Government
Doctors push for Washington state tort reform initiative
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Oct. 11, 2004
The American Medical Association and Washington State Medical Assn. in late September urged voters to back an initiative that would bring about a tort reform vote no later than fall 2005.
Doctors for Sensible Lawsuit Reform, a campaign committee of the WSMA, needs to collect nearly 200,000 signatures by year's end to force the state Legislature to address a tort reform proposal. The measure would cap noneconomic damages that an individual physician would be responsible for at $350,000. The patient could receive up to another $700,000 from a hospital or other health care facility.
If the signatures are collected, the Legislature will be required to vote on the proposal. If the reforms don't pass, it would go before the voters in November 2005.
If lawmakers amended the proposal, the amended version and the original version would go to voters.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/10/11/gvbf1011.htm.
