For over a decade, the New York State Legislature and Governor have failed to provide solutions for soaring medical malpractice insurance costs.

The inaction has resulted in artificially low medical malpractice insurance rates and the creation of the Medical Malpractice Insurance Pool (MMIP). The low rates have caused the rapid financial deterioration of the medical malpractice insurance industry. The taxpayer funded MMIP is the market of last resort for medical malpractice insurance for eligible physicians, dentists and podiatrists, who are unable to procure such insurance in the voluntary market.

Now the Legislature and Governor are considering a tax on your property and casualty insurance policies to close the $480 million deficit in the MMIP insurance program. In addition, we have a strong reason to believe the Governor is proposing to eliminate the cap on legal fees on medical malpractice awards and banning health care providers from interviewing witnesses. These actions will cause an increase on insurance rates and health care costs.

The Business Council supports legal reforms such a cap on noneconomic damages and the creation of health courts. The legislature must enact these reforms to lower health care costs, increase access to obstetric and other health care services, limit defensive medicine, and stop doctors leaving to practice in other states.

Tell Albany to stop bailing out the taxpayer funded MMIP and enact legal reforms to lower health care costs.  Click here now!