ObamaCare…coming soon

[Dukehorn]

Hi Allan,

I think tort reform is the big problem. As a lawyer practicing at a biotech, I don’t see the plaintiff industry giving in to it.

Uco’s point reflects the difficulty. Folks hate how our legal system impact costs, but then will point out cases in less litigious societies where it’s harder to bring “justice”.

Frankly, we can’t have it both ways. We can’t use our legal system to hold folks accountable and then complain when it spawns higher costs.

I’m willing to fall on the side of limiting verdicts and lowering costs in order to get universal healthcare in place (so yeah, call me a socialist but it’s actually quite the conservative pro-business viewpoint isn’t it? (tort reform that is)). We need the centrists to get into action….

[Allan from Fallbrook]

Hey, Duke,

I found it interesting that Obama admitted on “60 Minutes” that the Democratic Party had been traditionally resistant to tort reform, but was somewhat mum when Steve Kroft asked if that was due to the large contributions from the Trial Lawyers Association. As a conservative, I would definitely concur that, as a matter of policy, caps on punitive and exemplary damages would be a boon, but I also recognize that the GOP is just as dirty as the Dems when it comes to contributions from the big class actions shops (like Motley).

I work in blast engineering for the government and they recently put a piece of legislation into place called the Safety Act. This Act allows the government to extend full liability protection to firms working on Force Protection and anti-terrorism. The reason for the Act? Too many firms averred from doing anti-terrorism and Force Protection work out of fear of litigation.

Regardless of industry, litigation and the attendant premiums for E&O, Professional Liability and General Liability, are all now a “cost of doing business”.

[Allan from Fallbrook]

Hey, Duke,

I found it interesting that Obama admitted on “60 Minutes” that the Democratic Party had been traditionally resistant to tort reform, but was somewhat mum when Steve Kroft asked if that was due to the large contributions from the Trial Lawyers Association. As a conservative, I would definitely concur that, as a matter of policy, caps on punitive and exemplary damages would be a boon, but I also recognize that the GOP is just as dirty as the Dems when it comes to contributions from the big class actions shops (like Motley).

I work in blast engineering for the government and they recently put a piece of legislation into place called the Safety Act. This Act allows the government to extend full liability protection to firms working on Force Protection and anti-terrorism. The reason for the Act? Too many firms averred from doing anti-terrorism and Force Protection work out of fear of litigation.

Regardless of industry, litigation and the attendant premiums for E&O, Professional Liability and General Liability, are all now a “cost of doing business”.

[Allan from Fallbrook]

Hey, Duke,

I found it interesting that Obama admitted on “60 Minutes” that the Democratic Party had been traditionally resistant to tort reform, but was somewhat mum when Steve Kroft asked if that was due to the large contributions from the Trial Lawyers Association. As a conservative, I would definitely concur that, as a matter of policy, caps on punitive and exemplary damages would be a boon, but I also recognize that the GOP is just as dirty as the Dems when it comes to contributions from the big class actions shops (like Motley).

I work in blast engineering for the government and they recently put a piece of legislation into place called the Safety Act. This Act allows the government to extend full liability protection to firms working on Force Protection and anti-terrorism. The reason for the Act? Too many firms averred from doing anti-terrorism and Force Protection work out of fear of litigation.

Regardless of industry, litigation and the attendant premiums for E&O, Professional Liability and General Liability, are all now a “cost of doing business”.

[Allan from Fallbrook]

Hey, Duke,

I found it interesting that Obama admitted on “60 Minutes” that the Democratic Party had been traditionally resistant to tort reform, but was somewhat mum when Steve Kroft asked if that was due to the large contributions from the Trial Lawyers Association. As a conservative, I would definitely concur that, as a matter of policy, caps on punitive and exemplary damages would be a boon, but I also recognize that the GOP is just as dirty as the Dems when it comes to contributions from the big class actions shops (like Motley).

I work in blast engineering for the government and they recently put a piece of legislation into place called the Safety Act. This Act allows the government to extend full liability protection to firms working on Force Protection and anti-terrorism. The reason for the Act? Too many firms averred from doing anti-terrorism and Force Protection work out of fear of litigation.

Regardless of industry, litigation and the attendant premiums for E&O, Professional Liability and General Liability, are all now a “cost of doing business”.

[Allan from Fallbrook]

Hey, Duke,

I found it interesting that Obama admitted on “60 Minutes” that the Democratic Party had been traditionally resistant to tort reform, but was somewhat mum when Steve Kroft asked if that was due to the large contributions from the Trial Lawyers Association. As a conservative, I would definitely concur that, as a matter of policy, caps on punitive and exemplary damages would be a boon, but I also recognize that the GOP is just as dirty as the Dems when it comes to contributions from the big class actions shops (like Motley).

I work in blast engineering for the government and they recently put a piece of legislation into place called the Safety Act. This Act allows the government to extend full liability protection to firms working on Force Protection and anti-terrorism. The reason for the Act? Too many firms averred from doing anti-terrorism and Force Protection work out of fear of litigation.

