Conn. House Rejects Med-Mal Caps

Connecticut Republicans in the House of Representatives have come up short in their effort to pass legislation that would impose caps on non-economic pain and suffering awards in medical malpractice cases.

The House voted 117-27 in favor of legislation that requires non-economic damages in excess of $1 million to be reviewed by a judge and contains other changes to ease the cost of medical malpractice insurance but it rejected by a vote of 81-63 the Republican proposal for a 350,000 cap on non-economic per claim against a doctor and a $650,000 cap on damages against hospitals.

The House measure now moves to the Senate for further action. However even if the Senate concurs, the bill’s fate is uncertain since Gov. John G. Rowland, a Republican, has said he will veto any malpractice bill that does not include caps.