Earlier this year, a bill passed by the state legislature greatly expanding damages awardable in wrongful death actions was vetoed by Governor Kathy Hochul. New versions of the bills, A.6698 and S.6636, were recently introduced without addressing any of the real concerns physicians raised about the previous legislation. This legislation will enable the awards of new categories of damages, expand the statute of limitations, and result in nearly 40% growth in liability costs.
State lawmakers only have until June 8th to act on this bill.
Surgeons cannot work in an environment where the state legislature increases their already enormous liability insurance cost burden, which exceeds every other state in the country. Worst of all, these costs disproportionately impact physicians working in underserved communities.
Please contact your local Assemblymembers and Senators urging them that renewed legislation to update New York’s wrongful death law must be balanced to address the extraordinary medical liability costs in our state.
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What We're Reading
AMA: One in Three Physicians Previously Sued in Their Career
Nearly half of physicians age 55 and over have been sued in an inefficient system where most claims are dropped or decided in favor of physicians
A new analysis shows the widest variation in claim frequency is attributed to the medical specialty that defines the clinical focus of a physician. In general, surgical specialties are at highest risk. Obstetricians/gynecologists (ob-gyns), general surgeons, other surgeons and orthopedic surgeons are at highest risk of being sued during their careers.
Given the heavy cost associated with a litigious climate and the significant financial toll it takes on the nation’s health care system, the AMA continues to work with state and specialty medical associations and other stakeholders in pursuit of both traditional and innovative medical liability reforms that strike a reasonable balance between the needs of patients who have been harmed and the needs of millions of Americans who need affordable, accessible medical care.
Medical Liability Reform– Now!
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