Important Issues

On June 9, MSDC joined the American Medical Association (AMA), national specialty associations, and state medical associations in a letter to Congress advocating for targeted and limited liability protections.

The letter, seen here, asks the Senate and House leadership to incorporate the "Coronavirus Provider Protection Act" into the next COVID-19 relief package. The legislation provides legal protections for physicians complying with the public health emergency from frivolous lawsuits. The letter states that physicians face insufficient PPE, time-sensitive medical decisions, and equipment shortages. As such, they may face patient concerns outside of their control and thus should be exempt from medical liability. As the letter states:

The liability protections we call on Congress to pass are not universal; they are intended to provide targeted and limited protections where health care services are provided or withheld in situations that may be beyond the control of physicians/facilities (e.g., following government guidelines, directives, lack of resources) due to COVID-19. The protections extend to those who provide care in good faith during the COVID-19 public health emergency (plus a reasonable time, such as 60 days, after the emergency declaration ends), and not in situations of gross negligence or willful misconduct.

MSDC's advocacy at the national level coincides with its local advocacy on this issue to protect physicians from frivolous lawsuits. If you are interested in being involved in this effort, please do not hesitate to contact MSDC staff.