ACOG: Liability top priority.(Practice Trends)

Enacting medical liability reform at the federal level remains the top priority for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists this year.

But ACOG also will focus on improving the physician payment method under Medicare, ensuring health care coverage for uninsured pregnant women, and increasing funding for women's health research.

When it comes to liability reform, ACOG supports legislation modeled after California's Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA) of 1975. That California statute caps noneconomic damage awards at $250,000.

Since MICRA's enactment, medical liability premiums have increased by about 420% nationwide compared with 168% in California, according to ACOG.

ACOG plans to focus its strategy on the Senate and educate senators who voted against medical liability reform last year, said ACOG President John M. Gibbons Jr.

The college is working with other highly impacted specialties and has joined the Alliance of Specialty Medicine. But if reform isn't passed this year, ob.gyn. practices will continue to be affected and the effects are likely to be felt at the residency level as well.

"Medical students are turning away from the specialty, good doctors are leaving practice, and pregnant women are finding it more difficult to find the care they need," Dr. Gibbons said.