Statement of Lisa A. Rickard, president of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, on the Congressional Budget Office score of the cost savings achieved by including medical liability reform in the Senate Finance Committee health care reform proposal.

“Today’s finding by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office that medical liability reform could provide up to $54 billion in federal deficit reductions over a decade is momentous. If enacted, it would save more than ten percent of the cost of the Senate Finance Committee proposal’s coverage provisions – one of the largest impacts on deficit reduction in the bill.

“In our fractious health care debate, one of the few issues of agreement among the American people has been support of meaningful medical liability reform. Today’s CBO analysis should underscore what two-thirds of voters have said: Congress should include meaningful medical liability reform in the health care reform bill.

“Neglecting to include medical liability reform benefits only the plaintiffs’ lawyers. Including it benefits every American participating in our health care system.”

ILR seeks to promote civil justice reform through legislative, political, judicial, and educational activities at the national, state, and local levels.

The U.S. Chamber is the world’s largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.

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