ENZI INTRODUCES BILL TO ENCOURAGE DOCTORS TO VOLUNTEER MEDICAL SERVICES FOR POOR, UNINSURED PATIENTS

Washington D.C. – U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-WY, Ranking Member of theSenate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP Committee), todayintroduced the Volunteer Health Care Program Act of 2008, a bill that will remove alegal barrier preventing physicians and health care professionals from volunteering theirservices to individuals who cannot afford or cannot access basic medical care. “There is an overwhelming need for volunteer medical care among the poor in theUnited States, but medical liability concerns discourage doctors from providing voluntaryservices,” Enzi said. “This bill will protect doctors who want to give back to theircommunities, and will help provide access for the patients who need their care.” “Protection from medical liability for charitable services will encouragephysicians and other health care professionals to continue using their valuable skills toprovide free medical care for patients who would otherwise go without treatment.”Enzi said that many medical professionals are willing to volunteer at charityclinics and community health centers, but that concerns over medical liability insuranceprevent many of them from volunteering. This is especially true for newly retiredphysicians and those in administrative positions who still have a license to practicemedicine, but no longer carry liability insurance. The Volunteer Health Care Program Act of 2008 would provide grants to statesthat would accept medical liability for volunteer medical providers. These programswould protect doctors from liability claims, while also assuring that injured patients couldrecover damages. Under this bill, the volunteer provider becomes an agent of the stateand the state assumes the liability risk and covers the cost of defense. “In this legislation, everyone wins; it protects both doctors and patients. Thepassage of this bill will take us one step closer to ensuring access to quality health carefor all Americans.” Enzi cited the state of Florida’s charitable immunity program as a successfulprototype for the Volunteer Health Care Program Act. Florida’s program typically costsabout $600,000 to $900,000 per year. Government grants pay the Department of Healthto contract with eligible volunteer health care providers who then work with establishedcharitable clinics to enroll uninsured patients who fall below 200 percent of the FederalPoverty Line. The Florida Department of Health reports that in the past 16 years,volunteers have provided more than $1 billion in charity care. In the last year alone, over20,000 physicians volunteered their services. “My mother always told me that service to others is the rent we pay for the spacewe take up,” Enzi said. “This bill will help ensure that doctors are not punished for thevolunteer services they provide to patients in need.” ###