There is one thing the GOP wants for health care reform

[Ardent15]

Tort reform.

And we know why.

[doc03]

1. From some of the ridiculous law suits we hear about maybe

they have point.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

2. But most ridiculous lawsuits get thrown out of court

The ones we hear about are news precisely because they're rare.

Someone needs to look into the whole question of malpractice insurance.

What are the average annual premiums for different specialties?

How many doctors are there in these specialties nationwide? That is, how many dollars in premiums are the companies taking in.

How many of the doctors in each specialty get sued every year?

How many of these suits are successful?

How much does the average company pay out each year in malpractice settlements?

What do the insurance company balance sheets look like with respect to malpractice premiums and payouts?

[doc03]

4. I know you hear about the ridiculous ones but still isn't

there some common ground there that needs to be at least considered? I know doctors do have to pay huge malpractice premiums for some reason. A couple years ago I remember seeing a web site that listed the area doctors that had been sued and out of hundreds of doctors there were only a few and one I remember had been sued 3 times and all of them looked like just gross negligence to me. Maybe both parties could encourage the AMA to weed out the bad doctors.

[Hamlette]

11. we have

but the AMA will not police their own.

Some states have enacted tort reform (including mine) years ago and there has been NO decrease in malpractice insurance.

"Horror stories" about law suits are 100% BS. Like the McDonalds hot coffee case touted as being ridiculous. We all know the facts in that case did not make it to the news. Only the amount of the award.

I've not heard of one "horror story" medical malpractice lawsuit that was won. And how are you going to stop people from bringing lawsuits? Doctors being sued is part of the price of the practice. While all but three have been sued, very very few have had successful suits against them.

(I think it should be done like workers' compensation: you go to a doctor you get an aberrational result, you get paid replacement wages and your medical costs and a small damage award equal to your disability. Do it by admin law so it is easy and quick. Costs would plummet.)

[Cleita]

8. That's another insurance that needs to be taken out of the private sector

and become government run, just like health insurance should, if we lived in a country that had laws forbidding insurance companies to sell primary insurance for basic health care.

[Warpy]

7. First, truly ridiculous law suits get thrown out of court

Second, of the ones that make it to court, I'm afraid that you and I aren't privy to the reasons they were allowed to proceed. In other words, they only look silly because we don't have all the facts.

Third, the lawsuits that win huge awards have those awards reduced on appeal. That's what the appeals process is for, to second guess juries that were unduly alarmed and unduly punitive.

Fourth, why the hell are you so eager to give up your right to petition the government for redress of grievances? That's what lawsuits are all about, buddy, something so important it was set into stone in the Bill of Rights.

The only people to benefit from tort "reform" are insurance companies, who reduce their payouts while maintaining their high premiums. If you don't think this is the case, check what happened in Texas after tort "reform" was passed.

[laureloak]

3. Why? n/t

[Ardent15]

10. Trial attorneys contribute a lot of $ to Democratic campaigns.

Anything to reduce that $ is good for the GOP.

[Jane Austin]

5. We got tort reform here in Texas a few years ago,

as pushed by our Right Wing republican governor and legislature.

It has had no effect on our insurance rates.

The policy we offer our employees has increased dramatically every year.

[tosh]

6. Why: it's another gift to their buds, the insurance industry.

Malpractice Insurance costs keep rising and it doesn't seem to be related to settlements and judgements.

It's a racket, like its cousin Health Insurance.

oops - edit its not it's.

[Ardent15]

9. That, and those pesky trial attorneys who donate to Democratic campaigns....

...won't get as much money.