Jersey Docs March on Capitol

New Jersey doctors fed up over skyrocketing malpractice costs took their protest to the statehouse in Trenton Tuesday.

In Day 2 of the doctor slowdown, despite a driving rain, thousands of doctors and medical workers stood in front of the state Capitol building, demanding something be done about the high cost of malpractice insurance.

"Twenty years ago, the malpractice (insurance) for gynecology (doctors) was $4,000 a year. Today, it's $44,000," one of the doctors told NBC 10 News.

The strike did not sit well with Regina Galda. Her son, Paul, had tonsillitis.

"I called numerous times. (I said,)'There must be somebody on call.' (They said,) 'No, you have to go to the emergency room.' If there's four or five in your practice, why won't you leave one behind? That upset me," Galda said.

She said that she is dropping her pediatricians.

"They do take a oath to care for people. It's part of what they do for a living. It's to care for people. They should have enough compassion to at least one doctor behind to help the sick," Galda said.

Doctors said that life-threatening situations have not been turned away, but the strike is necessary to point out the need for insurance caps.

"It's discriminatory against children, the elderly, seniors (and) the poor," attorney Bruce Stern said.

Trial lawyers say that the system should get rid of bad doctors instead of capping insurance payments at the suggested $250,000.

"(In the case of a baby,) the cap that the doctors want to impose will allow that child to be paid $9 and change per day," Stern said. "That's what this means. Now, who in their right mind thinks that that is fair and appropriate? It's outrageous," attorney Ken Andreas said.

Legislation has been proposed to put a cap on insurance fees that are paid out. The Trial Lawyers Association said that it would fight that in court if it happens.

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