Medical Liability Reform

It's time to address the broken medical liability tort system

Our nation’s health care system is facing a medical liability crisis due to rising medical liability insurance premiums. Because of these skyrocketing insurance premiums, doctors in many states are being forced to limit services, retire early, or move to another state with lower insurance costs.

Frivolous lawsuits are driving up insurance premiums resulting in all Americans paying higher health care costs. Did you know that:

• 45 percent of America’s hospitals report that the medical liability crisis has resulted in the loss of physicians and emergency departments are losing staff and scaling back on critical services in our nation’s trauma units.
• 1 in 7 Ob-gyns in America no longer deliver babies due to rising liability insurance costs.

Medical liability reforms are essential to ensure that patients do not lose access to physicians and a full range of health care services. The AMA continues to urge Congress and the Obama administration to effectively address the broken medical liability tort system.