1.   Among the provisions that would be included would be changes malpractice laws to reduce the cost of lawsuits accusing doctors and hospitals charged with negligence.

2.   A little-noticed provision in the Medicare overhaul that passed the House last week would preempt state medical malpractice laws and impose new limits on damages.

3.   After months of stalemate with Starr, she dismissed her lawyer, William Ginsburg, whose experience was in malpractice law, not high-stakes political chess.

4.   But experts on malpractice law said the settlement would make it more difficult for Tenet hospitals or others to avoid responsibility for incompetent or drug-addicted doctors.

5.   Conservatives are even demanding a federal medical malpractice law.

6.   Doctors and hospitals are also fighting for changes to malpractice laws.

7.   Gingrich also said he would argue for changing malpractice laws to limit the size of court awards in lawsuits against doctors and other providers.

8.   He also said Republicans would continue to fight for changes in medical malpractice laws to reduce frivolous lawsuits.

9.   Health plans point to studies showing that the current malpractice law leads to higher medical costs and a breakdown of trust between doctors and patients.

10.   In addition, the bill would make it easier for consumers to sue health plans under state malpractice laws.