This editorial appeared in The Belleville News-Democrat.
The future health and well-being of Illinoisans is now in the hands of the Illinois Supreme Court.
The justices heard arguments last week in a legal case that attempts to overturn the state's medical malpractice law.
Their ruling will help decide whether you will have access to a full range of medical care in the future.
Opponents argue that the law, which limits what a judge and jury can award to people who are injured by malpractice, is unconstitutional. The law caps non-economic damage awards; actual damage awards are not limited.
Without the non-economic damage limits, our health care system might melt down. Before the law was enacted in August 2005, doctors were fleeing Illinois. Jackpot justice had made medical malpractice insurance become ridiculously expensive and in some cases impossible to obtain.
We hope the justices agree that this law is a reasonable solution to a serious problem. Without it, we could quickly be back in crisis mode.