Tort Reform Failure

[Bfgrn]

What does one anecdote about one town with a few people interviewed really tell us, other than the agenda of the author??

Here's an idea...READ the whole article...

And then READ this one...doctors too self inflated and egotistical to WASH THEIR F_CKING HANDS...even though it would save hundreds of thousands of lives...

Op-Ed Columnist
The Sidney Awards

By DAVID BROOKS
Published: December 24, 2009

Every year, I give out Sidney Awards to the best magazine essays of the year...

This year, magazines had a powerful effect on the health care debate. Atul Gawande’s piece, “The Cost Conundrum,” in The New Yorker, was the most influential essay of 2009, and David Goldhill’s “How American Health Care Killed My Father,” in The Atlantic, explained why the U.S. needs fundamental health reform.

 

[The Rabbi]

You appear to be unable to separate individual stories and anecdotes from evidence in order to arrive at a reasonable conclusion.
From this I conclude you voted for Obama in the last election.

 

[The Rabbi]

From the article:

Haley Barbour?

Seriously.

Haley Barbour?

Did you need spell check to get his name right?

No.

Barbour is a public person. I've seen his name in print numerous times. In fact, familiarity with Barbour's reputation is the basis of my incredulity. This guy is a charlatan. No one who has any respect for for the truth would believe a word of what he says.

You must not be very familiar with his reputation. In fact I would say your familiarity with him amounts to knowledge that he is a) the governor of some state down south, b) a Republican;, and c) mentioned as a possible candidate for national office. Those three facts are enough for you to dismiss him.

 

[Bfgrn]

You appear to be unable to separate individual stories and anecdotes from evidence in order to arrive at a reasonable conclusion.
From this I conclude you voted for Obama in the last election.

Reasonable? Let's talk about tort reform...it is a state issue not a federal issue. And most states have already implemented tort reform. It is a pimple on a fat ass...where your brains are.

 

[9 Volt]

You appear to be unable to separate individual stories and anecdotes from evidence in order to arrive at a reasonable conclusion.
From this I conclude you voted for Obama in the last election.

Reasonable? Let's talk about tort reform...it is a state issue not a federal issue. And most states have already implemented tort reform. It is a pimple on a fat ass...where your brains are.

I would have to disagree, to a point. The ever-present threat of frivolous malpractice suites certainly does put physicians in a compromising position by forcing them into a CYA posture, thereby resulting in the ordering of unecccessary testing and overutlization. Overutilization is WAY up and climbing year-over-year. The article you posted earlier was good, but I think it only addresses a small part of the problem with this phenomenon. You can only blame Physician's greed when you can make a documented case that he/she is somehow being financially rewarded for ordering unneccessary tests. The truth is that most physician's see absolutely no financial reward for ordering excess ancillary testing. I must acknowledge that there is something of a push by physicians to bring more types of ancillary testing into their very specialized practices and this movement is absolutely driven by dollars. But you must consider that every year physicians face steep cuts in reimbursement through SGR cuts, and until this system is cleaned up, we can expect to see more and more Drs looking to bring ancillary testing into their practices.

 

[Navy1960]

ANN ARBOR, MI - The high cost of malpractice insurance for some medical specialties affects not only how many doctors are entering the field of obstetrics and gynecology, but also where they offer their widely needed obstetric, prenatal and gynecological care, according to new University of Michigan Health System research.

UMHS Press Release: Ob/gyn supply threatened by malpractice insurance costs

The cost does have an effect and it's not one of Greedy Doctors wanting to overcharge.

Earnings of physicians and surgeons are among the highest of any occupation. According to the Medical Group Management Association's Physician Compensation and Production Survey, median total compensation for physicians varied by their type of practice. In 2008, physicians practicing primary care had total median annual compensation of $186,044, and physicians practicing in medical specialties earned total median annual compensation of $339,738.
Physicians and Surgeons

Are those that are advocating that Doctors somehow are the cause of this that they somehow make too much money?