Regardless of industry, litigation and the attendant premiums for E&O, Professional Liability and General Liability, are all now a “cost of doing business”.

[afx114]

The tort reform faction seems to be making quite a fuss about 1%-2% of the problem:

“If you were to eliminate medical malpractice liability, even forgetting the negative consequences that would have for safety, accountability, and responsiveness, maybe we’d be talking about 1.5 percent of health care costs. So we’re not talking about real money. It’s small relative to the out-of-control cost of health care.”

http://washingtonindependent.com/55535/tort-reform-unlikely-to-cut-health-care-costs

All the evidence available shows that the liability “crisis” is a myth. Malpractice payments account for less than 1% of the nation’s health care costs each year. Since 1987 medical malpractice insurance costs have risen just 52% despite the fact that medical costs have increased 113%. The size of malpractice damage awards has remained steady since 1991. Adjusted for inflation, the average malpractice payment has actually decreased since then. The number of payments for malpractice judgments of $1 million or more has never exceeded one-half of one percent of the annual total number of malpractice payments dating back to 1991.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/08/tort-reform-wont-fix-healthcare-ctd-1.html

Check out this 4-part series titled The Truth About Health Care and Tort Reform:

However, we also find, in state after state, that the passage of tort reform laws does nothing to reduce overall health care costs. Health care costs and patient insurance premiums continue to increase at the same rate as before, if not faster. And the promised cost reductions from less “defensive medicine” never materialize.

[afx114]

The tort reform faction seems to be making quite a fuss about 1%-2% of the problem:

“If you were to eliminate medical malpractice liability, even forgetting the negative consequences that would have for safety, accountability, and responsiveness, maybe we’d be talking about 1.5 percent of health care costs. So we’re not talking about real money. It’s small relative to the out-of-control cost of health care.”

http://washingtonindependent.com/55535/tort-reform-unlikely-to-cut-health-care-costs

All the evidence available shows that the liability “crisis” is a myth. Malpractice payments account for less than 1% of the nation’s health care costs each year. Since 1987 medical malpractice insurance costs have risen just 52% despite the fact that medical costs have increased 113%. The size of malpractice damage awards has remained steady since 1991. Adjusted for inflation, the average malpractice payment has actually decreased since then. The number of payments for malpractice judgments of $1 million or more has never exceeded one-half of one percent of the annual total number of malpractice payments dating back to 1991.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/08/tort-reform-wont-fix-healthcare-ctd-1.html

Check out this 4-part series titled The Truth About Health Care and Tort Reform:

However, we also find, in state after state, that the passage of tort reform laws does nothing to reduce overall health care costs. Health care costs and patient insurance premiums continue to increase at the same rate as before, if not faster. And the promised cost reductions from less “defensive medicine” never materialize.

[afx114]

The tort reform faction seems to be making quite a fuss about 1%-2% of the problem:

“If you were to eliminate medical malpractice liability, even forgetting the negative consequences that would have for safety, accountability, and responsiveness, maybe we’d be talking about 1.5 percent of health care costs. So we’re not talking about real money. It’s small relative to the out-of-control cost of health care.”

http://washingtonindependent.com/55535/tort-reform-unlikely-to-cut-health-care-costs

All the evidence available shows that the liability “crisis” is a myth. Malpractice payments account for less than 1% of the nation’s health care costs each year. Since 1987 medical malpractice insurance costs have risen just 52% despite the fact that medical costs have increased 113%. The size of malpractice damage awards has remained steady since 1991. Adjusted for inflation, the average malpractice payment has actually decreased since then. The number of payments for malpractice judgments of $1 million or more has never exceeded one-half of one percent of the annual total number of malpractice payments dating back to 1991.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/08/tort-reform-wont-fix-healthcare-ctd-1.html

Check out this 4-part series titled The Truth About Health Care and Tort Reform:

However, we also find, in state after state, that the passage of tort reform laws does nothing to reduce overall health care costs. Health care costs and patient insurance premiums continue to increase at the same rate as before, if not faster. And the promised cost reductions from less “defensive medicine” never materialize.

[afx114]

The tort reform faction seems to be making quite a fuss about 1%-2% of the problem:

“If you were to eliminate medical malpractice liability, even forgetting the negative consequences that would have for safety, accountability, and responsiveness, maybe we’d be talking about 1.5 percent of health care costs. So we’re not talking about real money. It’s small relative to the out-of-control cost of health care.”

http://washingtonindependent.com/55535/tort-reform-unlikely-to-cut-health-care-costs

All the evidence available shows that the liability “crisis” is a myth. Malpractice payments account for less than 1% of the nation’s health care costs each year. Since 1987 medical malpractice insurance costs have risen just 52% despite the fact that medical costs have increased 113%. The size of malpractice damage awards has remained steady since 1991. Adjusted for inflation, the average malpractice payment has actually decreased since then. The number of payments for malpractice judgments of $1 million or more has never exceeded one-half of one percent of the annual total number of malpractice payments dating back to 1991.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/08/tort-reform-wont-fix-healthcare-ctd-1.html

Check out this 4-part series titled The Truth About Health Care and Tort Reform:

However, we also find, in state after state, that the passage of tort reform laws does nothing to reduce overall health care costs. Health care costs and patient insurance premiums continue to increase at the same rate as before, if not faster. And the promised cost reductions from less “defensive medicine” never materialize.

