What is the greatest health care challenge facing Maryland today, and how do you plan to address it?
As a member of the House Judiciary Committee, right now the greatest challenge is the malpractice insurance climate for the hospitals. Many of the judgments have been excessively high without the jury considering health insurance, medicare/medicaid, or other funds to cover the needs of the patient. The problem is further compounded by experts who discuss the future noneconomic damages for the injured patients. The vocational experts are national witnesses and Maryland has no cap on economic damages and those awarded damages escalate the awards. I think that there needs to be a specialized medical malpractice court where the jurors have medical backgrounds and the nondisclosure of the collateral source rule needs to be repealed like 50% of the other states. Baltimore City hospitals cannot get reinsurance for high judgments.
Maryland’s hospitals operate under a unique contract with the federal government that promotes community, equity, and value. It also contributes significantly to Maryland's economy. How do you plan to support the continued success of the Maryland Model?
It is very important that there be a seamless communication network between the patient, the aftercare nurses and social workers, and the community and family of the patient. This is critical for patients who live alone or don't have good support systems. The hospital staff needs to work with the social workers and housing and church charities to make sure that the older, disabled, and mentally compromised are able to get the necessary services for their medical and mental health care.
Maryland is experiencing a shortage of health care practitioners, especially nurses, that we project will worsen in the years ahead. How do you plan to address the immediate crisis and what will you do to make sure we have a robust and sustainable health care workforce pipeline?
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How would you increase availability of and access to health care for Marylanders?
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What policies will you pursue to improve health for all Marylanders? Please also consider the social determinants of health?
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How do you plan to address consumers' growing exposure to health care costs, such as high deductible health plans and rising prescription drug prices in Maryland?
We need to look at the use of generic drugs and provide incentives for drug companies to keep prices affordable. The federal government should provide grants for research to be done by drug companies in exchange for lower drug costs and a limitation of the use of patents for the products. This might provide more small companies to do more innovative and cutting edge research for new drug regimens.
Health plans might provide more life coaching models to help patients develop better eating, exercising, and mental health lifestyles.
Maryland’s worsening medical liability climate, as noted in a recent independent report, threatens access to, and affordability of, health care services in Maryland. Plaintiffs’ attorneys typically take 40% of a medical malpractice judgment. Do you support limiting attorneys’ fees so that the affected individuals can receive more of their settlement or judgment? What additional reforms would you support that balance supporting individuals and families harmed by medical malpractice with ensuring continued access to services in a community?
The two most powerful lobbyists in Annapolis are the trial lawyers and the teachers associations. They contribute the most money and have the most influence. That said, there is nothing to prevent a task force or commission to evaluate fees and expenses for both defense and plaintiffs' attorneys in medical malpractice cases. This would allow for information about fees in other states, and how Maryland's premium rates compare to the hospitals in other states. For years bills have been filed for birth injury reforms and they go nowhere. Perhaps we need to look at different high risk medical procedures and make sure that Maryland doctors and hospitals are using the absolute best practices for treatments of diseases and conditions that have the most litigation. Maybe it might be necessary to have a separate agency that just does advanced analysis and research by the Maryland Hospital Association on these issues with experts in the field. Malpractice cases are very expensive for the practitioners and many cases depending on the jurisdiction require much advancement of funds and the jury will not find any malpractice and there is no judgment for the plaintiff. The question is a workers compensation framework a good or bad model? At least something to be considered if it would benefit patients and hospitals.
What are your priorities should you be elected, not confined to health care?
My priorities are to get the bills that should have passed passed. An important one is the Custody Decision Making bill that provided placing the case law for making custody decisions by the judiciary in statute. Due to economic situations as well as the high cost of legal representation, many individuals represent themselves in Circuit Court. A one book source for the law would provide self represented litigants effective analysis of their legal situation and to make better decisions. Parenthood is a fundamental right and parents need to have access to the custody law and litigation. Another bill which never seems to get out of JPR is the training for mandatory reporters of child abuse and neglect who renew licenses. CHAMP will be the office which will provide the latest training program for those mandatory reporters many of whom are health care providers. In addition, I also hope to moderate the restrictions placed on policing, particularly the mandatory interrogation of minors. I have been told by one very seasoned state's attorney that as a result of the most recent legislation there will be many more car jackings by juveniles. Citizens need to feel safe and right now Maryland has failed in keeping residents safe and secure in their homes, communities, churches, schools, and shopping centers. Over the past several terms, the bail bond industry has been completely dismantled and we cannot expect overburdened law enforcement to go after defendants who fail to appear for their court dates.