Bill seeks ideas on medical malpractice

WASHINGTON, May 25 (UPI) -- States would be able to use federal money to experiment with new ways to avoid medical tort suits under a bill unveiled in the U.S. Senate Thursday.

The measure seeks to use the promise of grants from Washington to urge states to come up with novel dispute resolution programs designed to keep some malpractice suits out of court.

The bill, sponsored by Montana Democratic Sen. Max Baucus and Wyoming Republican Sen. Mike Enzi, could be a boon to supporters of so-called "health courts," which advocates say could resolve medical error lawsuits more quickly and fairly than traditional courts do.

"We need a system that restores a sense of order and proportion," Enzi said in a statement.

Congress for years has stalled on efforts by Republicans to place caps on malpractice awards against doctors and hospitals. Insurers and physician groups strongly back the caps, while trial lawyers and many patient groups oppose them.

Baucus said Thursday that the bill could rekindle efforts, in effect bypassing Congress and allowing states to experiment on alternative ways of adjudicating lawsuits.

"This is legislation that takes a frontal assault at our medical malpractice system," he said in an interview.