Repeal medmal law
Belleville News Democrat
Letter to the Editor
November 10, 2006

Your article about Illinois ' medical malpractice law ("A year later: Malpractice problem lingers") touches on the severe impact this law will have on those injured by medical malpractice.
 
In fact, exactly a year after the law was signed, victims of medical negligence signed a letter publicly urging Illinois lawmakers to repeal the law. The reason: The law will severely hurt those with legitimate cases, hitting hardest those most catastrophically injured.
 
And given that the state's largest insurer, ISMIE, went forward with a rate increase after the law was enacted, it is obvious that the caps are not helping doctors with their insurance problems.
 
The impact of this law on patients is incredibly unfair. Lawmakers should never have tried to solve doctors' insurance problems on the backs of patients. It should be immediately repealed.
 
Mark Fraley
Organizer, Center for Justice and Democracy Chicago