GE Medical Protective, the largest provider of medical malpractice insurance in the U.S., admitted in a Texas regulatory filing that medical malpractice “caps,” or limits on damage awards or other limitations on recoveries for injured patients, will not lower the premiums it charges medical doctors. The revelation was contained in a document submitted by GE Medical Protective to explain to the Texas Department of Insurance why it planned to raise premiums in the state a mere six months after the state enacted caps on medical malpractice awards.

“Non-economic damages are a small percentage of total losses paid,” the statement read. “Capping non-economic damages will show loss savings of 1.0%” In 2003, Texas passed a law enacting a $250,000 cap on non-economic damage compensation to victims of medical malpractice after GE Medical and other insurers lobbied for the change, blaming high non-economic damages for the high rates charged to doctors. In its own company-issue reports, GE Medical Protective has claimed that capping non-economic damages is a “critical element” of medical malpractice tort reform.