Two politicians are working hard to get a new bill passed that would essentially overturn the outdated Feres Doctrine and allow members of the military to sue for medical malpractice if they are injured by a military medical professional.
The Feres Doctrine, which has been mentioned here several times in past posts, was passed in 1950 and prevents service members from suing the government for medical malpractice related injuries. It is widely argued that this has made military hospitals and medical centers more dangerous than private facilities because it gives military personnel less motivation to implement higher standards of care and gives them a free pass to act negligently without the fear of being sued.
Representative Maurice Hinchey and Senator Charles Schumer are both working to help pass the Military Medical Accountability Act so that those bravely serving our country will have the same rights as every day citizens and be able to sue for medical malpractice if they are harmed as a result of a military doctor’s negligence.
It is a huge step in the right direction.
