Some lobbyists are posing as “the people” in order to take away the right to a trial by jury for those maimed or killed by a small group of bad doctors: The birth of “North Carolinians for Affordable Health Care”
A group of lawyers and lobbyists has formed an organization posing as “we, the people.” No, it’s a North Carolina effort to take away the Constitutional right of trial by jury if you, or someone you love, is maimed or killed by a simple, preventable, mistake.
Often, the best way to get to the bottom of things is to “follow the money.”
Consider the very recent creation of an effort to change the the laws of medical malpractice in North Carolina. That “grass roots” organization started on March 10, 2011, as a non-profit organization called “North Carolinians for Affordable Health Care, Inc.” This is something created by a corporation or a lobbyist to appear to be “of the people” when it is, in fact, just some corporate interest that wants to pose as “the people.”
Read below and see how this organization seeks to persuade politicians and the public to take away the rights of regular people to bring a claim against an insurance company and hospital when that hospital makes a mistake that injures, maims, or kills someone they love.
3/10/2011 Articles of incorporation for North Carolinians for Affordable Health Care (NCFAHC) is filed.
It is, of course, a Section 501(c)(4) Corporation.
The name and address of the incorporator is R. Donavon Munford, Jr.,
P. O. Box 2611, Raleigh, NC 27602-2611.
Reference: NC Secretary of State Filings
North Carolinians for Affordable Health Care is incorporated by a Republican former member of the NC General Assembly who is a partner in the Smith Anderson Law Firm
R. Donovan “Don” Munford was a Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state’s thirty-fourth House district, including constituents in Wake County from 2002. Munford is a lawyer and accountant from Raleigh, North Carolina.
Munford ran for re-election to the North Carolina House of Representatives in the 2004 General Assembly election. He defeated J.H. Ross in the Republican primary, but lost to Democrat Grier Martin in the November 2004 general election.
He is a partner at Smith Anderson, the largest law firm in the Raleigh area. He practices in the areas of corporate and business law, estate planning and asset protection planning. Munford is also a licensed Certified Public Accountant. (Reference: Munford Wikipedia Entry)
Smith Anderson Law Firm is a leading Medical Malpractice Insurance Defense law firm and also a government lobbying law firm.
Smith Anderson Law Firm registered the website for NCFAHC.
Reference: WhoIS Registration link
Smith Anderson Law Firm has a longstanding relationship with the North Carolina Medical Society and lobbies for them before the General Assembly.
The North Carolina Medical Society is lobbying for immunity from negligence for Emergency Rooms in NC.
3/16/2011 NCFAHC releases a commercial falsely alleging that North Carolina is experiencing “frivolous lawsuits” which increase taxes and insurance costs.
FOLLOW THE MONEY
Are “North Carolinians” demanding immunity for negligent Emergency Rooms and physicians, or is a small group of lawyers, lobbyists, and physicians looking to walk away from their responsibility to the injured, maimed, and killed?
Can anyone explain how making Emergency Rooms immune from claims or lawsuits for “negligence” furthers the Medical Society’s stated purpose to”raise the standards for their profession” and “protect the quality of patient care?”
North Carolina Senate Bill 33 (SB33) does exactly the opposite. SB 33 changes the rules for any medical person in the Emergency Room and eliminates responsibility for “negligence”. This does not “raise the standard” for the profession, but in fact drastically lowers the standard.
So how does this “protect the quality of patient care?” Well, what happens when you say “you can no longer be held financially accountable for the consequences of sloppy work, negligent work, or breaking and ignoring the established rules in all other Emergency Rooms in the state of North Carolina?”
Does taking accountability away from Doctors, Nurses and Hospitals somehow make people more responsible? Or does it make them act “less responsible?”
How about this? What would happen if we eliminated all speed limits in North Carolina, and just told people not to drive “grossly fast”? Would our roads be safer, or less safe?
Bottom line, the NC Medical Society, through their lawyers and lobbyists are “posing” as you, the people, in an effort to take away your right to hold a small group of bad doctors accountable.
And of course, where do the ACTUAL people stand on this issue?
Please write your elected House member a note and tell them to oppose this Bill.
Here is how to look them up: Who Represents Me?
