Medical-malpractice bill sails to passage in House

OLYMPIA — House lawmakers approved a carefully crafted medical-malpractice compromise Tuesday, sending the deal back to one of its key negotiators — Gov. Christine Gregoire.

The bill, amended in the Senate and returned to the House for concurrence, earned support from both political parties, though lawmakers conceded work remains to resolve the long-running dispute between doctors and trial lawyers.

"There are things left undone in this bill," said the measure's sponsor, Rep. Pat Lantz, D-Gig Harbor.

Some GOP lawmakers complained the Legislature was excluded from the weeks of closed-door negotiations that produced the bill. Gregoire organized those talks and has been praised widely for bringing together opposing groups.

Rep. Skip Priest, R-Federal Way, said Gregoire and others involved in the malpractice deal must fulfill their pledges to keep working for further changes to the system.

The malpractice bill, which passed the House 82-15 Tuesday, would make changes in the areas of medical safety, civil liability and insurance regulation. Highlights include requiring hospitals to report serious medical problems, such as those resulting in patient death or injury, to the state Department of Health within two days of learning about them.