Mayor Expected to Reintroduce Medical Liability Reform Legislation in Early May

The word from Mayor Williams' office is that reintroduction of his legislation to address the growing medical liability crisis in the District is imminent.  MSDC expects the bill to be similar to the Mayor's Health Care Liability Reform Act of 2004, which included many of the successful provisions found in California's Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA), including a $250K cap on non-economic damages.  When it became apparent that the DC Council would take no action on the legislation last year, MSDC began laying the groundwork for the reintroduction of similar legislation this year.

The Medical Society has not been idle as it awaits reintroduction of the Mayor's reform legislation:

• We continue to meet with individual councilmembers to educate them on the need for reform in the District;
• We continue to gather data to show how the crisis is growing and is now impacting most medical specialties in the District; and
• We continue to serve as the voice of DC physicians and their patients who seek a solution to a problem that is eroding the District's healthcare infrastructure.
• With the strong backing of Mayor Williams, we are taking the fight for medical liability reform to City Council where we believe the time has never been better to achieve a legislative solution to this crisis," said MSDC President Victor G. Freeman, MD, MPP.