Bill > H1502

This bill aims to encourage quality reviews and reduce costs in healthcare. The key provisions are: 1. Expanding the application of medical peer review provisions to committees formed by individual healthcare providers, physician group practices, and licensed healthcare facilities, even if their formation is not legally required. 2. Changing the formula for calculating the interest rate on malpractice awards, which will now be based on the weekly average 1-year Treasury yield plus 2%, capped at the existing statutory rate. 3. Requiring plaintiffs in malpractice cases to prove that the defendant's negligence resulted in an opportunity loss of greater than 50% for the patient to survive or achieve a better outcome. 4. Modifying the calculation of actual damages under Chapter 93A (the consumer protection law) to be based on the judgment interest, rather than the full judgment amount, regardless of insurance coverage. The overall aim is to encourage quality reviews, reduce healthcare costs, and modify certain legal standards in malpractice cases.

Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/H1502