Louisiana Health Care Threatened by Court Decision, Says American Medical Association

To: National Desk

Contact: Melissa M. Guido of the American Medical
Association, 312-464-4443

CHICAGO, Sept. 29 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following is
a statement by William G. Plested, III, M.D., American
Medical Association president:

"Louisiana's health care environment is further
endangered by the narrowly split decision of the Third
Circuit Court of Appeals, which superseded the will of
the people when it ruled unconstitutional the state's
cap on damages in medical liability actions.

"Nearly 30 years ago, the Louisiana state legislature
enacted legislation to provide the state with a remedy
for the clear social and economic problems caused by
the state's broken liability system. Louisiana
patients and physicians have long benefited from a
stable medical liability environment as a direct
result of these reforms.

"While maintaining support for state legislative
initiatives, the AMA continues to push for the
enactment of federal reforms to provide necessary
relief from unsustainable liability insurance premiums
for all physicians while increasing access to care for
our nation's patients."

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