TO TRY AND GO THROUGH THE ROUNDHOUSE BEFORE THE CLOCK STRIKES NOON ON FEBRUARY 19TH. ONE OF THE MAJOR BILLS TO REFORM MEDICAL MALPRACTICE IN NEW MEXICO, PASSING THE HOUSE THIS AFTERNOON. IT RECEIVED BIPARTISAN SUPPORT. KOAT JOHN RUPOLO JOINS US LIVE IN STUDIO WITH MORE. JOHN. JASON. GOOD EVENING. THE MEDICAL MALPRACTICE REFORM BILL, AIMING TO IMPROVE THE CLIMATE FOR DOCTORS HERE, SKYROCKETING MALPRACTICE INSURANCE PREMIUMS HAVE KEPT DOCTORS AWAY AND CAUSED SOME TO LEAVE. SATURDAY AFTERNOON, THE HOUSE OVERWHELMINGLY PASSING THE MEDICAL MALPRACTICE REFORM BILL ON A 66 TO 3 VOTE. THE BILL, MANY LAWMAKERS BELIEVE, WILL HELP BRING DOCTORS BACK TO THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO. THE LEGISLATION SEEKS TO CHANGE THE NO CAP ON PUNITIVE DAMAGES LAWS THAT EXIST NOW IN THE STATE’S COURT SYSTEM. IT SPURS LITIGATION. IT CREATES AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS HOSTILE TO THOSE WHO ARE PRACTICING MEDICINE IN THE STATE. BY PLACING A CAP ON PUNITIVE DAMAGES. IT ASSURES THOSE HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS THAT THEY CAN MANAGE FOR THE RISKS THAT PUNITIVE DAMAGES PROVIDES. HERE’S A LOOK AT THE PROPOSED PUNITIVE DAMAGES. THIS WOULD BE THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF MONEY JURORS CAN AWARD IN A MALPRACTICE CASE IN THE STATE, AND AS A RESULT, THIS, THE ENVIRONMENT FOR PHYSICIANS WILL BE MORE ACCOMMODATING TO DOCTORS. THEY WILL FEEL SAFER TO PRACTICE HERE, AND WE EXPECT TO DRAW AND KEEP MORE PHYSICIANS AND OTHER HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS BECAUSE OF THIS REFORM. UNDER THE BILL, THERE WOULD BE A $15 MILLION CAP ON PUNITIVE DAMAGES FOR LARGER CORPORATE HOSPITALS LIKE PRESBYTERIAN AND LOVELESS. WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE LARGER HOSPITALS MAY BE ABLE TO ABSORB A HIGHER CAP, WHEREAS THE SMALLER HOSPITALS WERE PROVIDING SOME RELIEF AT A LOWER LEVEL. ALL RIGHT. SO WHERE DOES IT GO FROM HERE? RIGHT NOW, THE BILL IS ON ITS WAY TO THE SENATE. IF IT GETS TO THE GOVERNOR’S DESK. SHE TELLS US SHE’S GOING TO SIGN IT INTO INTO LAW. WE’RE LIVE IN THE STUDIO. JOHN RUPOLO KOAT ACTION SEVEN NEWS. THANK YOU, JOHN. AND THE NEW MEXICO TRIAL LAWYERS ASSOCIATION SAYS LARGE CORPORATE HOSPITALS SHOULD HAVE NO CAP ON PUNITIVE DAMAGES. REPUBLICANS RESPONDING TO THE PASSING OF THE BILL BY SAYING, QUOTE, IF WE WANT MORE DOCTOR
House Bill 99 ‘Medical Malpractice Reform’ passes the House
Bill’s sponsors say proposed caps on punitive damages will bring back doctors
The New Mexico House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill on Saturday afternoon to cap punitive damages in medical malpractice cases, with a vote of 66 to 3, aiming to attract doctors back to the state. “It spurs litigation. It creates an environment that is hostile to those who are practicing medicine in the state. By placing a cap on punitive damages, it assures those health care providers that they can manage for the risk that punitive damages provide, ” said Rep. Christine Chandler, the co-sponsor of HB 99.The bill proposes a $15 million cap on punitive damages for larger corporate hospitals like Presbyterian and Lovelace. This cap represents the maximum amount of money jurors can award in a malpractice case in New Mexico.It also puts a cap of $900,000 for independent doctors, $1,000,000 for independent outpatient clinics, and $6,000,000 for locally owned and operated hospitals, which are primarily rural hospitals. “And as a result, this environment for physicians will be more accommodating to doctors. They will feel safer to practice here. And we expect to draw and keep more physicians and other health care providers because of this reform,” Chandler said.The bill also recognizes that larger hospitals may be able to absorb a higher cap, while providing some relief at a lower level for smaller hospitals.
The New Mexico House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill on Saturday afternoon to cap punitive damages in medical malpractice cases, with a vote of 66 to 3, aiming to attract doctors back to the state.
“It spurs litigation. It creates an environment that is hostile to those who are practicing medicine in the state. By placing a cap on punitive damages, it assures those health care providers that they can manage for the risk that punitive damages provide, ” said Rep. Christine Chandler, the co-sponsor of HB 99.
The bill proposes a $15 million cap on punitive damages for larger corporate hospitals like Presbyterian and Lovelace. This cap represents the maximum amount of money jurors can award in a malpractice case in New Mexico.
It also puts a cap of $900,000 for independent doctors, $1,000,000 for independent outpatient clinics, and $6,000,000 for locally owned and operated hospitals, which are primarily rural hospitals.
“And as a result, this environment for physicians will be more accommodating to doctors. They will feel safer to practice here. And we expect to draw and keep more physicians and other health care providers because of this reform,” Chandler said.
The bill also recognizes that larger hospitals may be able to absorb a higher cap, while providing some relief at a lower level for smaller hospitals.