 

[Bfgrn]

You appear to be unable to separate individual stories and anecdotes from evidence in order to arrive at a reasonable conclusion.
From this I conclude you voted for Obama in the last election.

Reasonable? Let's talk about tort reform...it is a state issue not a federal issue. And most states have already implemented tort reform. It is a pimple on a fat ass...where your brains are.

I would have to disagree, to a point. The ever-present threat of frivolous malpractice suites certainly does put physicians in a compromising position by forcing them into a CYA posture, thereby resulting in the ordering of unecccessary testing and overutlization. Overutilization is WAY up and climbing year-over-year. The article you posted earlier was good, but I think it only addresses a small part of the problem with this phenomenon. You can only blame Physician's greed when you can make a documented case that he/she is somehow being financially rewarded for ordering unneccessary tests. The truth is that most physician's see absolutely no financial reward for ordering excess ancillary testing. I must acknowledge that there is something of a push by physicians to bring more types of ancillary testing into their very specialized practices and this movement is absolutely driven by dollars. But you must consider that every year physicians face steep cuts in reimbursement through SGR cuts, and until this system is cleaned up, we can expect to see more and more Drs looking to bring ancillary testing into their practices.

Good points. I am not trying to pin all the blame on doctors, but they shouldn't get a free pass. I find it interesting and that Ezekiel J. Emanuel reached the same conclusions in - The Perfect Storm of Overutilization

http://www.ipalc.org/Healthcare_Policy/The%20Perfect%20Storm%20of%20Overutilization%20%28JAMA%202008%29.pdf

 

[9 Volt]

That's a good article and the author makes a pointed reference to fee-for-service billing, which is also a huge driver of overutilization in the states that allow it. This is where I think physicians are going to have to take some of the blame. Also, some states that allow for this, annually threaten to amend SBME laws that perpetuate it, but they also continually bow down to the backlash of political pressure from physcian's groups with clout.

 

[Bfgrn]

That's a good article and the author makes a pointed reference to fee-for-service billing, which is also a huge driver of overutilization in the states that allow it. This is where I think physicians are going to have to take some of the blame. Also, some states that allow for this, annually threaten to amend SBME laws that perpetuate it, but they also continually bow down to the backlash of political pressure from physcian's groups with clout.

This whole health care debate exposes the real threat to the hard working middle class and even our very democracy...special interests and corporate power is overwhelming the tool our founders created...representative government.

 

[9 Volt]

That's a good article and the author makes a pointed reference to fee-for-service billing, which is also a huge driver of overutilization in the states that allow it. This is where I think physicians are going to have to take some of the blame. Also, some states that allow for this, annually threaten to amend SBME laws that perpetuate it, but they also continually bow down to the backlash of political pressure from physcian's groups with clout.

This whole health care debate exposes the real threat to the hard working middle class and even our very democracy...special interests and corporate power is overwhelming the tool our founders created...representative government.

I'm with you there. Special Interests have been the real policy makers in this country for far too long.

 

[The Rabbi]

You appear to be unable to separate individual stories and anecdotes from evidence in order to arrive at a reasonable conclusion.
From this I conclude you voted for Obama in the last election.

Reasonable? Let's talk about tort reform...it is a state issue not a federal issue. And most states have already implemented tort reform. It is a pimple on a fat ass...where your brains are.

Did the voices in your head tell you all this?

 

[Bfgrn]

ANN ARBOR, MI - The high cost of malpractice insurance for some medical specialties affects not only how many doctors are entering the field of obstetrics and gynecology, but also where they offer their widely needed obstetric, prenatal and gynecological care, according to new University of Michigan Health System research.

UMHS Press Release: Ob/gyn supply threatened by malpractice insurance costs

The cost does have an effect and it's not one of Greedy Doctors wanting to overcharge.

