Houston Daily

Tom Oliverson, Texas 130th District State Representative, said that Texas' tort reform has contributed to maintaining a competitive medical liability insurance market. This statement was made on the social media platform X.

"There are plenty of medical liability insurers in the Texas market thanks to the 2003 tort reform law," said Oliverson. "No one “has” to use TMLT, it is just one option."

In Texas, the debate over tort reform and alleged lawsuit abuse has resurfaced as lawmakers propose measures targeting "nuclear verdicts," which supporters argue contribute to escalating liability costs and higher insurance premiums. The landmark 2003 reforms under House Bill 4 and Proposition 12, which capped noneconomic damages in medical malpractice cases, remain in place. Consumer advocates argue these caps limit patient access to justice, while business-aligned groups contend that additional reforms are necessary to rein in litigation. According to the Texas Tribune, proposals such as Senate Bill 30, which would have tied jury awards to Medicare rates, stalled during the 2025 legislative session.

The Texas Department of Insurance’s Market Guide on medical liability insurance identifies four types of insurers authorized to provide medical professional-liability coverage in the state. This indicates that the market remains relatively diversified despite earlier carrier withdrawals. This structure means Texas physicians can still access coverage from multiple categories of insurers within a regulated environment.

Following Texas’s 2003 tort-reform package, physician malpractice premiums dropped by an average of 46 percent based on figures from state advocacy groups. About half of Texas doctors saw reductions of more than 50 percent in their claims-made rates, according to the Texas Medical Association. Physician organizations point to these premium decreases as evidence that the reforms enhanced the affordability of medical-liability coverage in Texas.

Oliverson is a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives, serving District 130 since his first election in 2016. A board-certified anesthesiologist who continues to practice medicine, he has concentrated on issues such as healthcare regulation, insurance, education, and conservative social policy in the legislature. His combined experience as a physician and lawmaker gives him a direct role in shaping medical-liability and tort-reform policy in Texas.