Quigley Introduces Amendment to Make VA Hospitals More Accountable to Veterans

WASHINGTON -- Yesterday, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05) introduced an amendment to a health care bill to remove caps on damages awarded to veterans in medical malpractice suits.

"For all our service men and women do for us, we have a moral obligation to take care of them when they come back from the battle field," said Quigley. "Just as their commitment to our safety knows no limits, neither should our commitment to their health."

This month, more than 30 patients had operations canceled after officials at John Cochran VA Medical Center in St. Louis found that surgical equipment had not been properly cleaned. Last year the same hospital notified nearly 2,000 patients that they may have been exposed to blood-borne diseases over a 13-month period when dental instruments were not properly sterilized.

The Help Efficient, Accessible, Low Cost, Timely Health Care (HEALTH) Act is an attempt to enact medical malpractice reform by capping the amount of recoverable damages a victim can receive in court. Quigley introduced his amendment during a Judiciary Committee markup of the legislation.