MSDC Ramps Up Campaign For Medical Liability Insurance Reform in DC

Joins AHIP and Mayor Williams Encouraging DC Council to Enact Medical Insurance Reform Legislation.

Washington DC-- The Medical Society of the District of Columbia (MSDC) joined today with officials of America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) and DC Mayor Anthony A.Williams calling on the DC Council to take immediate action to address the ongoing crisis of medical liability insurance rates for doctors.

As part of their continuing campaign for medical liability reform, MSDC has launched a new campaign to help educate patients and City Council members of the critical need to Keep Your Doctor in DC. Physicians across the city are receiving patient education information and action kits to help their patients understand the impact of rising medical liability insurance premiums on access to quality affordable medical care.

"The fact of the matter is that without meaningful medical liability reform patient access to health care is seriously threatened," said Dr. Damian P. Alagia, President-elect of the Medical Society of the District of Columbia. "Doctors in the district of Columbia are seeing their annual medical liability insurance premiums double and triple over just the past five years. Medical liability insurance rates are forcing many physicians to limit services, drop plans, retire early or move to Virginia and Maryland where rates are often as much as 60 percent lower.

"As physicians fighting to keep our practices open so we can provide access to quality, affordable health care to our patients, we understand just how serious the medical liability crisis is," Dr. Alagia continued. "We are proud to stand alongside AHIP as we work with the Mayor to advance legislation that will provide real reform to a medical liability system that is broken.

"We cannot continue to provide medical services to District residents if we are paying the highest insurance premiums in the nation. There is a clear and direct correlation between having the largest jury awards in the nation and paying the highest liability insurance rates in the nation," Dr. Alagia concluded.