Tort reform and health care
October 12th 2009 23:04
From CNN:
In a recent CNN discussion, Dr. Sanjay Gupta stated that as much as 15% of health care costs come from lawsuits and the subsequent practice of defensive medicine by physicians. It seems to be a no-brainer that you can reduce costs by placing some limits on malpractice lawsuits. Surely, this is included as a provision in the Democrats' health care bills, right?
Wrong.
Why isn't it included? The American Trial Lawyers Association is one of the biggest financial supporters of the Democratic Party. As you can imagine, trial lawyers are adamantly against any limits on malpractice awards. The Democrats wouldn't even consider crossing these wealthy and generous contributors. The result? No limits on malpractice claims.
Until the Democrats are willing to do the right thing and stand up to their own self-serving campaign contributors, we should take their attempts to control health care costs with a grain of salt.
The Congressional Budget Office is now estimating that limits on medical malpractice lawsuits — reforms favored by many Republicans — could save the government as much as $54 billion over the next ten years.
In a recent CNN discussion, Dr. Sanjay Gupta stated that as much as 15% of health care costs come from lawsuits and the subsequent practice of defensive medicine by physicians. It seems to be a no-brainer that you can reduce costs by placing some limits on malpractice lawsuits. Surely, this is included as a provision in the Democrats' health care bills, right?
Wrong.
Why isn't it included? The American Trial Lawyers Association is one of the biggest financial supporters of the Democratic Party. As you can imagine, trial lawyers are adamantly against any limits on malpractice awards. The Democrats wouldn't even consider crossing these wealthy and generous contributors. The result? No limits on malpractice claims.
Until the Democrats are willing to do the right thing and stand up to their own self-serving campaign contributors, we should take their attempts to control health care costs with a grain of salt.
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Comment by S.L.
The Political Brief
Comment by PopulistConservative
Angry Electorate
Comment by Jim Stillman
Really Long Link
You may want to consider the fact that some states have placed draconian limits on medical malpractice lawsuits (Texas, New York, Florida for examples), and malpractice insurance premiums for physicians have not decreased!
My daughter and son-in-law are physicians in Florida, far more conservative than I. They agree that insurance industry greed is the culprit -- although they don't like lawyers either.
Comment by PopulistConservative
Angry Electorate
NOTE: This may also need to be addressed with doctors to encourage them not to practice defensive medicine and maybe have industry standards on what tests are appropriate in certain types of cases. This would help ensure that the savings from tort reform do actually make it down to consumers. Of course, this whole exercise is a trip through fantasyland since the Dems would never allow any limits on their trial lawyering buddies.
BTW, I haven't heard any suggestions that malpractice by contractors, accountants, and others contribute 15% or more to the cost of health care. If I had, this article would've been about them. I singled out lawyers because they do contribute so much to the cost of health care.