Why You Should Support Prop. 46, the Troy and Alana Pack Patient Safety Act of 2014
Prop. 46, which arose out of the death of the Packs’ children caused by a drugged driver who had been doctor shopping for prescriptions. The Act addresses three serious medical problems: 1) impaired physicians, 2) over-prescribing due to the lack of computerized tracking of prescriptions and 3) woefully inadequate allowable damages for persons injured or killed due to medical negligence.
The Act calls for mandatary drug testing of physicians, just as occurs with pilots and public transit drivers. It also sets up a rigorous system for tracking prescriptions of controlled substances. As to No. 3, the current limit of $250,000 for pain and suffering (even if you’re a quadriplegic) was set in 1975 and adjusted for inflation should be $1.1. million.