AHIP Applauds U.S. House Passage for Reforms

Karen Ignagni, president and CEO of America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), is praising the House of Representatives for the passage of landmark legislation that would help Americans gain access to high-quality, affordable health care.

Among the numerous measures considered, the House approved legislation that would reform the nation’s medical liability system. The passage comes on the heels of the launch of a new AHIP-sponsored ad campaign, unveiled at a press conference last Wednesday with D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams that is designed
to encourage medical liability reform for residents of the District of
Columbia.

“With the House passage of medical liability reform, patients are within reach of a swift and fair compensation system that discourages frivolous lawsuits and defensive medicine,” Ignagni said. “The reform movement is clearly gaining momentum not only on the national level, but at the state level across the country and in Washington, D.C.”

Ignagni said the ad campaign will run at least into September.

The House also passed legislation that would expand state high-risk pools, improve patient safety and modernize and expand programs that would prevent prescription drug abuse.

“The three pieces of legislation passed address patients’ and doctors’
most urgent concerns: reducing medical errors and improving safety, providing affordable access to coverage for patients with the highest health risks, and preventing prescription drug abuse,” Ignagni said. “With the passage of each reform in Congress, patients move one step closer to an effective system of care that stretches their health care dollars and is more responsive to their medical needs.”