The Kerry Line: Kerry Opposes Medical Liability Reform

George W. Bush ^ | September 7, 2004

[RWR8189]

"John Kerry has repeatedly opposed efforts to limit the medical liability lawsuits that raise health care costs by as much as $108 billion dollars each year. Instead of working to lower health care costs for families, Kerry has proposed raising taxes to pay for a government-run health care program that shifts costs to taxpayers while empowering bureaucrats in Washington. Kerry should start taking the side of patients and doctors rather than the trial lawyers who have given him more money than any senator over the past 15 years."

- Steve Schmidt, Bush-Cheney '04 Spokesman

Kerry Opposes Medical Liability Reform

Kerry Opposed Or Voted To Block Medical Liability Reform At Least Ten Times.

• Kerry Missed Both 2004 Votes On Medical Liability Reform. The February 2004 vote was a motion to invoke cloture (thus limiting debate) on the motion to proceed to consideration of the bill that would place caps on damage awards in medical malpractice lawsuits against obstetricians and gynecologists. The April 2004 vote was a motion to invoke cloture on a similar bill that would curb awards against emergency and trauma center personnel, as well as ob-gyns.

Medical Liability Reform Will Reduce Health Care Costs For American Families

Medical Liability Reform Could Save Between $60 Billion And $108 Billion In Health Care Costs Annually, Making Health Insurance More Affordable For Millions. "The [medical malpractice] litigation system also imposes large indirect costs on the health care system. Defensive medicine that is caused by unlimited and unpredictable liability awards not only increases patients' risk but it also adds costs. The leading study estimates that limiting unreasonable awards for non-economic damages could reduce health care costs by 5-9% without adversely affecting quality of care. This would save $60-108 billion in health care costs each year. These savings would lower the cost of health insurance and permit an additional 2.4-4.3 million Americans to obtain insurance." ("Confronting The New Health Care Crisis: Improving Health Care Quality And Lowering Costs By Fixing Our Medical Liability System," U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services, 7/25/02)

Lawyers Have Donated More To Kerry Than Any Other Senator Over The Past 15 Years

Since 1989, Kerry Has Received $15,217,154 From Lawyers, Most Of Any Senator In That Time Period. (Center For Responsive Politics Website, www.opensecrets.org, Accessed 8/16/04)

• Kerry's Presidential Campaign Has Received $13,838,965 From Lawyers. (Center For Responsive Politics Website, www.opensecrets.org, Accessed 8/16/04)

DNC Has Raised Over $2.2 Million From Trial Lawyers This Cycle. (Dwight L. Morris & Associates Website, www.campaignfinanceanalysisproject.com, Accessed 9/6/04)

[FormerACLUmember]

Crooked lawyers Kerry and Edwards are the last people on God's green earth to reform the utterly corrupt shyster industry. The money wasted on trial lawyers in the vast parasitic medical liability scam could pay for basic health insurance for many of the uninsured.

[joesnuffy]

Trial lawyer's whores
Kerry - Edwards

[KC_for_Freedom]

Wow, with Edwards as his number one, who would have thought that he would be opposed to liability reform. /sarcasm

[lugsoul]

Why does anyone think that we can handle the problem of frivolous lawsuits by putting caps on meritorious lawsuits?