(Tchula, Mississippi) - For over 16 years Baptist Medical Missionary and Family Practitioner, Rev. Ronald V. Myers, Sr., M.D., has been faithfully and sacrificially serving the medical needs of families in the poorest region in America, the Mississippi Delta. Now, Rev., Dr. Myers must began closing his Christian Family Health Centers because the state's only malpractice insurance company, the Medical Assurance Company of Mississippi (MACM), refuses to renew his medical malpractice insurance policy.

According to a recent article in the Jackson, Mississippi based newspaper, the Jackson Advocate, "As a result of Mississippi's new controversial tort reform legislation, MACM has been given sole discretion in providing malpractice insurance to doctors, establishing what some characterize as 'a virtual monopoly on malpractice coverage.'"

Myers, an African-American physician, who has never been sued for malpractice in his family practice health centers, feels that insurance company greed, racism and discrimination against chronic pain patients are the motives behind MACM's actions.

"MACM's all white physician Board of Directors, including Dr. J. Edward Hill, President-Elect of the American Medical Association (AMA), has made it clear that they do not want me to treat poor chronic pain patients," states Rev., Dr. Myers. "I am a victim of a 'medical malpractice lynching' for being a compassionate and caring physician throughout the state of Mississippi."

State Representative Willie J. Perkins (D-Greenwood), a member of the Select Committee on Malpractice Insurance, in a recent letter to both Co-Chairs of the committee, Rep. Edward Blackmon, Jr. (D-Canton) and Rep. Steve Holland (D-Plantersville), hopes that Myers critical testimony concerning tort reform before the committee earlier this year did not play a role in MACM's decision and has requested an investigation:

"According to Dr. Myers, he has practiced medicine for 16 years in the Mississippi Delta without any incident of a medical malpractice judgment, that he has a clean and clear medical record. Unless I am somewhat confused, it appears this he would be the "poster boy" for the type of doctors MACM or any insurance company would desire to extend insurance coverage. I trust Dr. Myers testimony at our hearing played no role in MACM's decision. Also, I trust that our committee will explore and investigate this and other similar matters."

Myers feels that insurance company greed is the real motivation behind tort reform. "The bottom line is that Mississippi's tort reform legislation and other special legislation afforded MACM by the state legislature gave MACM license to abuse and discriminate against the poor and disenfranchised," states Rev., Dr. Myers. "MACM is practicing 'medical malpractice social engineering', 'medical malpractice redlining' and 'medical malpractice racism' by not renewing the malpractice insurance policies of physicians who practice in communities with large African-American, poor and chronic pain patient populations. This is morally reprehensible and unconscionable. I will be forced to close my health centers in some of America's poorest counties because of MACM's action."

Rev., Dr. Myers has committed himself to battle this injustice and is praying for a moral outcry from across America. "Please do not let greed win over need," states Rev., Dr. Myers. "We need to reform tort reform in America because the poor, chronic pain patients and the disenfranchised need healthcare too."

To offer support and assistance, contact Dr. Myers at 662-247-1471 or 662-247-3364; e-mail: MyersFound@aol.com; Web Sites; www.AmericanPainInstitute.org or www.MyersFoundation.net.