Health Care and Medical Malpractice Reform: The Necessity of Reform in the Current Debate November 17, 2009

Host: The Heritage Foundation. A crucial debate is taking place in Congress over health care. However, absent from the various bills being reviewed has been any proposal to bring down the rising cost of health care, which is driven in large measure by abusive tort litigation and the defensive medicine practiced by the vast majority of doctors. President Obama has offered pilot projects on reform, but has shied away from serious medical malpractice reform. States such as Texas that have implemented such reforms, however, have seen significant decreases in medical malpractice claims and premiums (a major cost in health care), and reductions or reversals of the number of doctors leaving the profession or moving to other states. Senator John Cornyn will discuss the current debate over health care, the importance of medical malpractice reform, and the success of health care and tort reform in his home state of Texas.