On the recordMarch 22, 2012
This amendment would actually lower the incentive to practice safe medicine, and I say this on careful examination. I'm surprised that my colleague, the leader on the other side, himself a distinguished doctor, would be silent on this provision because it shields hospitals, employed physicians, even physicians who are already covered by private insurance; and physicians working in an emergency room setting will never be held accountable when they wrongfully injure their patient. That is my only reservation and objection to what is otherwise an honorably intended revision of this measure. When hospitals and emergency room departments are not held accountable for medical errors and for negligence, then they have no incentive to offer quality care or hire competent physicians. Please, I beg you to carefully examine the dangers implicit in the Dent-Sessions amendment. I yield back the balance of my time. The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Pennsylvania has 15 seconds remaining.
