WILLIAMS HOLDS PRESS CONFERENCE AT MONTGOMERY HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER TO ADDRESS MEDICAL MALPRACTICE CRISIS

HARRISBURG, March 24, 2003 – State Senator Connie Williams (D-Montgomery/Delaware) held a press conference recently at the Montgomery Hospital Medical Center in Norristown to announce her legislative package to address southeastern Pennsylvania’s medical malpractice crisis.

Williams outlined the bills she has introduced to help curb the crisis including the Physician Tax Credit bill, the Joint Negotiation bill, and the Medical Professional Liability Court bill. 

“I have called this press conference today because I believe we must continue to keep this issue front and center,” said Williams.

The Physician Tax Credit bill would provide for a 10% tax credit for the costs of professional liability insurance for healthcare providers. 

The Joint Negotiation bill would permit physicians to join together to negotiate fees with insurance companies.

“Individual providers and small group practices don’t have the power to reject unfair provider contracts resulting in their inability to deliver quality health care to their patients,” said Williams.

The Medical Professional Liability Court bill would eliminate venue shopping by establishing courts situated in Norristown, Scranton, Harrisburg, Williamsport, Pittsburgh, and Erie.

Joining Williams at the news conference was a Montgomery Hospital Medical Center physician panel. The panel included the following physicians:

Phillip Kofsky, M.D., Montgomery Hospital Medical Staff President and general surgeon; James Nutt, M.D., Montgomery Hospital orthopedic surgeon; Charles Cutler, M.D., primary care physician and chairman of the Montgomery County Medical Society Board; and John Devenney, M.D., department of radiology chairman at Montgomery Hospital.

The physicians addressed issues such as patients' diminished access to quality medical care, and the difficulty in attracting young physicians to Pennsylvania because of the medical malpractice crisis.

“I plan to keep the medical malpractice insurance crisis at the top of my priority list this year,” Williams said.

“In the meantime, I eagerly await the recommendations of Governor Rendell’s Medical Malpractice Task Force, which is due to release its report by April 1st.”