Illinois Democratic Leaders Place Caps On Medical Malpractice Awards

[Itsthetruth]

Ill. Lawmakers OK Malpractice Legislation

By CHRISTOPHER WILLS
The Associated Press
May 31, 2005

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Ending two years of political gridlock, Illinois lawmakers moved to help lower doctors' medical malpractice insurance rates by approving legislation to limit lawsuit awards and strengthen oversight of insurers and doctors.

The legislation was crafted last week by Democratic leaders working with the doctors and hospitals who have been pushing for legislative action for the last two years.

Critics, including trial lawyers and victims' groups, claim the caps only punish victims who have legitimate complaints. Sen. James Meeks, an independent from Chicago, argued that it would discriminate against stay-at-home mothers, the poor, the elderly and others with limited incomes.

Meeks accused Democratic leaders of backing the bill just to avoid losing downstate Senate seats. "We're forced to call a bad bill to stay in the majority," he said. "People will walk around crippled, people will walk around maimed because we're taking a political vote."


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/31/AR2005053100179.html

[Placebo]

1. Boo.

Damn my fellow Illinoisans.

[Walt Starr]

2. The more I see of the Democratic Party

the less hope I have for the future.

[cap]

4. depending on the quality of enforcement, this could work

doctors are not getting sanctioned until a court judgement has been reached.

I say, if you can weed out the bad apples that are causing the problem (like anything the sins of the few are visited on the majority), maybe we can lower malpractice awards a bit or visit the penalties heavily on the few. As long as lower malpractice translates into lower premiums (and this is enforced), maybe I can buy into this.

My grandfather lost an eye in an industrial accident and the doctor operated on the wrong eye leaving him totally blind. So I can not wish a system that would not permit justice.

[Fovea]

3. Whores

damage caps have proven absolutely non effective in lowering malpractice rates.

But these corporate whores have to have their Big HMO kneepads autographed...

[SharonAnn]

5. In other states this didn't reduce malpratice insurance rates, it did, how

raise insurance industry profits.

[wakeme2008]

6. the only good news is Bushie points to the $250, 000 cap California

put on in the 70s and says that should be the cap today. Ill cap is $500,000 against a doctor and $1,000,000 against a hospital.... Not great but still head and shoulders over what Bushie wants.