Dupage Policy Journal

Dear Editor,

Operating a business in Illinois has become increasingly difficult. As the owner of a small dental practice, I am fully aware of just how damaging excessive red tape and high corporate tax rates can be for the growth of a business. These “stacked costs” not only slow down economic growth, but they also dampen the entrepreneurial spirit that powers our private sector. For years, lawmakers in Springfield have imposed counterproductive policies that have driven up costs, crimped margins, and created an environment of uncertainty for small businesses across the state.

In the medical field, much of this uncertainty stems from the state’s convoluted, outdated legal code which favors trial lawyers over health care providers. Illinois’ weak liability protections for doctors and nurses has left the state’s court system clogged with frivolous lawsuits and false claims. Oftentimes, attorneys target small, vulnerable medical practices who they know do not have the financial resources to fight expensive legal battles. These coercive maneuvers, intended to strongarm defendants into quickly settling out of court, serve as an easy way for trial lawyers to cash in big on a broken system.

When Texas implemented a law to limit non-economic damages in tort cases, malpractice premiums for healthcare providers and other groups across the state were significantly reduced. As a result, doctors from across the country uprooted their practices and poured into the Longhorn State to work without the fear of being hit with excessive malpractice claims.

Unfortunately, the climate in Illinois is only getting worse. Senate Bill 72, signed into law by Gov. Pritzker in May of this year, further incentivizes lawsuit abuse against members of the Illinois healthcare community by making the cost of medical-related litigation even more expensive for defendants. In the end, this is going to mean higher costs and lower quality care for patients.

I am calling on members of the Illinois state legislature to reverse course and come together to provide relief for those of us in the healthcare and small business communities. For too long, we have been an afterthought. This must change.

Jim Economos

Owner of Best Dental Group

Bartlett