CONN. GOV. TACKLES MED-MAL:

Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell indicated in her State of the State address that medical malpractice reform is on her agenda for the new year, her first full year in office. Rell was sworn in as governor on July 1, replacing John Rowland, who resigned amid scandal. She singled out the state budget, ethics reform and medical malpractice as key concerns for the coming year. She also urged lawmakers to join with her in again tackling medical malpractice reform. “We will need to address–once and for all–the issue of medical malpractice reform,” Rell said, although she did not offer any solutions or proposals. Last year lawmakers passed a medical malpractice measure but her predecessor, Gov. Rowland, vetoed it because it failed to include caps on damage awards. Rell has also ordered Insurance Commissioner Susan Cogswell to hold a public hearing on recent malpractice insurance rate increases, including one of nearly 90 percent, following requests from the state’s doctors, trial attorneys and Attorney General Richard Blumenthal.