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Hospitals sue Rendell over malpractice

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13 comments

Hospitals sue Rendell over malpractice

POSTED: Thursday, December 11, 2008, 3:54 PM

Inquirer staff writer Josh Goldstein reports:

The Rendell administration has violated the Pennsylvania Constitution and law by not funding a program to reduce doctors malpractice costs, the state’s hospital lobby charged today in a petition in Commonwealth Court.

The Hospital & HealthSystem Association of Pennsylvania asked the court to order the administration to fully fund the so-called Mcare abatements, the state-funded program to reduce doctors’ malpractice costs.

Gov. Rendell has said he would not support the abatement program unless the state legislature first acted on his proposal to help more uninsured Pennsylvanians get access to affordable coverage. The Senate Republicans and the administration had not resolved the stalemate when the legislature adjourned for the year.

Carolyn F. Scanlan, president of the hospital group, said that without the abatement, which is funded by the tobacco tax, the state risks “a catastrophic loss over the coming years of physicians … that will reduce patient access to care.”

Rendell’s spokesman Chuck Ardo said the hospital association clearly didn’t understand the law “because the legislation does not provide for continued subsidies for malpractice costs for doctors and hospitals."

Ardo said the governor has said that if ordinary Pennsylvanian’s do not get a benefit from the health care retention fund created with tax funds, he doesn’t believe that doctors and hospitals should benefit either.

Read more breaking news in our From The Source blog.

Inquirer Online Desk @ 3:54 PM Permalink | 13 comments

13 comments

Comments (13)

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:02 PM, 12/11/2008

It is about time. When will you investigate how the trial lawyers run this state.

— sleepy

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:13 PM, 12/11/2008

Cannot blame the doctors for their actions.

— tonyS

Comment removed.

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:40 PM, 12/11/2008

Tom Know is running for Gov... Very disturbing indeed...

— jnixon05

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:46 PM, 12/11/2008

rendell has also avoided funding for the teacher's pension plan. unless its a casino,comcast or food, he's not interested

— natedog

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:56 PM, 12/11/2008

Lived here my whole life, love PA and Philly in particular. I just wish we could get with the times. Lots of oudated laws and practices, and no one with any vision or good ideas is ready to lead. My frustration is shared by many, especially physicians. When we all leave PA the trial lawyers will set their target$ on something else. What's worse than Kentucky? Pennsytucky!

— Sun Ra

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:06 PM, 12/11/2008

I wonder what happens when rendell has chest pain and there is no cardiologist to stent him because they all moved away

— PhillysportsfaninKY

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:29 PM, 12/11/2008

If doctors and hospitals benefit from the fund, then ordinary Pennsylvanian's do as well.

— idempotent

Comment removed.

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:58 PM, 12/11/2008

Fast Eddie deserved this because he tried to link the abatement program with the uninsured residents legislation, a move that's typical of his behavior when he doesn't get his way. I believe he threatened to furlough a bunch of DRPA workers a few years ago when he didn't get his way on dredging the Delaware. Maybe he should take time out from his Eagles game to look up the word "integrity". I've been practicing in this state for 22 years, but it may be time to go.

— drbob1