Illinois became the fifth state this year to pass medical liability reform legislation that promises to provide insurance rate relief to family physicians in upcoming years. The bill caps non-economic damages in medical liability lawsuits at $500,000. Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has announced he will sign the bill into law.

Among the Illinois law’s provisions are: public hearings when insurers seek rate increases, assurance that physician apologies cannot be used as evidence in litigation, required disclosure of insurance companies’ actuarial data, and required certification by a board-certified physician that a plaintiff’s claims merit a trial. Illinois joins Georgia, Missouri, South Carolina, and Montana in moving to rein in medical liability insurance rates that have driven many family physicians out of hospital practice and obstetric care.