Hosts Medical Community Event; Lawsuit & Healthcare Reform Top Concerns Saying that Todd Hiett represents Oklahoma's best hope for meaningful lawsuit reform, U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn today hosted an event with representatives from the state's medical community to support Hiett's campaign for lieutenant governor. "There are some people in this state who would like to forget about the need for lawsuit reform, but working families deserve better access to good doctors and lower health insurance costs," said Sen. Coburn (R-Muskogee). "The old guard in the state Senate will do whatever they can to stop meaningful lawsuit reform, and they've repeatedly blocked it year after year. That's why we must have Todd Hiett in the lieutenant governor's office. There's no other conservative state leader who has done more to advance the cause of lawsuit reform and access to quality health care." Coburn noted that with the balance of control currently razor-thin in the state Senate, "powerful trial lawyers are pulling out all the stops to make sure lawsuit reform doesn't pass." Electing Todd Hiett as lieutenant governor, Coburn said, could "ensure that lawsuit reform passes as well as continuing reform to provide better access to health care." Senator Coburn, a medical doctor himself, said "Oklahoma's abusive junk lawsuit climate punishes good doctors, hikes the cost of health care and hurts our chances for attracting and keeping good jobs. It's time for real reform. It's time to finish the job." Hiett -- Oklahoma's first Republican Speaker in more than 80 years -- thanked Coburn for his support. As Speaker, Hiett repeatedly advanced lawsuit reform in the House, only to see the bills killed in the state Senate. Hiett also enacted significant health care access reforms, including health care savings accounts (HSA's) and the "Rx for Oklahoma" public-private prescription assistance program for needy Oklahomans. Posted at 10/18/2006 06:26:00 PM