Statement of Support from Healthier Colorado

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

04.10.2024

Contact: Kyle Piccola

Phone: (720) 289-7371

Email: KPiccola@healthiercolorado.org
 

**Statement of Support**

HEALTHIER COLORADO SUPPORTS A HIGHER NON-ECONOMIC MEDICAL MALPRACTICE CAP AND BELIEVES A CAP IS BEST TO PROMOTE ACCESS TO CARE

Healthier Colorado Aims to Avoid Costly Ballot Fight Over Medical Malpractice and Support Outcomes for Patients. 

DENVER, CO (04.10.2024): Policy concerning medical malpractice has been brought into the political spotlight in Colorado with several recent actions. Proposed Initiatives #150 and #277 (elimination of caps on non-economic damages) and #149, #274, #275, and #276 (disclosure of adverse medical incidents and access to patient medical information) have been filed with the Colorado Title Board. Senate Bill 24-130, which raises the cap for non-economic damages, has been introduced in the state legislature and is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee today. In the interest of both avoiding a costly fight on the statewide ballot and producing the most thoughtful policy possible in the interest of patients and our healthcare system, the following statement is issued by Jake Williams, CEO of Healthier Colorado: 

“Healthier Colorado supports Senate Bill 24-130 to raise the cap on non-economic damages for victims of medical malpractice. After remaining stagnant for about two decades, Colorado is overdue on raising these limits in the interest of providing victims with just compensation. Through this bill and potentially other legislative action to resolve related issues, we hope to avoid a costly fight on the statewide ballot that could have unintended consequences, like reducing access to care and making health care more expensive. 

Proposed initiatives have been filed with the Colorado Title Board that would make these non-economic damages limitless, which would make it more expensive for providers to practice medicine in Colorado. The research is clear that having a cap at some level helps tame medical malpractice insurance costs and, in turn, leads to more health providers being willing to practice in that jurisdiction, which supports access to health care. This is why Healthier Colorado supports raising the cap on non-economic damages for victims of malpractice in our state, but we also remain aligned with the evidence in supporting the existence of a cap in order to maintain a health provider workforce that can meet the needs of patients.

Several other proposed initiatives have been filed at the Title Board that would reform medical disclosure laws. The evidence is clear that disclosing medical mistakes benefits both patients and health care systems, as this practice reduces future mistakes and medical malpractice suits. Research also demonstrates that establishing a culture and regulatory environment in which providers are less likely to fear repercussions is more likely to support the disclosure of these mistakes. This is a nuanced policy area with high human stakes that deserves a deliberative process, if at all possible. The state legislature is a superior venue in which to consider these issues, versus asking voters to consider a binary question on the ballot that is proposed by a single stakeholder. We encourage all stakeholders, including the Governor, state legislators, patients, trial lawyers and health and insurance providers, to come together within the legislative process to address these policies.” 

ABOUT HEALTHIER COLORADO: Healthier Colorado is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to raising the voices of Coloradans in the public policy process to improve the health of our state’s residents. We believe that every Coloradan should have a fair chance at living a healthy life.

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