The American College of Radiology (ACR) of Reston, VA, has sent a letter to President Barack Obama, urging the administration to include malpractice reform in its overall healthcare reform initiative.
In a letter dated August 12, ACR board of chancellors chair Dr. James Thrall said it was responding to comments during a recent American Board of Radiology forum by an Obama administration official. The official said that malpractice reform was not included in the healthcare reform package because the White House had not heard from physicians on the issue, the letter states.
Thrall reiterated the ACR's position in support of medical malpractice reform, stating that defensive medicine costs the U.S. healthcare system $84 billion to $121 billion annually. Addressing tort reform would help the administration meet its objectives of cost containment in healthcare delivery, he said.
"Healthcare reform without medical malpractice reform will leave many providers feeling that they have been asked to undergo major change on behalf of society while other stakeholders, such as the plaintiff bar, have gotten a free pass," the letter states. "All parties involved in the various aspects of the healthcare delivery system must be part of the solution and sacrifice when necessary."
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