Editorial: Get moving to end malpractice crisis

Wednesday, June 12, 2002 | 9:16 a.m.

Gov. Kenny Guinn is cautiously optimistic that the warring factions in the medical malpractice crisis -- the doctors, trial lawyers and insurers -- can resolve their impasse within 45 days. If the three sides can reach a consensus, Guinn said he would then call a special session of the Legislature to deal with the medical malpractice crisis. If left untended, the crisis could jeopardize the quality of health care in Southern Nevada since some doctors are threatening to close their practices. While Guinn is moving in the right direction by urging the sides to reach an agreement, the reality is that it's several months late and it should be infused with greater urgency.

Guinn should have been more involved in this matter as far back as December when St. Paul Insurance Cos., which was underwriting 60 percent of medical malpractice policies in Nevada, announced that it was pulling out of the market. Doctors scrambled to obtain malpractice insurance elsewhere, but many of them found that the remaining insurers would only offer coverage at exorbitant prices. The doctors have suggested caps on jury awards to bring down their premiums, a plan that insurers support but one that trial lawyers and some patients oppose.

The doctors, trial lawyers and insurers have fumbled the ball in trying to resolve this on their own. Rather than taking 45 days to reach an agreement, as the governor suggests, he should be leaning on all sides to get a deal hammered out in a week's time. Guinn also should be in the same room with the negotiators, heading off needless posturing and cracking some heads together if necessary. This should be hashed out now, not more than a month later.