Earnings of physicians and surgeons are among the highest of any occupation. According to the Medical Group Management Association's Physician Compensation and Production Survey, median total compensation for physicians varied by their type of practice. In 2008, physicians practicing primary care had total median annual compensation of $186,044, and physicians practicing in medical specialties earned total median annual compensation of $339,738.
Physicians and Surgeons

Are those that are advocating that Doctors somehow are the cause of this that they somehow make too much money?

Greed is not the exclusive property of victims Navy. It can be a character trait of arise from a sense of entitlement. I would be more likely to suspect doctors feel they are entitled to make more than they do.

Tort reform is statism, no way around it. We have a court system and trial by peers to separate legitimate from frivolous law suits...

 

[The Rabbi]

ANN ARBOR, MI - The high cost of malpractice insurance for some medical specialties affects not only how many doctors are entering the field of obstetrics and gynecology, but also where they offer their widely needed obstetric, prenatal and gynecological care, according to new University of Michigan Health System research.

UMHS Press Release: Ob/gyn supply threatened by malpractice insurance costs

The cost does have an effect and it's not one of Greedy Doctors wanting to overcharge.

Earnings of physicians and surgeons are among the highest of any occupation. According to the Medical Group Management Association's Physician Compensation and Production Survey, median total compensation for physicians varied by their type of practice. In 2008, physicians practicing primary care had total median annual compensation of $186,044, and physicians practicing in medical specialties earned total median annual compensation of $339,738.
Physicians and Surgeons

Are those that are advocating that Doctors somehow are the cause of this that they somehow make too much money?

Greed is not the exclusive property of victims Navy. It can be a character trait of arise from a sense of entitlement. I would be more likely to suspect doctors feel they are entitled to make more than they do.

Tort reform is statism, no way around it. We have a court system and trial by peers to separate legitimate from frivolous law suits...

You make this up as you go along, right? You don't actually believe it.

 

[Navy1960]

ANN ARBOR, MI - The high cost of malpractice insurance for some medical specialties affects not only how many doctors are entering the field of obstetrics and gynecology, but also where they offer their widely needed obstetric, prenatal and gynecological care, according to new University of Michigan Health System research.

UMHS Press Release: Ob/gyn supply threatened by malpractice insurance costs

The cost does have an effect and it's not one of Greedy Doctors wanting to overcharge.

Earnings of physicians and surgeons are among the highest of any occupation. According to the Medical Group Management Association's Physician Compensation and Production Survey, median total compensation for physicians varied by their type of practice. In 2008, physicians practicing primary care had total median annual compensation of $186,044, and physicians practicing in medical specialties earned total median annual compensation of $339,738.
Physicians and Surgeons

Are those that are advocating that Doctors somehow are the cause of this that they somehow make too much money?

Greed is not the exclusive property of victims Navy. It can be a character trait of arise from a sense of entitlement. I would be more likely to suspect doctors feel they are entitled to make more than they do.

Tort reform is statism, no way around it. We have a court system and trial by peers to separate legitimate from frivolous law suits...

Did not imply otherwise that greed was the exclusive property of one group or the other, however it is clear that excessive litigation does have an impact on costs and more so in the nulmber of physicians that practice some fields as seen the UofM study. I think it's a big over generalization to suggest that doctors feel entitled to make more than they do, and I would point you to Doctors without Borders as an example. I have even worked with that group myself, not as a Doctor, because you darn sure don't want me Doctoring on you LOL. However, I do feel that like a lot of issues that have an effect on the healthcare, this one is but one part of it and not the whole cause. It's my opinion that in order to actually have true and lasting reform, one must address all the issues that effect costs, quaiity, and delivery, and this one does. When used as a part of many good solutions, to build a whole, then you might have something. I tend to think that too many people are looking for that magic bullet that is the one size fits all and fixes all healthcare solution and in doing so, they tend to overlook things. Of course people deserve recourse when wronged in any manner and I would not suggest otherwise, but that should apply to everyone and not just the people who preceive themselves to be wronged.

 

[Bfgrn]

ANN ARBOR, MI - The high cost of malpractice insurance for some medical specialties affects not only how many doctors are entering the field of obstetrics and gynecology, but also where they offer their widely needed obstetric, prenatal and gynecological care, according to new University of Michigan Health System research.

