PCMS, PAMED and several other medical organizations and societies signed a letter regarding medical liability immunity during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was sent to Governor Wolf on April 22, 2020:
Dear Governor Wolf,
Recently you indicated that the medical community had not expressed much concern when asked about any efforts to address medical liability immunity. Given the articles in the media, personal conversations we’ve had with your staff, letters, and social media posts, we were stunned to hear this.
You cannot expect those working long hours in adverse conditions to personally express their concerns. As their representative organizations, we can tell you definitively, they are very concerned.
The undersigned organizations, representing physicians across Pennsylvania, need to be very clear:
We plainly ask now that you recognize the dedicated work of the physicians of this Commonwealth by signing an executive order granting medical liability immunity for care rendered during the time period of the COVID-19 emergency declaration.
States across the country are providing various forms of malpractice immunity protection for healthcare providers. Pennsylvania is part of a multi-state coalition that will coordinate the eventual reopening of the states’ economies. Of that group, the Governors of Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island have issued executive orders providing immunity protection for healthcare providers, while Massachusetts recently enacted legislation doing the same.
As you know, the legislative process would take too long and leave our professionals without cover. Thank you for your prompt attention.