Political Quotes

“we face a serious medical malpractice problem in Illinois. I have had meetings in the area where I was born with doctors and most recently with hospital administrators. The recent medical malpractice insurance premium increases for this year were only--I underline ``only''--7 rac{1}{2} ext{ percent through the Illinois State Medical Society, but adjustments will follow for specialties and for experience, and for some of these doctors that rate could be increased dramatically. I have come away from the meetings convinced now more than ever that we need to do something about the medical malpractice crisis that faces America. I understand, and I think those who follow it understand, that in my State of Illinois and in other States around the Nation medical malpractice premiums have gone up so dramatically that good doctors who have no experience of having ever been sued successfully for medical malpractice see their premiums go up by 30, 40 percent, and more. These doctors, frankly, cannot continue to practice under those circumstances and are forced into early retirement or have to transfer their practices to adjoining States with different malpractice laws. Hospital administrators talked to me about what it means for them. When you do not have a neurosurgeon on staff at a hospital, how can you open an emergency room or give trauma care? It is a legitimate, real concern.…”