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Medical liability crisis affects women's health care
Legislators support lower insurance premiums
By By Todd Hilliard (Daily Texan Staff)
Texas Senator Florence Shapiro, R-Plano, spoke outside the Senate chambers about the dangers of expensive premiums. The legislators are calling for a statute of limitations on OB/GYN malpractice suits and a cap of $250,000 on non-economic damages. Currently, plaintiffs can sue doctors years after delivery for millions of dollars in punitive damages. "This situation affects us all as wives, mothers and grandmothers," Shapiro said. "Women and newborn babies are the real victims of skyrocketing insurance rates." Shapiro claimed that Texas premiums, almost double the premiums in states such as California are driving some OB/GYNs out of business and others out of Texas. Shapiro said this deprives some women, especially those in rural areas such as the Rio Grande Valley, of prenatal medical service close to home. Expectant mothers on Medicaid, find it hard to get care at all. "When women can't get medical care in their area, it compromises their health and the health of their baby," Shapiro said. "Texas is moving toward a situation like Las Vegas, where doctors are turning away pregnant women because they can't afford the insurance to treat them." According to the Physician Insurers Association of America, OB/GYNs were first among 28 specialty groups in the number of claims reported against them in 2000. At an average cost of $34,308, their claims were also the most expensive to defend. The Texan strives to present all information fairly, accurately and completely.
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