Medical Liability Reform

The AAOS is committed to safe, accessible, cost effective and quality patient care. However, the structure of the current medical liability system limits the ability of physicians to provide the highest quality patient care and systematic medical liability reform is necessary to improve the overall health care system. The AAOS believes that broad reforms are necessary to compensate negligently injured patients promptly and equitably, enhance patient-physician communication, facilitate improvement of patient safety and quality of care, reduce defensive medicine and wasteful spending, decrease liability costs, and improve patient access to care. Further, the AAOS believes that no federal legislation pertaining to liability reform should include provisions that would undermine effective state tort reform provisions or the ability of states to enact tort reform tailored to local needs. In recognizing that broad reform requires pilots and time before widespread application, it is critical to provide interim relief within the current system through proven measures by state and/or federal legislation.

Recent News

• Protecting Access to Care Act Moves Forward, Advocacy Now, 3/8/17
• AAOS Applauds House for Passing Bill to Provide Licensure Clarity for Sports Medicine Professionals, AAOS Newsroom, 9/12/16
• The Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act Passes Committee, Advocacy Now, 7/19/16
• Ensuring Access for Athletes During March Madness, Advocacy Now, 3/29/16
• Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act Hearing, Advocacy Now, 12/11/15
• Barr and Barrasso Introduce Liability Protection Legislation, Advocacy Now, 7/7/15
• Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act Introduced, Advocacy Now, 3/3/15
• AAOS Applauds Introduction of Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act, AAOS Newsroom, 4/8/14
• Hope for a National Good Samaritan Law? AAOS Now, 1/1/14
• The Future of Liability Reform, AAOS Now, 1/1/13
• Trends in Medical Liability Coverage for Orthopaedic Surgeons, AAOS Now, 2/1/12
• Medical Liability Reform and HR 3590, AAOS Now, 10/1/10
• Medical Liability Reform: Back on the Table, AAOS Now, 11/1/09
• Survey Reveals Extent, Impact of Medical Liability Problem, AAOS Now, 1/1/08

Position Statements

• AAOS Position Statement on Medical Liability Reform
• AAOS Position Statement on Principles of Health Care Reform

Important Resources

• 2016 Congressional One-Pager: Medical Liability Reform
• 2016 Congressional One-Pager: Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act
  

Comment/Congressional Letters

• AAOS Statement on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health Hearing, 12/9/15
• Letter to Sen. Barrasso Supporting S. 1475, The Saving Lives, Saving Costs Act, 6/9/15
• Letter to Reps. Barr and Bera Supporting H.R. 4016, The Saving Lives, Saving Costs Act of 2014
  

Other Materials

• Doctors for Medical Liability Reform (DMLR)