PRINTER'S NO. 3188
No. 399 Session of 2002
INTRODUCED BY ROBERTS, LESCOVITZ, HANNA, M. WRIGHT, CREIGHTON,
COY, JAMES, TURZAI, GRUCELA, MELIO, DeLUCA, SHANER, SURRA,
G. WRIGHT, PETRARCA, TIGUE, YOUNGBLOOD, THOMAS, STABACK,
SOLOBAY, SCHRODER AND CORRIGAN, JANUARY 29, 2002
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, JANUARY 29, 2002
A RESOLUTION
1 Urging the Governor to call for the convening of a special
2 session of the General Assembly in order to address the
3 impending medical malpractice insurance crisis.
4 WHEREAS, An overabundance of medical malpractice lawsuits
5 coupled with large sum financial awards to injured parties has
6 resulted in skyrocketing insurance premium rates; and
7 WHEREAS, Such increases in medical malpractice insurance
8 premiums continue to discourage physicians from performing high-
9 risk, life-saving procedures; and
10 WHEREAS, Such increases in medical malpractice insurance
11 premiums have encouraged physicians to relocate their practices
12 to other states; and
13 WHEREAS, Insurance companies are not renewing malpractice
14 insurance for Pennsylvania's high-risk medical specialists; and
15 WHEREAS, State records indicate the number of neurosurgeons,
16 pediatricians, obstetricians and gynecologists, all high-risk
17 specialties, has been declining; and
1 WHEREAS, This is a Statewide problem that threatens the
2 vitality of Pennsylvania's health care system; therefore be it
3 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge the
4 Honorable Mark Schweiker, Governor of the Commonwealth, to call
5 for the convening of a special session of the General Assembly
6 in 2002 to study and address the issue of increasing costs of
7 medical malpractice insurance throughout this Commonwealth.
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