Dems Block Medical Malpractice Reform Bills

[Rhino]

Senate Dems Block Medical Malpractice Reform Bills

Monday, May 08, 2006

WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats on Monday blocked Republican medical malpractice legislation during the GOP's opening session of a "health week" of proposals designed to win support from conservative voters — if not passage.

The dispatch of a pair of bills to cap the amount of damages juries can award in medical malpractice cases has been expected since last week. The roll calls fell well short of the 60 votes Republicans needed to advance the bill.

President Bush said he was disappointed by the Senate's failure to act "on this national problem that deserves a national solution."

"Unwilling to take on their trial-lawyer supporters, the Democrats led this effort to block these much-needed reforms," Bush said in a written statement issued hours after the votes.

Republicans forced votes on the bills to demonstrate the GOP's commitment to fighting what Majority Leader Bill Frist called a "litigation lottery.".......http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,194683,00.html

[Beowulf]

Of course they'll block it! Doctors are rich and therefore it's proper for "little people" to sue and "bring em' down a bit."

And in there view, frivelous lawsuits aren't a problem in the healthcare crisis and don't cause higher insurance premiums.:rolleyes:

[Hogan]

And in there view, frivelous lawsuits aren't a problem in the healthcare crisis and don't cause higher insurance premiums


not my view. I think frivelous lawsuits are waaay out of control, in the healthcare system, and everywhere else.

OK, probably revealing some ignorance here... isn't the senate a republican majority right now? If so, it seems this would have passed. I may be in for a little civics lesson here, be kind.

[Bold_Fighter]

The libs will say it is the fault of the pharmacutical co's and the drug reps. That is insane! If it were not for the pharmacutical co's, there would be no drugs and if not for the reps, they wouldnt know about them so...BUZZ OFF LIBS!!!!!!!!!

[Rhino]

OK, probably revealing some ignorance here... isn't the senate a republican majority right now? If so, it seems this would have passed. I may be in for a little civics lesson here, be kind.I would presume that not all votes went along party lines. Very few do. And this was apparently a roll call vote. Not everybody shows up for roll call, though the numbers did look pretty high.