RE: Support for H.R. 4771, the “Help Efficient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act of 2016”
Dear Chairman Goodlatte and Ranking Member Conyers:
As the Alliance of Specialty Medicine (Alliance), our mission is to advocate for sound federal health care policy
that fosters patient access to the highest quality specialty care. As patient and physician advocates, the Alliance
writes in support of the House Judiciary’s intent to advance the H.R. 4771, the “Help Efficient, Accessible, Lowcost, Timely Healthcare (HEALTH) Act of 2016” (Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz.). This bill sets conditions for lawsuits
arising from health care liability claims. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that the reforms
contained in the bill would lower health care costs by an estimated $40 billion over a ten-year period.
The Alliance supports meaningful medical liability reform that reduces growth in health care costs, stabilizes
professional liability insurance premiums, preserves access to specialty care, and encourages physician
engagement in meaningful quality improvement activities. Meaningful medical liability reform, as outlined in the
HEALTH Act, fully compensates patients for medical/economic damages, while placing a $250,000 limit on
noneconomic damages and making a defendant liable only for damages equal to his/her share of responsibility;
maximizes patient awards and discourages frivolous lawsuits through sliding scale contingency fees; and
eliminates double recovery by accounting for evidence of collateral source benefits paid.
For these reasons, the Alliance extends our strong support for its advancement in the House, and we commend
you for considering this important legislation.
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