By Matt Sepic, KWMU
St. Louis – Republican gubernatorial candidate Matt Blunt Monday outlined a plan to fix what he calls a health care crisis in Missouri.
His proposals include improving management of Medicaid, discouraging youth smoking and reducing unnecessary emergency room visits.
Blunt says limiting the cost of malpractice insurance is at the top of the list.
"There's a need for litigation reform," Blunt said. "We need a more reasonable non-economic damage cap than we have here in Missouri today. We have to fix venue. Cases shouldn't be moved around our state, so that well-heeled plaintiffs' attorneys can acquire larger settlements."
Missouri law limits pain and suffering awards to slightly more than a half-million dollars. Blunt says that cap should be cut in half.
Matt Blunt is one of six Republicans seeking his party's nomination in the Missouri Governor's race.