Business Roundtable

Washington – “Business Roundtable is a strong supporter of medical liability reform and commends Representatives Phil Gingrey and David Scott for introducing the “Help Accessible, Efficient, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare Act.” The bipartisan reforms in the HEALTH Act have the potential to improve access to care, reducing the rising costs of defensive medicine and liability coverage and reassure individuals who may be harmed as a result of medical negligence that they will still be protected.

“When medical liability reform was left out of the health care reform law, an opportunity was missed to both reduce the rate of health care spending and provide assurance to patients that they will not lose access to necessary medical care. With President Obama citing his willingness to look at medical malpractice reforms and the swift consideration of H.R. 5 by the House Judiciary Committee, prospects for reform have increased significantly.

“The Act is a meaningful step forward in providing a solution to medical liability issues that will help deliver greater value to patients by protecting access to physicians and a full range of health care service. We will continue to work with Congress to achieve passage of this legislation that will lower costs and strengthen our economic competitiveness,” said Business Roundtable President John Engler.