MA H1705

Expands the definition of "medical peer review committee" to include pharmacy peer review committees and extends peer review protections to committees formed by individual providers, physician groups, and health care facilities even when not required by law

Requires expert witnesses in medical malpractice cases against physicians to be board certified in the same specialty as the defendant physician, and classifies providing such expert testimony as the practice of medicine subject to Board of Registration oversight

Mandates medical malpractice insurers submit annual reports to the Betsy Lehman Center for Patient Safety listing the top 10 categories of malpractice losses and top 10 defendant specialties by cost and frequency

Allows courts to order periodic payments instead of lump-sum awards for future damages of $50,000 or more in malpractice cases, with payments continuing to dependents if the plaintiff dies

Changes the interest rate on medical malpractice judgments from the standard statutory rate to the weekly average 1-year Treasury yield, capped at the rate in Chapter 231 Section 6B