Medical Liability Reform

Background

Medical liability in the U.S. is criticized as being costly, inefficient, and inconsistent. This broken system is failing both doctors and patients alike. For more than 40 years, numerous reform efforts have failed to pass legislation that contains costs, stabilizes liability insurance premiums, and meaningfully promotes patient safety.

Congressional Efforts

Liability Protections for Volunteers

Large-scale disasters such as wildfires, hurricanes, and flooding have highlighted the need to ensure physicians who seek to lend their expertise and assistance to victims are not turned away because of the threat of medical liability lawsuits. ACS supports legislative efforts to provide liability protections to medical professionals who volunteer in a federally declared disaster.

State Affairs Legislative Efforts

Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioners Act (UEVHPA)

See a list of the states that have enacted UEVHPA.