House and Senate override governor's veto of med mal bill
7 April 2011
Dear Colleague,
Success! What a journey it has been and I am so pleased to share the great news that today the House of Delegates and Senate voted in favor of the medical malpractice bill (HB 1459) by a vote of 93 to 7 in the House and 29 to 11 in the Senate. The Senate also passed their version of the bill by nearly the same margin. Unfortunately the bills got caught up in legislative politics, but we were able to get the support of the necessary two-thirds of legislators in the House and Senate. These votes overturn the governor’s veto of this bill and the cap agreement will become law on July 1 with the first adjustment to the cap taking place July 1, 2012.
This remarkable achievement did not come without the tireless effort, resilience and determination of the Medical Society of Virginia (MSV) physician leaders and members, the MSV professional staff and our partners in this process at the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association and the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association. Perhaps to some this may seem like an unlikely collaboration, but it is proof that when united around a common goal we can be successful in improving health care in Virginia in remarkable ways.
For each of you who have shown leadership by serving on the MSV medical liability advocacy group, board of directors and tort reform task force, I know this must be especially gratifying. And, to every single physician, practice manager and Alliance member who has taken the time to reach out to legislators or to the governor, please know that each one of you helped make this possible.
Together we have helped ensure the stability of Virginia’s health care environment for the next 20 years. Now we can forge ahead focusing on additional ways we can work to make Virginia the best place to practice medicine and receive medical care.
As always, I sincerely thank our members for participating in our efforts and for your membership in MSV. Each and every member’s voice adds to our ability to advocate for our profession and our patients.
Regards,
Cynthia C. Romero, M.D., FAAFP
MSV President
Related articles