Health care advocacy groups push to pass Good Samaritan legislation
A long list of members of the Health Coalition on Liability and Access supporting bipartisan Good Samaritan legislation is continuing to advocate for additional cosponsors, highlighting the need to empower medical volunteers to deliver health care during large-scale disasters.
H.R. 2819, the Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act, is long overdue and would ensure that health care services are readily available during future health emergencies and disasters.
“When disaster strikes, medical professionals stand ready to help, often while facing circumstances where information, supplies and communications are sorely lacking,” said HCLA Chair Mike Stinson in a letter drafted on behalf of the HCLA members who are supporting the bill. “Despite these difficulties, they are not only willing to help but to volunteer to face numerous risks in serving those who are most impacted by tragic circumstances. Inconsistencies in current federal and state laws, however, could subject medical volunteers who serve during disasters and large-scale emergencies to the risk of unjust medical liability lawsuits.”
Two physician Members of Congress, Larry Bucshon (R-IN) and Raul Ruiz (D-CA) have introduced the Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act (H.R. 2819) to correct this problem.
The Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act reconciles current inconsistencies in state laws that may reduce the ability of health care professionals to be available to treat disaster victims, especially when applied to large-scale disasters that may cross state lines and affect patient care.
To read the industry support letter for the bill, click here.
Hidden heartache of liability lawsuits
Being faced with a liability lawsuit can be profoundly distressing for health care professionals, leading to hidden heartache and mental health challenges that often go unseen.
A guest editorial piece in Psychology Today highlights how health care providers are unprepared for the “foreign and hazardous universe” they enter when faced with such litigation, contributing to mental health issues and often, burnout, leaving access to care at risk. With cases that are prolonged, sometimes dragging on for years, and the accusatory nature of the process, practitioners feel personally attacked – and may needlessly change their approach to the practice of medicine or depart the field altogether.
Upwards of a third of physicians who are sued report the process significantly impacted their emotional-physical well-being, their relationships with their patients, and or their overall practices – a figure the author, an instructor of a liability litigation course, feels is likely understated.
One of the biggest challenges is the arbitrary nature of lawsuits. Despite being highly skilled, practitioners can find themselves the subject of litigation over unintended outcomes despite having followed universally accepted practice guidelines.
As the author puts it, “any bad outcome (actual or perceived) can be litigated,” making these suits feel more like a societal lottery than a fair judgment of competence.
Yet, it’s crucial for healthcare workers to remember that, given the often meritless nature of liability claims, these do not define their competence or compassion. To read more about how providers can mitigate the anxiety that accompanies these challenging situations and navigate their involvement in a liability lawsuit with greater resilience, click here.
Georgia has liability reform on mind in 2025
A recent speech to Georgia’s political and business leaders around tort reform highlighted Governor Brian Kemp’s commitment to pushing the long-term nature of the issue on behalf of patients and physicians across the state, while acknowledging that challenges lie ahead.
Ever since the state’s highest court struck down reasonable limits on non-economic damages in 2010, warning signals around huge jury verdicts and limited access to care have rung out in the state’s legislative chambers.
Recent months have reiterated the need for reforms as just two medical liability cases resulted in $81 million in awards in Georgia this summer.
For the second year in a row, Governor Kemp reiterated his stance to the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, while acknowledging that substantial liability reform would take more than a year to achieve. In the meantime, stakeholders and public officials expect to be guided by a new state report on the impact of tort claims on the insurance market that will be released in November.
Click here to read more about Georgia’s efforts to push for a variety of tort reforms to address the state’s difficult and litigious climate.