By Robert W. Panton, MD
Elmwood Park
At a time when Illinois lawmakers should be supporting health-care heroes who are working tirelessly during the COVID-19 pandemic, we instead receive unwelcome new legislation that will drive up the costs of practicing medicine in Illinois and send more physicians packing to move to a more welcoming state.
A very bad piece of legislation sponsored by the trial lawyers of the state recently was passed in the wee hours of the morning by a lame duck Illinois legislature. The physicians of Illinois are outraged at the passage of House Bill 3360, which will allow prejudgment interest in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits.
Illinois is already a challenging and expensive state in which to practice medicine. This egregious action taken against health-care professionals ultimately will hurt the patients of Illinois who will experience diminished access to quality health-care when physicians decide they no longer can afford to work in this State.
Governor JB Pritzker, please veto this bill.
Robert W. Panton, MD, is president of the Illinois State Medical Society.