Straight Line Public Relations: Fair Share Act

Showing posts with label Fair Share Act. Show all posts

Thursday, June 30, 2011

The Fair Share Act: A Significant First Step in Reform of Liability System

"The Fair Share Act is a commonsense measure that maintains a person’s right to collect damages while bringing fairness, balance, and stability to Pennsylvania’s liability system,"

Harrisburg, PA, June 29, 2011 - The Pennsylvania Orthopaedic Society (POS) today commends Governor Corbett for signing into law Senate Bill 1131, legislation that eliminates joint and several liability for any defendant found to be less than 60 percent liable for causing an injury.

"The Fair Share Act is a commonsense measure that maintains a person’s right to collect damages while bringing fairness, balance, and stability to Pennsylvania’s liability system," said Harry Schmaltz, MD, president POS. "This critical reform will help doctors in their roles as healthcare practitioners and as business people. Our Society’s members thank the Governor for signing important tort reforms into law. We look forward to working with the Governor and General Assembly on other reforms such as certificate of merit requirements and expert witness rules as well as a reasonable resolution of the Mcare Program."

Over the past decade, the Pennsylvania General Assembly has taken many steps toward improving the state’s medical liability environment. With the signing of Senate Bill 1131, Pennsylvania now joins more than 40 states that have taken measures to address the liability concerns of both medicine and business.

POS President Schmaltz also recognized legislative leaders and other lawmakers who championed this vital legal reform. Schmaltz noted that Senators Jake Corman, Jeff Piccola, John Rafferty, John Gordner, Don White along with their leaders President Pro Tempore Joseph Scarnati and Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi were instrumental in the bill’s passage. On the House side, acknowledged Representatives Curt Schroder and Ron Marsico as well as House Speaker Sam Smith and Majority Leader Mike Turzai for their steadfast efforts to achieve liability reform.

POS is a professional medical specialty organization representing more than 1000 orthopaedic surgeons across Pennsylvania in advocating for excellence in the practice of orthopaedic medicine. For more information on the importance of bone, joint and muscle health at every age, visit the POS website at www.paorthosociety.org.

Contact:

Beth Weachter

PA Orthopaedic Society

510 North Third Street

Harrisburg, PA 17101

717-909-8901

beth@paorthosociety.org

http://www.paorthosociety.org/

Friday, April 15, 2011

Orthopaedic Surgeons Hail Passage of Fair Share Act

HB 1 Brings Commonsense to Liability System

Harrisburg, PA, April 11, 2011 - The Pennsylvania Orthopaedic Society (POS) today hailed passage of House Bill 1, legislation that eliminates joint and several liability for any defendant found to be less than 60 percent liable for causing an injury. The bill passed the House of Representatives on a 112-88 vote.

"HB 1 is a commonsense measure that maintains a person’s right to collect damages while bringing fairness, balance, and stability to Pennsylvania’s liability system," said Harry Schmaltz, MD, president POS. "This critical reform will help doctors in their roles as healthcare practitioners and as business people. Our Society’s members thank the House of Representatives for swiftly moving this important measure through the legislative process."

Over the past decade, the Pennsylvania General Assembly has taken many steps toward improving the state’s medical liability environment.

Pennsylvania, however, remains one of the few states that have not taken full measures to address the liability concerns of both medicine and business. Enactment of HB 1 is a top priority item for both the medical and business communities."Over the years, our friends in the legislature have heard our concerns and boldly acted to assist physicians and hospitals in regard to Pennsylvania’s intolerable medical liability system. With their action today, the House of Representatives stepped toward resolving the longstanding liability plight of both the medical and business communities."

Dr. Schmaltz recognized the efforts of State Representative Curt Schroder (R. Chester), the driving force behind HB 1. "For many years, Representative Schroder has steadfastly advanced a reform agenda to protect doctors from lawsuit abuse. We sincerely thank him for work in securing a liability environment in which we can work."

"In addition, the POS thanks House Speaker Sam Smith (R. Jefferson), House Majority Leader Mike Turzai (R. Allegheny) and House Judiciary Committee chair Ron Marsico (R. Dauphin) for swiftly bringing HB 1 to a Final Passage vote. Without their support, we would languish in a sea of unfair liability."