This bill proposes the repeal of Section 9-19-34.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 9-19, which pertains to the collateral source rule in medical malpractice actions. The collateral source rule previously allowed defendants in personal injury cases against licensed physicians, hospitals, clinics, health maintenance organizations, professional service corporations providing health care services, dentists, or dental hygienists to introduce evidence of benefits received by the plaintiff from various sources, such as state income disability or workers' compensation acts, health or accident insurance, and other agreements to provide or reimburse medical costs. It also provided a mechanism for the jury to reduce damage awards based on the benefits received, while ensuring that plaintiffs would not have a legal obligation to reimburse first-party payors for those benefits.

By repealing this section, the bill eliminates the ability of defendants to present such evidence in medical malpractice cases, thereby changing the way damages are calculated and awarded in these legal actions. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
5903: 9-19-34.1