Jon Kyl: “last year, the Senate considered legislation to try to mitigate healthcare cost increases by reforming the medical…”

“last year, the Senate considered legislation to try to mitigate healthcare cost increases by reforming the medical malpractice system. The bill we took up was S. 11, "The Patients First Act of 2003," which I had co-sponsored. Unfortunately, gridlock prevailed when a cloture motion was defeated. While I was disappointed that the Senate could not address healthcare liability reform on a comprehensive basis, we now have the opportunity to address the obstetrics and gynecological specialty with S. 2061, "The Healthy Mothers and Healthy Babies Access to Care Act." There is a reason that the OB/GYN specialty should be one of the first areas addressed by medical malpractice. It is one of three specialties subject to the highest liability insurance premiums. Nationally, the dramatic increases in premiums--more than 160 percent over 16 years, 1982 to 1998--have greatly outpaced the rate of inflation, and many physicians and hospitals have been unable to keep up with these escalating costs. In Arizona, OB/GYN practices face premiums averaging $67,000--up 16 percent in just one year's time. There are only a few ways doctors and hospitals can bear these costs. They can pass a portion of them on to patients or they can alter their practice patterns. Some physicians have cut the salaries of their hard-working, professionally trained medical staff or reduced headcount in their practices.”