Skip to content
S4626Senate2011-2012 SessionSame asA6253

Enacts the "medical malpractice savings act"

Sponsor Jeffrey D. KleinSD-34+1 co-sponsorAffects Health
Status
In Senate Committee
Health
Impact
Pending
Passage
Pending

Bill progress

Step 2 of 7

In committee · Health

What's happening

Writing a plain-English summary… Track this bill to get it by email.

Why it matters

The daily · weekday mornings

Albany, before your first meeting.

Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.

Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.

Who cares

Headline styles

Sponsors

Primary sponsor
Jeffrey D. Klein

Senator · Senate District 34

Chair, Alcoholism And Drug Abuse

History

  1. Referred to health
  2. Referred to health

Companion bill

The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.

A6253Assembly

Enacts the "medical malpractice savings act"

In Assembly Committee · Judiciary · Sponsor Rory Lancman

Full text

The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.

Sponsor's memo

BILL NUMBER:S4626

Title of bill

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to enacting the "medical malpractice savings act"

Purpose

To reduce instances of medical malpractice in hospitals in order to improve patient care and reduce medical malpractice costs.

Summary of provisions

Section 1 titles the bill the "medical malpractice savings act."

Section 2 presents the legislative findings.

Section 3 amends the public health law by adding a new section 2803-T requiring the state health commissioner to promulgate rules requiring all facilities with obstetrical programs to implement an obstetrics safety program that in order to reduce medical errors. Facilities will be required to report results of the program including deaths, injuries and malpractice costs to the commissioner and the information will be made available to the governor and legislator in an annual report.

Section 4 provides that the act shall take effect immediately provided the commissioner will promulgate necessary rules and regulations within 180 days after the effective date.

Justification

From 2003 to 2009 New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center implemented a comprehensive obstetric patient safety program to reduce medical errors and improve patient Care. Upon evaluation of the program it was found that average yearly medical malpractice compensation payments decreased from $27,591,610 between 2003-2006 to $2,550,136 between 2007-2009 while sentinel events decreased from 5 in 2000 to none in 2008 and 2009. The success of the comprehensive obstetric patient safety program should be replicated throughout the state under the direction and guidance of the department of health.

Legislative history

New legislation.

Fiscal impact

According to the findings of the state Medicaid Redesign Team, a significant reduction in medical malpractice claim payouts in the range of what will be achieved through this legislation will save the state hundreds of millions of dollars in Medicaid costs.

Effective date

The act shall take effect immediately provided the commissioner will promulgate necessary rules and regulations within 180 days after the effective date.

Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.