The medical malpractice insurance "crises" and federal medical malpractice tort reform: Collection and analysis of bills passed by the United States House of Representatives from 1995--2005

There have been three medical malpractice insurance "crises" in the United States over a time spanning roughly the past three decades (Poisson, 2004, p. 759-760). Each crisis is characterized by a number of common features, including rapidly increasing medical malpractice insurance premiums, cancellation of existing insurance policies, and a decreased willingness of insurers to offer or renew medical malpractice insurance policies (Poisson, 2004, p. 759-760). Given the recurrent "crises," many sources argue that medical malpractice insurance coverage has become too expensive a commodity—one that many physicians simply cannot afford (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [HHS], 2002, p. 1-2; Physician Insurers Association of America [PIAA], 2003, p. 1; Jackiw, 2004, p. 506; Glassman, 2004, p. 417; Padget, 2003, p. 216). ^ The prohibitively high cost of medical liability insurance is said to limit the geographical areas and medical specializations in which physicians are willing to practice. As a result, the high costs of medical liability insurance are ultimately said to affect whether or not people have access to health care services. ^ In an effort to control the medical liability insurance crises—and to preserve or restore peoples' access to health care—every state in the United States has passed "at least some laws designed to reduce medical malpractice premium rates" (GAO, 2003, p.5-6). More recently, however, the United States has witnessed a push to implement federal reform of the medical malpractice tort system. Accordingly, this project focuses on federal medical malpractice tort reform. This project was designed to investigate the following specific question: Do the federal medical malpractice tort reform bills which passed in the House of Representatives between 1995 and 2005 differ in respect to their principle features? To answer this question, the text of the bills, law review articles, and reports from government and private agencies were analyzed. Further, a matrix was compiled to concisely summarize the principle features of the proposed federal medical malpractice tort reform bills. Insight gleaned from this investigation and matrix compilation informs discussion about the potential ramifications of enacting federal medical malpractice tort reform legislation. ^

United States aid operations in Latin America. Hearings before a subcommittee of the Committee on Government Operations, House of Representatives, Eighty-seventh Congress, first session ...

Hearings held Nov. 27-Dec. 11, 1961.

United States aid operations in Peru : hearings before a subcommittee of the Committee on Government Operations, House of Representatives, Eighty-seventh Congress, first session....

Hearings held Nov. 14, 1960-May 18, 1961.

Human rights in El Salvador [microform] : hearings before the Subcommittees on Human Rights and International Organizations and on Western Hemisphere Affairs of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, Ninety-eighth Congress, first session, July 26, 1983.

CIS Microfiche Accession Numbers: CIS 83 H381-89

Las necesidades de los ancianos hispanos : audiencia ante el Comité Selecto sobre la Vejez, Cámara de Representantes, 95 Congreso, segunda sesión, marzo 28, 1978, Miami, Florida = Needs of the Hispanic elderly : hearing before the Select Committee on Aging, House of Representatives, Ninety-fifth Congress, second session, March 28, 1978, Miami, Fla.

"Comm. pub. no. 95-152."

Hispanic immigration and Select Commission on Immigration's final report : hearings before the Subcommittee on Census and Population of the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service, House of Representatives, Ninety-seventh Congress, first session, April 27, 28, 1981.

Item 1022-B, 1022-C (microfiche)

The Hispanic population : a demographic and issue profile : hearings before the Subcommittee on Census and Population of the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service, House of Representatives, Ninety-eighth Congress, first session, September 13, 14, 15, 1983.

"Serial no. 98-10."

Trade with Cuba. Hearings before the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives, Eighty-seventh Congress, first session, on H. R. 8465, a bill to prohibit the shipment in interstate or foreign commerce of articles imported into the United States from Cuba, and for other purposes (and identical bills); H.R. 8866, a bill tp prohibit the shipment in interstate or foreign commerce of articles imported into the United States from Cuba, to provide penalties for such shipment, and for other purposes. August 29 and September 1, 1961.

Mode of access: Internet.

Bilingual education : a new look at the research evidence : briefing report to the Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives.

"B-225018."

Include sugar beets and sugarcane as basic commodities : hearing before the Committee on Agriculture, House of Representatives, Seventy-third Congress, second session, on H.R. 7907. February 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23, 1934.

"Serial J."

Review of the United Nations 33d Commission on Human Rights : hearing before the Subcommittee on International Organizations of the Committee on International Relations, House of Representatives, Ninety-fifth Congress, first session, May 19, 1977.

Mode of access: Internet.

Religious persecution in El Salvador : hearings before the Subcommittee on International Organizations of the Committee on International Relations, House of Representatives, Ninety-fifth Congress, first session, July 21 and 29, 1977.

Mode of access: Internet.

Human rights in Guatemala : hearing before the Subcommittees on Human Rights and International Organizations and on Inter-American Affairs of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, Ninety-seventh Congress, first session, July 30, 1981.

Item 1017-A, 1017-B (microfiche)

Developments in Mexico and United States-Mexican relations : hearing before the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere Affairs of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, Ninety-ninth Congress, first session, October 16, 1985.

Item 1017-A, 1017-B (microfiche).

Human rights in Haiti : hearing before the Subcommittee on International Organizations of the Committee on International Relations, House of Representatives, Ninety-fourth Congress, first session, November 18, 1975.

"Report of Senator Edward W. Brooke, 'United States foreign assistance for Haiti', April 1974": p. 73-120.