Bush cites need for medical liability reform, -AND- Following bombings in Madrid, CDC reminds providers of its resources on mass trauma

Thu, 18 Mar 2004 12:39:13 -0800 (PST)

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===================================AHA NEWS NOWThe Daily Report for Health Care Executiveswww.ahanews.com===================================

Tuesday, March 16, 2004Bush cites need for medical liability reform, association health plans

President Bush said today that the rising costs of health care need to beaddressed through measures such as medical liability reform and theavailability of association health plans (AHPs). Speaking in Washington at aroundtable discussion with small business owners, Bush said frivolousmedical lawsuits are harming our society and raising the costs of healthcare. "This is a national problem that needs a national solution," he said."There needs to be a cap on non-economic damages at $250,000. If there is aneed for punitive damages, they need to be reasonable. We need medicalliability reform now." During the discussion at the U.S. Chamber ofCommerce, Bush also cited the need for increased access to associationhealth plans for small business owners. "If you're able to spread the risk,that lowers the cost of buying health care insurance," said Bush. "Rightnow, legislation on AHPs is stuck in the Senate. We need to get it out forthe sake of controlling health care costs."+++++++++Fo!
 llowing
 bombings in Madrid, CDC reminds providers of its resources onmass trauma

The Centers for Disease Control today encouraged health care providers todevelop and review protocols for the treatment of mass trauma as well asplans for dealing with surges in demand that are triggered by such events.The CDC suggestion came in an advisory prompted by the March 11 bombings oncommuter trains in Madrid, Spain, and Monday's successful disarming of bombsin a van outside the U.S. Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan. "These eventsraise concerns about the potential for similar attacks that may result inmass trauma in the U.S.," the CDC said. The agency noted it has resources onthe subject at http://www.cdc.gov/masstrauma/default.htm. It said: "In theevent of mass trauma, clinicians, hospitals and public health agenciesshould be prepared to treat injuries, disability, and psychosocial(individual and community) stress. Clinicians, hospitals and public healthagencies need to also be prepared for a large number of fatalities."==================================Copyright 200!
 4 by the
 American Hospital Association. All rights reserved.For republication rights, contact Craig Webb.AHA News is a registered trademark of the American Hospital Association. Theopinions expressed in AHA News Now are not necessarily those of the AmericanHospital Association.

Cyrus Shahpar and Brian Potts
Managing Editors, CAL/AAEM News Service 
UC-Irvine

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<DIV><PRE><TT>===================================

AHA NEWS NOW
The Daily Report for Health Care Executives
www.ahanews.com

===================================
</TT></PRE><PRE><TT>Tuesday, March 16, 2004

Bush cites need for medical liability reform, association health plans</TT></PRE><PRE><TT>President Bush said today that the rising costs of health care need to be
addressed through measures such as medical liability reform and the
availability of association health plans (AHPs). Speaking in Washington at a
roundtable discussion with small business owners, Bush said frivolous
medical lawsuits are harming our society and raising the costs of health
care. "This is a national problem that needs a national solution," he said.
"There needs to be a cap on non-economic damages at $250,000. If there is a
need for punitive damages, they need to be reasonable. We need medical
liability reform now." During the discussion at the U.S. Chamber of
Commerce, Bush also cited the need for increased access to association
health plans for small business owners. "If you're able to spread the risk,
that lowers the cost of buying health care insurance," said Bush. "Right
now, legislation on AHPs is stuck in the Senate. We need to get it out for
the sake of controlling health care costs."

+++++++++

Following bombings in Madrid, CDC reminds providers of its resources on
mass trauma</TT></PRE><PRE><TT>The Centers for Disease Control today encouraged health care providers to
develop and review protocols for the treatment of mass trauma as well as
plans for dealing with surges in demand that are triggered by such events.
The CDC suggestion came in an advisory prompted by the March 11 bombings on
commuter trains in Madrid, Spain, and Monday's successful disarming of bombs
in a van outside the U.S. Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan. "These events
raise concerns about the potential for similar attacks that may result in
mass trauma in the U.S.," the CDC said. The agency noted it has resources on
the subject at <A href="http://www.cdc.gov/masstrauma/default.htm" target=_blank>http://www.cdc.gov/masstrauma/default.htm</A>. It said: "In the
event of mass trauma, clinicians, hospitals and public health agencies
should be prepared to treat injuries, disability, and psychosocial
(individual and community) stress. Clinicians, hospitals and public health
agencies need to also be prepared for a large number of fatalities."

AHA News is a registered trademark of the American Hospital Association. The
opinions expressed in AHA News Now are not necessarily those of the American
Hospital Association.</TT></PRE></DIV><BR><BR><DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=arial><FONT size=3><STRONG>Cyrus Shahpar and Brian Potts</STRONG></FONT></FONT><FONT face=arial><FONT size=3><STRONG><BR>Managing Editors, CAL/AAEM News Service</STRONG> <BR>UC-Irvine</FONT></FONT></DIV></DIV><p><font face=arial size=-1>Do you Yahoo!?<br>
<a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/mailtag_us/*http://mail.yahoo.com" target="_blank"><b>Yahoo! Mail</a></b> - More reliable, more storage, less spam
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