Weisbrod: Healthcare reform must not limit legal rights.

In a USA Today (6/22, 2.29M) op-ed, AAJ president Les Weisbrod writes, "Discussing negligence as part of health care reform is a distraction from the debate." Fixating on the legal system "ignores the larger issue: patient safety. As many as 98,000 people die every year because of medical errors. If medical negligence becomes rarer, so will the number of injured patients who need to seek legal recourse." Weisbrod argues, "Any 'reform' that makes it more difficult for injured patients to seek legal recourse is unacceptable." He continues, "Limiting the legal rights of patients will do nothing to provide insurance coverage or lower health care costs. Eliminating errors and keeping patients safe will most certainly accomplish these goals."