New Mexico bill targets medical malpractice reform amid doctor exodus House Bill 99, sponsored by Rep. Christine Chandler, aims to cap punitive damages in malpractice lawsuits to address New Mexico’s doctor shortage, but amendments have weakened its protections for large hospitals. Presbyterian has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on medical malpractice ads, urging lawmakers to reform malpractice laws in New Mexico, where uncapped punitive damages and a doctor shortage have created a breeding ground for lawsuits.House Bill 99, sponsored by Rep. Christine Chandler, seeks to address these issues and has cleared the House Health and Human Services Committee. Chandler said, “It’s definitely a step in the direction. I don’t want to kid anyone suggesting that this is a magical thing and in a year from now we won’t have a shortage of doctors.”The bill caps punitive damages in malpractice lawsuits at $900,000 for independent doctors and $6 million for locally owned hospitals. “What it does, it sends a message to health care providers that we are not a hostile place to practice in terms of litigation environment,” Chandler said.An amendment added Friday removed protections for large corporate-owned hospitals, which Chandler opposes. “It’s an amendment that makes the bill much weaker and provides much less protection to a number of larger health care providers in the state,” she said.Republican Rep. Alan Martinez, House Minority Whip, supported the bill, stating, “The bill, as it was originally drafted, I think is a great idea. It doesn’t solve every problem.” He also agreed with Chandler, expressing dissatisfaction with the amendment. “It kind of guts the whole thing. We want to protect as many doctors and providers as we possibly can,” Martinez said.
New Mexico bill targets medical malpractice reform amid doctor exodus
House Bill 99, sponsored by Rep. Christine Chandler, aims to cap punitive damages in malpractice lawsuits to address New Mexico’s doctor shortage, but amendments have weakened its protections for large hospitals.
Presbyterian has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on medical malpractice ads, urging lawmakers to reform malpractice laws in New Mexico, where uncapped punitive damages and a doctor shortage have created a breeding ground for lawsuits.
House Bill 99, sponsored by Rep. Christine Chandler, seeks to address these issues and has cleared the House Health and Human Services Committee.
Chandler said, “It’s definitely a step in the direction. I don’t want to kid anyone suggesting that this is a magical thing and in a year from now we won’t have a shortage of doctors.”
The bill caps punitive damages in malpractice lawsuits at $900,000 for independent doctors and $6 million for locally owned hospitals.
“What it does, it sends a message to health care providers that we are not a hostile place to practice in terms of litigation environment,” Chandler said.
An amendment added Friday removed protections for large corporate-owned hospitals, which Chandler opposes.
“It’s an amendment that makes the bill much weaker and provides much less protection to a number of larger health care providers in the state,” she said.
Republican Rep. Alan Martinez, House Minority Whip, supported the bill, stating, “The bill, as it was originally drafted, I think is a great idea. It doesn’t solve every problem.”
He also agreed with Chandler, expressing dissatisfaction with the amendment.
“It kind of guts the whole thing. We want to protect as many doctors and providers as we possibly can,” Martinez said.
