Robert Mitchell, professor of premedicine and science, said Pennsylvania is losing doctors to neighboring states because it is too expensive for them to pay for medical malpractice insurance in Pennsylvania.

He said instituting a cap on the amount a patient could sue a doctor for would help decrease medical malpractice insurance and keep doctors in Pennsylvania.

Mitchell added that the average obstetrician in Pennsylvania usually pays around $80,000 to $100,000 a year just for medical malpractice insurance.

Don Houser, spokesman for Sen. Jake Corman, R-Centre, said the medical system is getting worse because of defensive medical practices.

"Doctors are over-prescribing and ordering extra, unnecessary tests just to keep from being sued," Houser said.

Dr. James Dunne, a dermatologist in State College, said many physicians are practicing defensive medicine because of fear of malpractice suits.

Mark Phenicie, legislative counsel for the Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers, said a cap on medical malpractice infringes on the rights of the injured victim.

"It's not fair to the victim of a medical malpractice to have a cap," he said.

Phenicie said just because a state has a cap on medical malpractice does not necessarily mean the insurance will be cheaper for doctors.

Dunne added that Pennsylvania has lost a considerable number of physicians despite contrary information from trial lawyers.

"We are having trouble recruiting physicians for Pennsylvania," he said.

However, Phenicie said Pennsylvania has the fourth highest rate in the nation of doctors per citizen.

"It's simply not true that doctors are moving out of Pennsylvania," Phenicie said.

"They're saying it in all 50 states. I don't know where the hell all the doctors are going," he added.

Houser said Corman has lobbied for a constitutional change to institute a cap on medical malpractice suits because currently there is no cap on damages awarded for medical malpractice, and Pennsylvania has extremely high insurance rates compared to other states.

Houser added that the General Assembly hasn't passed the proposed legislation because of trial lawyers.

"Trial attorneys were able to thwart Sen. Corman's bill because of their influence in the General Assembly," he said.