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Table 1B: Supply of Physicians in States without Caps on Malpractice Awards for Noneconomic Damages: 1970-2000a

States without caps in 2000 Year cap law was passed Doctors per 100,000 county residents in 1970 Doctors per 100,000 county residents in 2000 Percent increase in supply of doctors
Alabama 1987, overturned 45 98 117.8%
Arizona no cap 68 120 76.5%
Arkansas no cap 52 92 76.9%
Connecticut no cap 136 273 100.7%
Delaware no cap 100 203 100.3%
Florida 1988, overturned 75 150 100%
Georgia no cap 51 104 103.9%
Illinois 1995, overturned 62 108 74.2%
Iowa no cap 69 89 29.0%
Kentucky no cap 53 99 86.8%
Maine no cap 85 196 129.1%
Minnesota no cap 75 126 68.0%
Mississippib no cap 51 94 84.3%
Nebraska no cap 61 113 85.3%
Nevadab no cap 77 96 24.7%
New Hampshire no cap 141 263 86.5%
New Jersey no cap 115 250 117.4%
New York no cap 128 212 65.6%
North Carolina no cap 72 153 112.5%
Ohiob overturned twice 67 120 79.1%
Oklahoma no cap 54 73 35.2%
Oregon 1987, overturned 79 148 87.3%
Pennsylvania no cap 95 192 102.1%
Rhode Island no cap 99 299 202.0%
South Carolina no cap 56 128 128.6%
Tennessee no cap 50 106 112.0%
Texasb 1977, overturned 60 89 48.3%
Vermont no cap 117 231 97.4%
Washington 1986, overturned 77 142 84.4%
Wyoming no cap 81 135 66.7%
Average supply of doctors in all States without caps in 2000 67 120 79.1%

aThe term 'overturned' indicates that the State's Supreme Court found the cap on noneconomic damages to be unconstitutional.
bCap later passed in 2002 or 2003.

Sources: National Conference of State Legislatures,10,33 American Tort Reform Association,34 McCullough, Campbell and Lane,35 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,22 and the 2002 Area Resource File of the Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

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