Congress appears poised to consider medical malpractice reforms that put dollars over patient safety.
H.R. 1215, or the “Protecting Access to Care Act of 2017” is designed to cap non-economic recoveries at $250,000. To many of us, this seems like a lot of money. But imagine these situations:
Under any of these scenarios, is $250,000 enough for your injury or for your family’s loss?
The Protecting Access to Care Act of 2017 also hinders a patient from receiving compensation in a lump sum amount. Instead of the patient or the patient’s family getting their money in full, insurance companies would be able to hold onto the amount and benefit from interest rates, instead of you!
Studies show that medical mistakes are the third leading cause of fatalities in the United States. These proposed “reforms” are a solution in search of a problem and would do nothing more than victimize injured patients for a second time.
As always, the most important aspect here is that people’s health and lives remain protected. Most healthcare professionals care about patient safety and want to work towards the best and safest outcome. However, under-trained, over-worked or inattentive professionals lead to mistakes and medical mishaps. Only time will tell what medical malpractice reforms will make their way onto Congress’ table, but we can only hope that they guard patient’s rights.
If this legislation concerns you, we urge you to contact your representative.
The Philadelphia medical malpractice lawyers at Galfand Berger have successfully represented clients who have been injured due to medical negligence, malpractice and misdiagnoses. If you or any of your loved ones have experienced such a situation, an attorney at Galfand Berger, LLP can help. With offices located in Philadelphia, Reading and Bethlehem, we serve clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. To schedule a consultation, call us at 800-222-8792 or complete our online contact form.