Washington, D.C. – During today’s Senate Health, Education, Labor andPensions (HELP) Committee consideration of the Kennedy health care bill, Democratscontinued to reject every Republican effort to bring down health care costs, including aproposal from Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) to reduce frivolous medical lawsuits, whichdrive up costs and force doctors to order wasteful tests and treatments to coverliabilities.
“Frivolous lawsuits are driving costs so high that many people can’t afford care,but this bill doesn’t do anything to reduce them,” said Enzi, Ranking Member of theHELP Committee.
“As the President has said, we can’t enact sustainable health care reformwithout addressing skyrocketing costs. My amendment would bring down costs andmake health care more affordable, while ensuring that injured patients are compensatedfairly and promptly.”
Enzi offered the “Reliable Medical Justice Act,” which he introduced in 2007 withSenator Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, as anamendment to the Kennedy health bill. The Enzi-Baucus bill would createdemonstration programs for states to develop, implement and evaluate alternatives forresolving disputes over health care errors, and promote information-sharing to improvequality of care.
Democrats defeated the amendment on party lines.
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