Senator Durbin Statement on Medical Malpractice

Durbin Statement Regarding Medical Malpractice
March 4, 2003

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today issued the following statement in response to President Bush's remarks at the American Medical Association's national conference:

"The President today discussed medical malpractice insurance without addressing the root cause of skyrocketing premiums: the insurance industry. While we all agree that there is a crisis in America with doctors being severely financially impacted by these increasing premiums - sometimes even driven out of practice when the insurance becomes unaffordable - any discussion that omits mention of the insurance industry is not a serious one.

"In his address, the President mentioned a woman from Nevada, Ruth Valentin, who could not find obstetric care locally and was forced instead to go to Utah for this care. But what the President failed to mention was that Nevada has already passed caps, yet the insurance companies have refused to lower their malpractice premiums.

"The recent report by the Department of Health and Human Services cites examples of trauma centers closing and individuals losing care, especially in rural America. But the Bush budget tells a different tale about the President's concern for America's health care system: The Bush Budget zeros out funding for Trauma Care Program. The Bush Budget completely cuts funding for the community access program, which coordinates care provided to the uninsured. The Bush Budget also slashes funding for children's hospitals' pediatric resident training and for telehealth, which is important in rural areas, and severely cuts funding for other rural health funding at HRSA and health professional training.

"Bottom line: the President's budget shows he has less interest in providing patients with access to care than in undermining the legal rights of those most victimized by negligent care. If President Bush is concerned about the trauma system in this country, why does his budget zero out its funding?

"The President has made it clear today that when it comes to the issue of medical malpractice, his highest priority is to isolate his friends in the insurance industry from the debate. Sadly, that may be good for politics, but it is not good for medical care in our nation."