John Sullivan, the former president of the Civil Justice Association of California (CJAC) and a longtime leader in the fight against frivolous lawsuits, has passed away at the age of 73.

As California and other states prepare for the “Silver Tsunami” – a tidal wave of Baby Boomers who are reaching 65 – a national study on long-term care facilities sees liability expenses as an important driver of cost.

Another major player in medical policy has weighed in with a detailed report on patient safety.

Though the recently concluded California legislative session did not produce any MICRA-related bills, two pieces of legislation did address physician use of the state’s prescription drug database – a subject of sharp debate during last year’s battle over Proposition 46.

Legislative bills die in Sacramento for a number of reasons, but a bill’s failure does not mean an end to the ideas behind it.