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House bills aren't true
liability reform, 18th District lawmakers say
Soaring liability
insurance costs are driving health-care providers from Washington and
making it more difficult for employers to be competitive. That won’t
change in spite of legislation passed today by the House, say
Rep. Ed Orcutt,
R-Kalama, and Rep. Tom Mielke, R-Battle Ground.
“We made minor progress.
But this isn’t the real reform we need to keep good doctors here and
make health care coverage more affordable. As liability insurance costs
go up, the cost of health care and health care coverage goes up. This
makes it harder for employers to afford health care coverage for their
employees and forces more to seek assistance from the state system,”
said Orcutt.
“This package avoids the genuine reforms that would ultimately and
dramatically drop the cost of liability insurance,” said Mielke. “With
real tort reform, cases would go to trial quicker, the settlement
process would be faster, and injured parties would see relief much
sooner than through a lengthy court proceeding. This legislation won’t
get us there.”
Citizens and employers
would benefit more if the House adopted either a comprehensive House
Republican liability reform bill or legislation passed by the state
Senate earlier this month, the 18th District lawmakers said.
“These bills don’t address the underlying issues. Beyond that, it’s hard
to say much about this package, good or bad -- because it really doesn’t
do much,” Mielke said. “At best, these bills are inconsequential.”
“The legislation the House passed won’t do any harm, but it’s certainly
not going to lower medical insurance premiums, keep doctors in
Washington, encourage employers to locate and expand in Washington, and
protect those who are injured by ensuring they are compensated fairly,”
Orcutt said. “More must be done to bring the meaningful reforms our
citizens and employers expect the Legislature to provide.”
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For more information, contact:
Brendon Wold, Public
Information Officer: (360) 786-7698
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