Senate Republicans Welcome Doctors to Capitol

State Capitol, Oklahoma City Senate Republicans welcomed medical doctors to the State Capitol Wednesday, where a rally was held to demand medical tort reform in the face skyrocketing medical malpractice insurance.

Our message to medical professionals in Oklahoma is Republicans are on your side. Oklahomas out-of-control tort system is the leading factor in the rise in malpractice insurance premiums, and the ultimate result is higher medical costs for all of us. Republicans will continue working to enact real tort reform in Oklahoma, stated Senate Republican Floor Leader James Williamson, R-Tulsa.

Assistant Republican Floor Leader Scott Pruitt, R-Broken Arrow, said, I applaud the formation of a medical tort reform task force by Governor Henry, but there are many more voices that need to be heard than the membership of his task force allows. Legitimate tort reform can only come when all the stakeholders in the tort reform debate are heard, and Republicans will make sure these alternative voices are heard.

Oklahoma could soon see doctors unwilling to perform risky procedures, or in some cases leave the medical profession altogether, because of excessive malpractice insurance costs. This would cause a serious health care crisis in our state, which is already happening in other states across the country, stated Assistant Republican Floor Leader Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City.

Republicans in the state legislature are ready and willing to work with the governor and the Democrat leadership to reform Oklahomas tort system. Unfortunately, Democrat leaders have so far not shown a willingness to engage in a legitimate debate on the issue, and instead have killed many Republican tort reform measures in both the Senate and the House, Williamson concluded.