MO House endorses lawsuit caps for medical malpractice

The Missouri House gave initial approval Wednesday to a bill to reinstate limits on how much juries can award in noneconomic damages in medical malpractice cases against health care providers. Supporters said the limits, approved 101-53, are needed to make sure doctors do not leave the state because of increasing insurance costs. Bill sponsor Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Springfield, said without caps the state would have fewer specialists and that higher insurance costs for doctors would inevitably be passed on to patients. The bill caps noneconomic damages, including pain and suffering, at $350,000. The cap would not limit economic damages such as lost wages or medical bills resulting from the wrongdoing.