Overview

The Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act of 1975 (MICRA) was enacted to lower medical malpractice liability insurance premiums in an effort to keep healthcare providers financially solvent, lower the cost of healthcare services, and increase their availability. MICRA’s constitutionality was repeatedly challenged during the 1970s and 1980s and was upheld as constitutional. MICRA has also been the subject of extensive debate in the state Legislature and through the ballot measure process, with healthcare providers on one side and the medical malpractice trial bar on the other. In April, an agreement was reached by stakeholders to modernize MICRA — which has remained largely unchanged for nearly 50 years — while maintaining important liability protections. Some of the changes include:

• Increased limits on non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases starting Jan. 1, 2023 and rising over the next 10 years
• Different non-economic damages caps for cases involving a patient’s death
• Permitting “stackable” caps
• Increased fees for plaintiffs’ attorneys
• Evidentiary protections for benevolent statements and gestures
• Withdrawal of ballot initiative

Presenters

Jackie Garman
Vice President, Legal Counsel
California Hospital Association

Alicia Wagnon
Deputy General Counsel
California Medical Association

MCLE

The California Society for Healthcare Attorneys is a State Bar of California-approved MCLE provider and provides 1 hour of MCLE credit for this event.

Full participation in the webinar is a prerequisite for receiving professional continuing education (CE) credit. Registrant must complete post-event survey, attest to participation and, when required, provide a professional license number. CE certificates will be emailed approximately three weeks after the webinar. 

Register

* Members $0 (no tuition fee)

While this event is free for CSHA members you must register to attend. 

Special Accommodations or Questions: If you require special accommodations pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, or have other questions, please call (916) 552-7605.

Materials

Download PowerPoint Presentation
PLEASE NOTE: Attendees must log in to the CSHA website to access these resources.