Dave Spence Responds to Missouri Supreme Court Action Undoing Medical Malpractice Reforms

SAINT LOUIS, MO – Today the Missouri Supreme Court struck down important reforms that had decreased the costs of medical malpractice insurance and kept doctors in Missouri.  Dave Spence vowed to work with the General Assembly to reinstitute reasonable caps on non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases and make any necessary statutory or constitutional changes to ensure that the reforms remain in place.

The reforms that were thrown out were instituted in 2005 in response to a crisis in Missouri.  Medical malpractice premiums had risen exponentially because of excessive judgments in our state.  Doctors were fleeing Missouri in record numbers to states that had implemented reasonable protections against frivolous lawsuits and unscrupulous personal injury attorneys seeking inflated judgments.  Close to thirty other states have some form of non-economic damage cap.

“Healthcare professionals are under assault in America in the wake of Obamacare and this decision is going to make it that much harder on Missouri doctors and nurses,” said Dave Spence.  “Jay Nixon has received over two and a half million dollars in campaign contributions from personal injury attorneys who will delight in this decision.   Missouri needs a governor committed to doing what’s right for all Missourians, not a career politician like Jay Nixon who wants to line the pockets of his campaign contributors.  I challenge Jay Nixon to commit today to working with the General Assembly to lawfully restore these reasonable caps,” Spence continued.