1. Medical Malpractice is what drives up health care costs.
Wellpoint, Inc. a large health insurer disputes that and states that liability awards are not what is driving up premiums. They state there is no evidence to claim that anywhere.
2. Medical malpractce awards are a large % of the cost of health care as juries award large sums of $.
Only one medical malpractice case was amongst the top 40 tort verdicts in 2008. Less than 2% of all health care dollars are spent on these malpractice awards and fights amounting to less than $12 a yar per American. Less than 1 in 10 malpractice cases is won at trial. Doctors are very difficult to get verdicts on.
3. Malpractice fright causes defensive medicine to be done.
There is not one study anywhere to support this. In fact, defensive medicine is about 20 billion per year. Defensive medicine IS NOT the same as wasteful medicine and defensive medicine is not caused by malpractice fright. Doctors are more careful with patient records, take extra time with patients, do additional tests that are needed to prevent future illneses and spot illnesses that were unknown. Makes for a healthier society.
In the list of the top 15 things that one could do to lower health care costs medical malpractice awards and claims is not on that list.
The proponents of tort reform throw the baby out with the bath water. Although damage award caps may slow the growth of liability premiums-about 5-13% annually over time-it is oversold as a solution by the special interest billion dollar insurance lobby and it unfair to the patient, the customer and the one getting maimed by the malpractice.
Wellpoint, Inc. a large health insurer disputes that and states that liability awards are not what is driving up premiums. They state there is no evidence to claim that anywhere.
2. Medical malpractce awards are a large % of the cost of health care as juries award large sums of $.
Only one medical malpractice case was amongst the top 40 tort verdicts in 2008. Less than 2% of all health care dollars are spent on these malpractice awards and fights amounting to less than $12 a yar per American. Less than 1 in 10 malpractice cases is won at trial. Doctors are very difficult to get verdicts on.
3. Malpractice fright causes defensive medicine to be done.
There is not one study anywhere to support this. In fact, defensive medicine is about 20 billion per year. Defensive medicine IS NOT the same as wasteful medicine and defensive medicine is not caused by malpractice fright. Doctors are more careful with patient records, take extra time with patients, do additional tests that are needed to prevent future illneses and spot illnesses that were unknown. Makes for a healthier society.
In the list of the top 15 things that one could do to lower health care costs medical malpractice awards and claims is not on that list.
The proponents of tort reform throw the baby out with the bath water. Although damage award caps may slow the growth of liability premiums-about 5-13% annually over time-it is oversold as a solution by the special interest billion dollar insurance lobby and it unfair to the patient, the customer and the one getting maimed by the malpractice.