Public Relations & Media

Latest News

June 2009

PIAA Launches New Website

On Monday, July 6, 2009, the PIAA will launch a completely redesigned corporate website.  The re-engineered PIAA website will still be located at www.piaa.us.  The new PIAA website has a modern look and streamlined site navigation.  Features on the new site include online meeting and workshop registration, individualized, personalized login access and account information, enhanced content for PIAA members only, and a restructured online store and shopping cart system.   Please note that all previous login information for the PIAA website, including login information for shop.piaa.us, will not be valid on the new PIAA website.  You must register individually on the new site and create an account in order to register for meetings and workshops, access enhanced content for members only, and to utilize the restructured online store and shopping cart system.   In addition, please note that all order histories prior to July 6, 2009 will not be available online.  If you have questions about your prior order history, please send an e-mail to orders@piaa.us.   The current PIAA online store and shopping cart system will be unavailable until Monday, July 6.  However, if you would like to purchase a PIAA product or publication, please contact Sheryl Eastman at 301.947.9000, ext. 208 or via e-mail at orders@piaa.us.  You can also download and fax product order forms to 301.947.9090.  Click here to access the general publications, Data Sharing Report, and Risk Management Review and Claim Trend Analysis order forms. (PIAA, 7/2)

HCLA Establishes New Strategic Partnership

The Health Coalition on Liability and Access (HCLA) has announced that the coalition has established a strategic partnership with Protect Patients Now (PPN), a national grassroots organization founded by Doctors for Medical Liability Reform (DMLR).  The partnership between HCLA and PPN brings together two of the most influential groups in the medical liability reform debate to ensure that medical liability reform is included in any healthcare reform legislation considered by the U.S. Congress.  "HCLA's strategic partnership with Protect Patients Now ensures that a comprehensive and coordinated strategy will be advanced to fix our nation's broken medical liability system," said Mike Stinson, HCLA Chair and Director of Government Relations for the Physician Insurers Association of America.  “There is strong agreement from the President, and both Democrats and Republicans in the Congress, that the current medical liability system does not work for patients.  The new partnership between HCLA and DMLR brings together major healthcare organizations and hundreds of thousands of patients and physicians across the nation to ensure that health care reform addresses this important issue in a way that works for everyone, especially the patients," Stinson said. (PRNewswire, 6/25)

PIAA Medicare Conference Filling Up Quickly—Reserve Your Space Now!

The registration deadline for the PIAA Medicare Reporting Conference, to be held in Baltimore on Wednesday, July 29, is approaching rapidly.  To obtain the discounted registration fee of $150, registrations must be postmarked or faxed by July 8, the same date by which hotel reservations at the Westin Baltimore Washington Airport –BWI must be secured to qualify for the conference room rate.  Rooms are in high demand, so reserve your spot now.  Should you have any difficulties in securing a room at the Westin, you may contact the PIAA Meetings Department at 301.947.9000 for assistance.  For more information, see the meeting brochure at http://www.piaa.us/meetings/pdf/PIAA_2009_Medicare_Reporting_Conference.pdf.  We look forward to seeing you at this one-of-a-kind meeting for medical professional liability insurers.

PIAA Comments on USA Today Editorial

The June 22 edition of USA Today published an editorial about the on-going medical liability debate ("Tired malpractice debate ignores promising solutions," Our view, Doctors vs. lawyers debate).  The editorial declared both sides of the current debate wrong stating, "Doctors overestimate the degree to which lawsuits drive up medical costs.  Lawyers underestimate the degree to which even a few outsized verdicts spread fear and influence doctors' behavior."  It offered health courts and risk management programs as solutions to reduce lawsuits, and promote better practices.  PIAA President Lawrence E. Smarr responded to the editorial by stating the following: "The legal process for identifying and resolving real cases of medical negligence in America is woefully inefficient and costly in terms of economic and emotional stress."  Confirming most medical liability cases against doctors have no merit, PIAA offered data from its Data Sharing Project to demonstrate that while plaintiffs' lawyers maintain that the legal system is the last line of defense for victims of medical negligence, fewer than 20% of cases prosecuted at trial from 1985 to 2007 resulted in their client's favor.  Mr. Smarr suggested that Congress should follow examples set in states such as California, Texas, and Colorado where effective legal processes and reasonable limits on non-economic damages have been put in place.  To read the PIAA's letter to the editor as printed in USA Today, click here.