Kentucky lawmakers have approved a bill altering the medical malpractice system by creating panels of medical providers to review claims of error or neglect.
The bill won final passage in the Senate today and advances to Governor Matt Bevin.
The measure requires medical review panels to scrutinize the merits of lawsuits against health care providers or institutions before cases proceed to court.
Opponents say the bill will likely provoke legal action challenging its constitutionality.
Senate-approve House changes to the measure include requiring review panels to issue opinions in nine months or malpractice lawsuits could proceed in court.
The original bill allowed the panel's opinions to automatically be admitted into court as evidence. Under the final version, trial judges would be asked to decide on admissibility.
