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U.S. House backs bill to limit malpractice suit awards

Ambulatory Surgery Reimbursement Update, August 2, 2005

Legislation that would limit malpractice suit awards for pain and suffering lawsuits to $250,000 passed the House of Representatives on Thursday, according to Reuters.

The bill, called "Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-Cost, Timely Healthcare" (HEALTH) will now go to the Senate for approval, where other malpractice caps passed by the House have stalled in the past.

Advocates of the bill say multi-million-dollar awards for frivolous lawsuits are driving up insurance premiums and are forcing some doctors to close their practices.

The White House issued a statement backing the bill, saying it would serve as a remedy for a "badly broken medical liability system," according to Reuters.

Despite the cap the bill would place on awards, HEALTH does not limit economic damages, covering lost wages or medical expenses.

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