President Bush backs medical liability tort reform

President Bush has kicked off his second term in office by asking Congress to impose limits this year on medical malpractice litigation, according to The New York Times (1/5/05). He backs tort reform that will cap non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases at $250,000-a stance that mirrors that of the American Medical Association.

"America's health care professionals should be focused on fighting illnesses, not on fighting lawsuits," Bush said in a speech earlier this year.

In the last Congressional session, the House of Representatives passed two tort reform bills but the Senate failed to act on either. Senate Republicans now hope to be able to pass tort reform in this session, after gaining seats in the November elections.