Hillary on Tort Reform

MedPage Today reports on a conversation with Neera Tanden, the chief policy director for Senator Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.   The interview included Senator Clinton's position on tort reform:

On tort reform, Clinton and Obama see practically eye to eye. Before they became presidential candidates, the two senators co-authored an article in the New England Journal of Medicine and co-sponsored legislation to fund programs for the disclosure of medical errors and compensation to patients. The bill would have created an office of public safety. Physicians would be given some protection from liability under a system that encourages greater disclosure.

Like Obama, Clinton strongly opposes caps on awards for pain and suffering. "There are instances where injured patients would be disadvantaged by a cap," said Tanden. "Malpractice premiums have gotten out of control and Hillary is focusing on reforming the insurance system so that physicians won't have to pay as much."

McCain, who has voted in favor of caps, says tort reform is a top priority. He favors eliminating liability for physicians who follow clinical guidelines and adhere to patient safety protocols.

- SBS