UMHS Press Release: Ob/gyn supply threatened by malpractice insurance costs

The cost does have an effect and it's not one of Greedy Doctors wanting to overcharge.

Earnings of physicians and surgeons are among the highest of any occupation. According to the Medical Group Management Association's Physician Compensation and Production Survey, median total compensation for physicians varied by their type of practice. In 2008, physicians practicing primary care had total median annual compensation of $186,044, and physicians practicing in medical specialties earned total median annual compensation of $339,738.
Physicians and Surgeons

Are those that are advocating that Doctors somehow are the cause of this that they somehow make too much money?

Greed is not the exclusive property of victims Navy. It can be a character trait of arise from a sense of entitlement. I would be more likely to suspect doctors feel they are entitled to make more than they do.

Tort reform is statism, no way around it. We have a court system and trial by peers to separate legitimate from frivolous law suits...

Did not imply otherwise that greed was the exclusive property of one group or the other, however it is clear that excessive litigation does have an impact on costs and more so in the nulmber of physicians that practice some fields as seen the UofM study. I think it's a big over generalization to suggest that doctors feel entitled to make more than they do, and I would point you to Doctors without Borders as an example. I have even worked with that group myself, not as a Doctor, because you darn sure don't want me Doctoring on you LOL. However, I do feel that like a lot of issues that have an effect on the healthcare, this one is but one part of it and not the whole cause. It's my opinion that in order to actually have true and lasting reform, one must address all the issues that effect costs, quaiity, and delivery, and this one does. When used as a part of many good solutions, to build a whole, then you might have something. I tend to think that too many people are looking for that magic bullet that is the one size fits all and fixes all healthcare solution and in doing so, they tend to overlook things. Of course people deserve recourse when wronged in any manner and I would not suggest otherwise, but that should apply to everyone and not just the people who preceive themselves to be wronged.

I agree with you. This is a huge problem that no single issue will resolve. Also, I have yet to hear anything Obama has said about addressing the problem that I disagree with. But IMO this is a struggle between representative government and bought representation. The insurance lobbyists spend 1.4 millions dollars per day to subvert real reform. Again IMO the liberals are on the right side of this problem. A strong public option or being able to buy into Medicare early is the best solution. Insurance companies are not in the health care business, they are in the profit business, and a tool of profit is denial of coverage.

And it is beyond cruel that any family that has been responsible and diligent paying their premium should have to face bankruptcy AND a life threatening illness...

We face a moral issue in America...

 

[Joe Steel]

No.

Barbour is a public person. I've seen his name in print numerous times. In fact, familiarity with Barbour's reputation is the basis of my incredulity. This guy is a charlatan. No one who has any respect for for the truth would believe a word of what he says.

You must not be very familiar with his reputation. In fact I would say your familiarity with him amounts to knowledge that he is a) the governor of some state down south, b) a Republican;, and c) mentioned as a possible candidate for national office. Those three facts are enough for you to dismiss him.

Oh no. His evil is well-documented:

Haley Barbour is the Republican Governor of Mississippi. He was formerly a tobacco industry lobbyist based in Washington, D.C. His lobbying firm made $17,150/month plus expenses from R.J. Reynolds in 2000.[1] [2]

Barbour won the Mississippi gubernatorial election on November 4, 2003, in part on a pledge to keep Mississippi's state flag design intact, which contains a miniature representation of the Confederate battle flag.[3]

While campaigning, he also appeared at a fund-raiser sponsored by the Conservative Citizen's Council. The CCC is a modern-day version of the White Citizen's Councils that fought racial integration throughout the South in the 1950s and 60s.[4]

Haley Barbour

Then there's this:

Governor Haley Barbour and Senator Alan Nunnelee's attempt to cut Mississippi's Medicaid budget by $60 million continues a pattern of weakening our State's safety net. From removing 65,000 elderly and disabled beneficiaries from the Medicaid rolls in 2004, to now threatening access to healthcare for 600,000 beneficiaries, Governor Barbour has been consistent in his lack of concern for our most vulnerable populations.

http://www.davidbaria.com/blogs/98/Mississippi-Health-Advocacy-Plan-MHAP-Article.html

Barbour is what one of the most reprehensible of all Republicans.

