Pennsylvania ranks 32nd nationally in terms of State Liability Systems. This is a measure of how reasonable and balanced our state’s tort system is perceived by U.S. business. The Pacific Research Institute ranks Pennsylvania 47th in the area of tort reform. This spells disaster for our economy and our quality of life.

Malpractice payments in Pennsylvania, adjusted on a per capita basis, run at twice the national average and are growing faster than the national average according to a study underwritten by the Pew Foundation. Malpractice costs in Pennsylvania are four times higher than those in California. One byproduct of these economics is that only 7.8 percent of resident physicians trained in our state stay here. Another is that high risk specialties like Ob-Gyn find few takers.

Don’t look for federal assistance in this area from either Bob Casey Jr. or Arlen Specter. Casey took $2.7 million from trial lawyers for his senate run. This was second only to Hillary Clinton. Specter took $1.8 million from the same lobby in 2004 (1 of every 10 campaign dollars). After John Edwards’ departure, Specter became the Senate’s de facto poster child for tort reform obstruction.

The rest of the western world has adopted a Loser Pays Tort System where there is a price to be paid for suits that do not win over juries. Any elected state official who would oppose such reform does not have your interest at heart. Find out where your representatives stand.

MARK FURLONG

North Coventry