Lamar Smith: “The administration's health care bill fails to include a Republican solution that could actually achieve savings for…”

“The administration's health care bill fails to include a Republican solution that could actually achieve savings for patients--lawsuit abuse reform. Forty percent of medical malpractice suits against doctors and hospitals are without merit, according to a study by the Harvard School of Public Health. And excess damages add $70 billion to $126 billion annually to health care costs, the Department of Health and Human Services has found. These costs, of course, are passed on to patients. The administration has only suggested a pilot program for tort reform. But some States, including my home State of Texas, have already enacted tort reform. These States have seen insurance premiums fall and access to medical care expand. We don't need a pilot program. We need to enact medical malpractice lawsuit abuse reform.”