Jon L. Christensen: “H.R. 5 is but another wolf in lamb's clothing pretending to help doctors and patients, but really only helping the large…”

“H.R. 5 is but another wolf in lamb's clothing pretending to help doctors and patients, but really only helping the large healthcare corporations while doing nothing to help lift the malpractice burden from doctors and other providers or to ensure fair treatment to their patients. Health care professionals need to see through this sham. I am a family physician. I see my classmates and other doctors, excellent ones, many who have never been sued, struggling to keep their offices open under the pressure of outrageously high malpractice insurance premiums. Physicians are desperate for relief from their premiums. Unfortunately, the organizations representing physicians have been strongly supporting H.R. 5 possibly thinking that it is the best they can get, but it is not. It is truly a disservice to all of us that the Conyers-Dingell bill was not allowed consideration and debate. H.R. 5 does not even compare and is a poor attempt at a solution to this complicated problem. In fact, H.R. 5 is not of any help at all as has been proven in several states. This is politics and special interest legislation pure and simple, and our patients and us should not be the pawns in this game. This bill is another assault on the poor and minorities as well because regardless of their needs their awards will be capped at low levels. The cornerstone of H.R. 5 is a $250,000 cap on non-economic damages modeled after the arbitrary $250,000 cap instituted in MICRA.”