It's getting ugly folks...
As many of you know, being involved in the politics of medicine is important. You must stay involved in order to prevent non-medical professionals dictating how you practice medicine.
Recently, the first CIR Women in Medicine Dinner was held at the Padre. We had an amazing panel of speakers including former faculty, Dr. Jennifer Abraham. Dr. Abraham is a successful (and in my opinion brilliant) IM physician in private practice in Bakersfield.
She educated us on MICRA (Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act of 1975) and more importantly that the trial lawyers have successfully rallied for the anti-MICRA act to be placed on the ballot this November. They are calling the "patient safety act" as a clever disguise to get people to vote for it, and there is talks the title may change to "Drug and alcohol testing of doctors.”
MICRA allows for a $250,000 pain and suffering cap on malpractice claims, thus controlling malpractice insurance rates and improving accessibility to physicians for Californians (which was difficult prior to MICRA...read some newspaper archives from the 1970's).
CLEVERLY DISGUISED UNDER THE "PATIENT SAFETY ACT"... random drug and alcohol testing of doctors and require doctors to check a statewide database before prescribing narcotics (CURES REPORT).
The repercussions of passing this act will negatively impact any of us planning to stay in California to practice after residency. Please get informed and read about the history of MICRA and how it set a precedent for the rest of the nation in regards to tort reform. Inform your friends, family and co-workers. Most importantly, VOTE THIS NOVEMBER.
A recent poll showed 71% of voters are in favor of the act, most likely because of the misleading title and lack of education on the topic.
