Georgia Governor gathers public support for liability reform
After years of false starts and competing priorities, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp is reviving efforts to address medical liability reform and its impact on costs for Georgia patients.
Speaking at an annual event to kick off the legislative session, Governor Kemp rallied business and political leaders across the state in support of bringing costs down, including those that result from a broken medical liability system.
Reasonable limits on non-economic damages were introduced and signed into law nearly two decades ago but have since been struck down by the state Supreme Court. In the meantime, Georgia has been dubbed a “judicial hellhole” due to outsized jury verdicts and medical lawsuit abuse.
“That data has now been gathered and, following multiple roundtable conversations on the impact our current legal environment is having on our economic growth and health-care needs, I will soon be unveiling a robust legislative package that will bring balance to our proceedings and parity with our neighbors,” Governor Kemp announced.
The renewed attention will be welcome to those who have long understood the impact of medical lawsuit abuse on the everyday health care costs of patients and providers and the diminishing access to care.
“Whatever we can do to make it more affordable to own a home, operate your vehicle and protect your family with insurance, we need to do it,” said state Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch.
To read more about the urgency for action on medical liability reform among Georgia’s business and political leaders, click here.
North Carolina anticipating need for realistic AI protections
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to revolutionize healthcare, North Carolina’s health systems are leading the charge in adopting innovative technologies.
These advancements bring important questions about accountability: who is responsible if AI misses the mark in patient care?
North Carolina is poised to become one of the first states to establish AI regulations tailored to health care, with the promise of streamlining administrative tasks, improving diagnostics, and enhancing patient care. Serious concerns remain, however, about its reliability and potential biases. Questions of liability loom large over lawmakers and regulators.
As Sen. Jim Burgin puts it, “The question that I keep asking is, ‘AI is making all these decisions for us, but if it makes the wrong decision, where’s the liability?’” State leaders, including Burgin, are pushing for legislation that will clarify these issues and offer protections for health care providers who adopt AI tools.
With clear regulations in place, health care systems and providers can foster innovation while ensuring that both patients and providers are protected. Click here to read how North Carolina is harnessing the power of AI in medical settings, while being mindful of its limitations.
American Medical Association addresses new Congress, priorities
In his welcome letter to the new Congress, American Medical Association President Bruce Scott, MD, laid out a call to action on advocacy for a better health care system that works for all.
His letter outlined several long-overdue reforms to enhance support for physicians, eliminate obstacles for patients, and expand access to care for patients nationwide. Scott also urged swift action and approval in areas where the previous Congress had unfinished bipartisan business.
While the AMA highlighted need for Medicare reforms and improving access to telehealth, he also mentioned the importance of including medical liability reform in future health care legislation.
“The AMA and our Federation of Medicine partners remain firmly committed to working with the new Congress, the new administration and all other stakeholders to create and sustain a health system that best serves patients and physicians through reduced regulatory burdens, greater cost transparency and affordability, physician-led payment reform and commonsense medical liability measures, among other objectives.”
The AMA has long advocated for meaningful liability reforms at the state and federal level, offering a range of resources, including its Medical Liability Reform NOW! toolkit.
Click here to read AMA’s congressional welcome letter in full.