Coalition Applauds Governor Bush for Calling Special Session, Unveiling Comprehensive Solution to Medical Liability Crisis.

News Editors/Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 29, 2003

Governor Jeb Bush took two giant steps toward ending Florida's medical liability crisis today by calling lawmakers back into special session in June and by unveiling a comprehensive package for fixing the broken system, members of a broad-based coalition said.

Bush held a press conference this morning to announce that he is ordering legislators back to Tallahassee from June 16-19 to deal with the worsening crisis. The Governor also unveiled a sweeping reform bill that contains many of the recommendations made earlier this year by an independent task force of university officials.

Leaders of the Coalition to Heal Healthcare in Florida, an alliance of more than 120 of the state's top medical and business groups, applauded Bush's moves, saying they are key strides toward ending a crisis that is threatening healthcare services and driving up healthcare costs for all Floridians.

"Governor Bush is demonstrating the leadership that Florida needs at this critical juncture," said Wayne NeSmith, President of the Florida Hospital Association and a leader of the Coalition. "The Governor clearly understands how this crisis is harming our citizens, and he has shown great resolve in moving forward and getting the Legislature to focus on this issue."

The state House and state Senate adjourned from the 60-day regular session on May 2 without reaching an agreement on solving the crisis. Since then, dozens of physicians across Florida have been forced to temporarily stop working or close their practices due to skyrocketing insurance premiums, their inability to find insurance coverage and the constant threat of lawsuits.

Coalition leaders praised the proposed reform package that the governor unveiled today, noting that the legislation embraced many of the recommendations first made in January by the independent task force of university officials.

After months of hearings and testimony from hundreds of witnesses, the Governor's Select Task Force on Healthcare Professional Liability Insurance issued 60 recommendations for change. The task force called for comprehensive reforms to improve patient safety, enhance physician discipline, stabilize the insurance market and create more reasonable parameters for lawsuits and for compensating injured parties.

One of the key recommendations was a cap of $250,000 on non-economic damages awarded in medical liability cases, which task force members said was the single most important step toward lowering insurance rates and protecting the availability of healthcare services for 16 million Floridians. Injured parties could still collect unlimited economic damages.

The Coalition has always supported the holistic set of recommendations offered by the task force, and said the governor's package mirrors the task force's approach to the crisis.

"The comprehensive approach put forward by Governor Bush will solve this crisis. The $250,000 cap has proven to ensure long-term stability, which is what doctors and their patients need," said another Coalition leader, Sandra Mortham, the executive vice president and CEO of the Florida Medical Association. "Lawmakers must understand that this crisis is seriously eroding healthcare services and must work together to adopt the governor's proposals."

While Bush has vowed to continue bringing the Legislature back into special session repeatedly until they resolve the crisis, Coalition leaders said lawmakers already have the blueprint for fixing the broken system when they return to the Capitol from June 16-19.

"Florida's citizens and Governor Bush know our legislators have the power to heal if they have the resolve to protect healthcare for all Floridians," NeSmith added. "Lawmakers have the solution in their hands - the Governor's bill. They must resolve this issue in the special session. They cannot allow this crisis to go on any longer."