HCLA urges lawmakers to protect volunteer doctors during disasters
As Congress works to reform the Federal Emergency Management Agency through the FEMA Act of 2025, the Health Coalition on Liability and Access is urging lawmakers to add a safeguard that is central to disaster relief: liability protections for volunteer doctors.
In a letter to House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee leaders, the HCLA called for the inclusion of the Good Samaritan Health Professionals Act – a proposal well-known to grassroots supporters of medical liability reform, that would shield licensed medical professionals from liability when they cross state lines to offer care during federally declared disasters.
“Following national calamities such as a natural disaster, terrorist attack, or pandemic outbreak, it is crucial for affected Americans to have access to adequate medical resources in a timely manner,” writes Mike Stinson, HCLA Chair, in a letter signed by HCLA member organizations. “Unfortunately, federal law does not provide adequate protection to healthcare professionals who spontaneously volunteer their medical services in these times of need.”
The measure builds upon the CARES Act’s proven liability protections for volunteers serving COVID-19 patients, ensuring future volunteers don’t face the legal roadblocks to providing care. The bill wouldn’t override state laws or increase taxpayer costs. It would simply remove barriers that discourage medical volunteers when they’re needed most.
Click here to read more about how the HCLA is advocating on behalf of disaster victims and volunteer providers, ensuring help isn’t turned away when disaster strikes.
Arizona addresses abusive impacts of third-party litigation
Arizona has enacted a new law to bring guardrails to third-party litigation financing, a fast-growing but largely unregulated practice that fuels medical lawsuit abuse and drives up health care costs.
Signed by Gov. Katie Hobbs, SB 1215 bans certain foreign-influenced financing of cases, prohibits funders from directing litigation strategy, and mandates disclosure of commissions paid to attorneys or health professionals by financers. It also voids predatory contracts and protects patients from being left on the hook for costs. As part of negotiations over the legislation, mandated disclosure of funding arrangements was dropped from the bill, but the state supreme court is developing its own rules requiring disclosure.
The new law ensures recourse for those with legitimate liability claims, while stopping outside investors from turning courtrooms into profit engines. “This is a smart, targeted reform that preserves access to justice while preventing abuses that can encourage expensive, unnecessary litigation and undermine fairness,” said Courtney Coolidge, EVP of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
In medical liability cases, where insurance premiums are already rising, unchecked litigation financing incentivizes high-dollar lawsuits with questionable merit, dragging out cases and inflating costs. The new law reins in those practices, benefiting health care practices and patients across the state.
To read more about how Arizona has taken steps to increase transparency and fairness in its medical liability system, click here.
Liability lawsuits threaten to sideline sports cardiologists
Medical liability lawsuits involving young athletes are a rare but growing risk for physicians who treat competitive athletes.
A new analysis published in Journal of American College of Cardiology reveals that some verdicts in cases surrounding sports cardiology can reach into the tens of millions of dollars, raising concerns about liability exposure for doctors treating athletes at all levels of competition.
Researchers found just 35 relevant cases between 1978 and 2024, yet outcomes were staggering: nearly a third resulted in multimillion-dollar settlements or awards.
While these suits may be uncommon, the high payouts reflect growing legal risk in a high-pressure environment. As Dr. Bradley Petek of Oregon Health & Science University noted, “With the increasing prevalence of athletes with [cardiovascular disease] participating in competitive sports… concerns about the medicolegal risks of providing care to this population have grown.”
These pressures threaten more than just individual doctors and the practice of sports cardiology, they risk discouraging specialists from working with young athletes altogether, especially in schools and underserved areas. Without reform, legitimate liability fears could limit access to expert care in moments where seconds matter.
Click here to read the study in full, and here for an analysis of the results and the urgency of keeping an active roster of sports cardiologists available to serve young athletes.