 

[The Rabbi]

You realize that Obama's proposal does not have a public option and has the support of the insurance companies, right?
Not to make your head explode or anything.

 

[9 Volt]

You realize that Obama's proposal does not have a public option and has the support of the insurance companies, right?
Not to make your head explode or anything.

"public option" was a joke from the beginning, especially given the insurance companies' ongoing love affair with our government officials. So now, there's a bill that ultimately will mandate tens of millions of new customers for these companies. This "reform bill" will be a financial boon for the insurance companies. Quite the opposite of "Government Run Healthcare" or "Socialized Medicine"

 

[uscitizen]

A dearly cherished myth of the anti-health care cult is tort reform. They steadfastly believe it to be the solution to the health care problem.

It isn't.

Tort reform doesn't work.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Medical malpractice liability caps instituted in Texas in 2003 have failed to improve the state’s health care system, a Public Citizen report released today reveals.

These findings are crucial because the Texas experiment has been held up as a model by proponents of proposals now pending in Congress to limit patients’ rights. In spite of rhetoric to the contrary, the data show that the health care system in Texas has grown worse since 2003 by nearly every measure. For example:

• The percentage of uninsured people in Texas has increased, remaining the highest in the country with a quarter of Texans now uninsured;

• The cost of health insurance in the state has more than doubled;

• The cost of health care in Texas (measured by per patient Medicare reimbursements) has increased at nearly double the national average; and

• Spending increases for diagnostic testing (measured by per patient Medicare reimbursements) have far exceeded the national average.

Texas Experiment With Medical Liability Caps Has Failed

Hey Tott reform works we are just not done with tort reform. As long as a poor person can sue a coproration, more Tort reform is needed.

 

[The Rabbi]

No.

Barbour is a public person. I've seen his name in print numerous times. In fact, familiarity with Barbour's reputation is the basis of my incredulity. This guy is a charlatan. No one who has any respect for for the truth would believe a word of what he says.

You must not be very familiar with his reputation. In fact I would say your familiarity with him amounts to knowledge that he is a) the governor of some state down south, b) a Republican;, and c) mentioned as a possible candidate for national office. Those three facts are enough for you to dismiss him.

Oh no. His evil is well-documented:

Haley Barbour is the Republican Governor of Mississippi. He was formerly a tobacco industry lobbyist based in Washington, D.C. His lobbying firm made $17,150/month plus expenses from R.J. Reynolds in 2000.[1] [2]

Barbour won the Mississippi gubernatorial election on November 4, 2003, in part on a pledge to keep Mississippi's state flag design intact, which contains a miniature representation of the Confederate battle flag.[3]

While campaigning, he also appeared at a fund-raiser sponsored by the Conservative Citizen's Council. The CCC is a modern-day version of the White Citizen's Councils that fought racial integration throughout the South in the 1950s and 60s.[4]

Haley Barbour

Then there's this:

Governor Haley Barbour and Senator Alan Nunnelee's attempt to cut Mississippi's Medicaid budget by $60 million continues a pattern of weakening our State's safety net. From removing 65,000 elderly and disabled beneficiaries from the Medicaid rolls in 2004, to now threatening access to healthcare for 600,000 beneficiaries, Governor Barbour has been consistent in his lack of concern for our most vulnerable populations.

http://www.davidbaria.com/blogs/98/Mississippi-Health-Advocacy-Plan-MHAP-Article.html

Barbour is what one of the most reprehensible of all Republicans.

Are you a tool or a hack? Hard to tell the difference.
That you would call someone with an unblemished reputation "evil" betrays how fucking stupid you are.