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PUBLIC CITIZEN * NY PIRG * CENTER FOR MEDICAL CONSUMERS Nov. 27, 2007 Contact: Angela Canterbury (202) 454-5188 acanterbury@citizen.org MEDIA ADVISORY State Government - Not Lawsuits - Responsible for New York’s Medical Malpractice Woes, New Report Shows Responses to Self-Inflicted ‘Crisis’ Subject of State Task Force Review; Public Interest Groups to Release Report Thursday at Press Conference WHAT: Press conference at which Public Citizen, with New York Public Interest Research Group and the Center for Medical Consumers, will release a report showing that New York’s medical malpractice insurance troubles are self-inflicted - caused by the state’s manipulation of insurance rates and its misuse of a rainy day fund. The report comes in the wake of a state-approved rate hike in medical malpractice premiums last summer and as a state task force examines New York’s malpractice insurance issues. Public Citizen researchers determined that medical malpractice litigation is not to blame for the rate hikes; in fact, malpractice payments in New York fell to historic lows in recent years. Patient safety remains a dire concern in New York. Moreover, New York’s population of doctors is flourishing, not dwindling, as some claim. WHEN: 11 a.m. EST, Thursday, Nov. 29 WHO: Joan Claybrook, president, Public Citizen Laura MacCleery, director of Public Citizen’s Congress Watch division Russ Haven, legislative counsel, New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) Art Levin, director, Center for Medical Consumers Erin Howard, teacher from Long Island, whose brother, Kevin Deane, died while at Mt. Sinai Hospital earlier this year WHERE: Room 130, First Floor, Legislative Office Building (State Street, across from the Capitol), Albany, N.Y.