Reform of the medical liability system should be considered as part of a comprehensive response to surging medical malpractice premiums that endanger Americans' access to quality medical care.

History has not dealt kindly with the aftermath of protracted periods of low risk premiums.

Skyrocketing insurance premiums are debilitating our Nation's health care delivery system and liability insurers are either leaving the market or raising rates to excessive levels.

A retired teacher paid $62 000 towards her pension and nothing yes nothing for full family medical dental and vision coverage over her entire career. What will we pay her? $1.4 million in pension benefits and another $215 000 in health care benefit premiums over her lifetime.

In the richest country in the history of the world this Obama economy has crushed the middle class. Family income has fallen by $4 0 but health insurance premiums are higher food prices are higher utility bills are higher and gasoline prices have doubled. Today more Americans wake up in poverty than ever before.

Simply by not owning three medium-sized castles in Tuscany I have saved enough money in the last forty years on insurance premiums alone to buy a medium-sized castle in Tuscany.