Oregon has raised the limits on malpractice and other negligence awards against state-employed physicians, but private physicians remain unprotected.
The new law restricts damages at $1.5 million to $3 million for employees of state hospitals and clinics. The caps will rise gradually to the $2 million to $4 million range over the next five years. Awards against physician employees of cities, counties, schools, and other public entities are limited to $500,000 per claim and $1 million per incident.
But the state still has no cap for awards against doctors in private practice. “We couldn't get that all fixed in this bill,” state Rep. Jeff Barker told the Portland Oregonian. “This is a step in the right direction.”