Dr. Fred L. Merian

"We see plenty of emergencies in our profession, and we know an emergency requires immediate attention," said Fred L. Merian, M.D., a family practitioner from Victoria."With the governor's help, we'll be able to move as quickly as possible to begin curing this state's medical liability crisis."

Recognizing how unaffordable and unavailable liability insurance for physicians and hospitals is limiting Texans' ability to obtain quality health care, the governor announced he will use his constitutional powers to let the legislature move as quickly as possible on this important issue.

"More than half of all Texas physicians - including those in the prime of their professional careers - are considering early retirement due to the state's growing medical liability insurance crisis, according to our biennial physician survey," Dr. Merian said.

More than 70 percent of the physicians surveyed say skyrocketing premiums for medical liability insurance have caused them to increase "defensive medicine practices,"about 40 percent say they are imposing new or tighter limits on the patients they will accept, nearly one-third say they are reducing the types or kinds of services they provide, and almost one-fourth say they're seeing difficulties recruiting or retaining physicians in their communities.

Medical liability reform is TMA's top priority for the 2003 session.The most effective remedy for skyrocketing liability insurance premiums is a cap on the noneconomic damages a jury may award the plaintiff in a liability case.Such a cap is the centerpiece of the Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA), which has kept liability premiums stable in California since 1975.And a $250,000 cap on noneconomic damages is the centerpiece of both Governor Perry's and TMA's liability reform package.
...
"We look forward to working closely with Governor Perry and our legislative leaders, all of whom have recognized the dire nature of this problem and the need for immediate and aggressive intervention," Dr. Merian said.

BORDER=