The Florida Medical Association has honored Sen. Tom Lee and Rep. Matt Gaetz as their 2013 Legislators of the Year for their exceptional contributions to medicine in the legislative arena.
Lee and Gaetz were each instrumental in the passage of the FMA’s priority medical liability reform bill, which Gov. Rick Scott signed into law on June 5, making it possible to correct gross imbalances in Florida’s tort system by ensuring fairness in the use of medical expert witnesses.
“Thanks to Senator Lee and Representative Gaetz, we were able to transform the state’s medical liability climate on behalf of doctors across the state of Florida,” said FMA Council on Legislation Chair Neal Dunn, M.D. “Every member of the FMA owes these Friends of Medicine their thanks for making Florida a much friendlier place to practice medicine.”
FMA Executive Vice President Timothy J. Stapleton said that Sen. Lee and Rep. Gaetz played a central role in securing the reforms.
“Every victory that the FMA achieves on behalf of Florida’s physicians at the Capitol begins with pro-medicine legislators,” Stapleton said. “Senator Lee and Representative Gaetz’s support on this issue was absolutely critical. We are pleased to recognize their extraordinary contributions to the medical profession, which allowed us to make history during the 2013 legislative session.”
Lee and Gaetz will be honored on Saturday, July 27 at the FMA PAC Good Government Luncheon during the 2013 Annual Meeting in Orlando.
“The FMA is extremely fortunate to have legislative allies such as Senator Lee and Representative Gaetz, who recognize that a victory for medicine is a victory for patients,” said FMA Vice President and FMA PAC President Ralph Nobo, M.D. “Their actions will benefit our profession for many years to come, and this honor is very well deserved.”
