Impact Of State 'Tort Reforms'
08/05/07 16:12 Filed in: Tort Deform, a.k.a Tort Reform
As those in the industry know, 'tort reform' tactics are sold to the public as a way to 'cure' ever increasing malpractice premiums and keep physicians from fleeing the state.... nevermind that if they are in the business of ruining people's lives through shoddy medical practice they should be run out of the state and the practice of medicine.
As those in the industry know, 'tort reform' tactics are sold to the public as a way to 'cure' ever increasing malpractice premiums and keep physicians from fleeing the state.... nevermind that if they are in the business of ruining people's lives through shoddy medical practice they should be run out of the state and the practice of medicine. Unfortunately, there is practically no evidence to suggest that limiting damages somehow reduces medical malpractice premiums. If a surgeon, woops, amputates the wrong foot, you are limited in the amount of money that can be recovered. By limiting the amount of money recoverable (personally, my feet are invaluable) the argument goes that insurance premiums will drop and doctors won't flee the state. However, yet another study, conducted by Health Affairs, suggests that 'tort reform' tactics such as limiting the amount of money damages regardless of the catastrophic consequences of the medical error does not necessarily result in lower premiums.