Advocacy Correspondence: PA House Judiciary Committee, HAP Opposes House Bill 1913

June 8, 2026

Members of the House Judiciary Committee:

On behalf of The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) representing 235 hospitals and health systems across the commonwealth, I am writing to express our strong opposition to House Bill 1913. Currently, Pennsylvania law maintains a vital safeguard that prohibits attorneys from suggesting specific, subjective dollar amounts for pain and suffering damages to juries. HB 1913 threatens to overturn this longstanding protection by allowing plaintiffs' attorneys to propose arbitrary financial figures and mathematical formulas for noneconomic damages that are not rooted in evidence and will ultimately distort the jury deliberation process.

The consequences of this legislation would further exacerbate the already troubling trajectory of the medical liability environment in the commonwealth.

• According to a recent report by Oliver Wyman, Pennsylvania bears the highest medical liability payout per capita in the nation at $43 per resident.
• In Philadelphia alone, average medical liability verdicts have more than tripled since the pandemic—skyrocketing from just under $3.5 million to over $14 million.
• HB 1913 will inevitably worsen the medical liability crisis, increasing all of the following:
  • Excessive verdicts
  • Litigation costs
  • Costs for excess insurance attachment points, coverage carve outs, and Mcare assessments

Together, this means hospitals must hold millions of dollars in reserve instead of using it towards essential care, innovation, and research—and these reserves may be the difference between keeping the doors open or leaving communities with no access to healthcare. These “invisible” costs have ripple effects by placing unsustainable financial pressure on employers, taxpayers, and ultimately patients.

Pennsylvania's hospitals are already operating under severe financial strain, with projections indicating that 12 to 14 hospitals across the state are at risk of closure over the next five years. Expanding liability exposure at this critical juncture will further strain the health care infrastructure and jeopardize patient access to essential care in communities. For these reasons, HAP respectfully urges you to oppose HB 1913.

Sincerely,

 

Stephanie Watkins
Senior Vice President, Advocacy and Policy

 

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Topics: Medical Liability, State Advocacy

Revision Date: 6/8/2026

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