What is the effect of the Medical Licensing Reform Act on medical malpractice?

MICRA was designed to reduce tort compensation for medical malpractice by erecting a framework to assure medical quality (thereby reducing the number of potential lawsuits), by imposing various restrictions upon those actions which are nevertheless pursued, and by establishing procedures for protesting insurance premium rates. [Citation.] As to medical malpractice actions, the reforms were designed to accomplish two goals: (1) to expedite identification and resolution of claims; and (2) to make amounts and payment of compensation awards more economically manageable. (Kelemen v. Superior Court (1982) 136 Cal. App.3d 861, 866, 186 Cal.Rptr. 566.)