayoun said there are many more events scheduled for the rest of the week. "Today, we are doing some town hall meetings. On Wednesday, the Pennsylvania Medical Society will join for another rally in State College, Pennsylvania. We are expecting some 3000 doctors to participate," he said.

There will be some more rallies in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Harrisburg come this Thursday, and on Friday, there will be outreach programs and minor demonstrations, Dr. Tayoun said.