Lawmakers Will Explore Resurrecting Medical Malpractice Legislation

INDIANAPOLIS -- Lawmakers Monday will explore resurrecting an idea left for dead weeks ago – overhauling Indiana’s medical malpractice system.

Different sides in the medical malpractice issue – hospitals, doctors, trial lawyers and the insurance industry – worked on a solution for months. But Sen. Brent Steele, who helped lead those discussions, announced earlier this session that the sides couldn’t reach an agreement. 

Now, in a last ditch effort to shore up concerns about the system’s constitutionality, lawmakers will try again on the last day this session for standing committee hearings. 

Speaker Brian Bosma says that kind of last-minute maneuvering isn’t his first choice.

“But this is so very important to Hoosier patients and citizens that it’s something that we have to have an open dialogue about, even if it’s at the last minute,” he said.

Senate GOP Leader David Long echoes Bosma’s comments, saying the issue is important enough to make every effort.

“I’m not sure they can get there; really, I’m not," Long said. "It’s a hard sell.”

Indiana's medical malpractice cap hasn’t been raised since 1999. Lawmakers have just two weeks left this session to find the answer.