[afx114]

The tort reform faction seems to be making quite a fuss about 1%-2% of the problem:

“If you were to eliminate medical malpractice liability, even forgetting the negative consequences that would have for safety, accountability, and responsiveness, maybe we’d be talking about 1.5 percent of health care costs. So we’re not talking about real money. It’s small relative to the out-of-control cost of health care.”

http://washingtonindependent.com/55535/tort-reform-unlikely-to-cut-health-care-costs

All the evidence available shows that the liability “crisis” is a myth. Malpractice payments account for less than 1% of the nation’s health care costs each year. Since 1987 medical malpractice insurance costs have risen just 52% despite the fact that medical costs have increased 113%. The size of malpractice damage awards has remained steady since 1991. Adjusted for inflation, the average malpractice payment has actually decreased since then. The number of payments for malpractice judgments of $1 million or more has never exceeded one-half of one percent of the annual total number of malpractice payments dating back to 1991.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/08/tort-reform-wont-fix-healthcare-ctd-1.html

Check out this 4-part series titled The Truth About Health Care and Tort Reform:

However, we also find, in state after state, that the passage of tort reform laws does nothing to reduce overall health care costs. Health care costs and patient insurance premiums continue to increase at the same rate as before, if not faster. And the promised cost reductions from less “defensive medicine” never materialize.

[CA renter]

[quote=afx114]The tort reform faction seems to be making quite a fuss about 1%-2% of the problem:

“If you were to eliminate medical malpractice liability, even forgetting the negative consequences that would have for safety, accountability, and responsiveness, maybe we’d be talking about 1.5 percent of health care costs. So we’re not talking about real money. It’s small relative to the out-of-control cost of health care.”

http://washingtonindependent.com/55535/tort-reform-unlikely-to-cut-health-care-costs

All the evidence available shows that the liability “crisis” is a myth. Malpractice payments account for less than 1% of the nation’s health care costs each year. Since 1987 medical malpractice insurance costs have risen just 52% despite the fact that medical costs have increased 113%. The size of malpractice damage awards has remained steady since 1991. Adjusted for inflation, the average malpractice payment has actually decreased since then. The number of payments for malpractice judgments of $1 million or more has never exceeded one-half of one percent of the annual total number of malpractice payments dating back to 1991.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/08/tort-reform-wont-fix-healthcare-ctd-1.html

Check out this 4-part series titled The Truth About Health Care and Tort Reform:

However, we also find, in state after state, that the passage of tort reform laws does nothing to reduce overall health care costs. Health care costs and patient insurance premiums continue to increase at the same rate as before, if not faster. And the promised cost reductions from less “defensive medicine” never materialize.

[/quote]

Thanks for the links, afx. This is what I’ve read elsewhere, too. Quite frankly, if they want to eliminate malpractice lawsuits, it would be more effective if they just tried to avoid making mistakes in the first place. Yes, mistakes happen, but in the medical field, processes should be put in place that reduce these mistakes so they become extremely rare. After all, why can they build and maintain large aircraft (among other things) that have a very miniscule failure rate, but for some reason, we can’t manage to do that with healthcare?

[CA renter]

[quote=afx114]The tort reform faction seems to be making quite a fuss about 1%-2% of the problem:

“If you were to eliminate medical malpractice liability, even forgetting the negative consequences that would have for safety, accountability, and responsiveness, maybe we’d be talking about 1.5 percent of health care costs. So we’re not talking about real money. It’s small relative to the out-of-control cost of health care.”

http://washingtonindependent.com/55535/tort-reform-unlikely-to-cut-health-care-costs

All the evidence available shows that the liability “crisis” is a myth. Malpractice payments account for less than 1% of the nation’s health care costs each year. Since 1987 medical malpractice insurance costs have risen just 52% despite the fact that medical costs have increased 113%. The size of malpractice damage awards has remained steady since 1991. Adjusted for inflation, the average malpractice payment has actually decreased since then. The number of payments for malpractice judgments of $1 million or more has never exceeded one-half of one percent of the annual total number of malpractice payments dating back to 1991.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/08/tort-reform-wont-fix-healthcare-ctd-1.html

Check out this 4-part series titled The Truth About Health Care and Tort Reform:

However, we also find, in state after state, that the passage of tort reform laws does nothing to reduce overall health care costs. Health care costs and patient insurance premiums continue to increase at the same rate as before, if not faster. And the promised cost reductions from less “defensive medicine” never materialize.

[/quote]

Thanks for the links, afx. This is what I’ve read elsewhere, too. Quite frankly, if they want to eliminate malpractice lawsuits, it would be more effective if they just tried to avoid making mistakes in the first place. Yes, mistakes happen, but in the medical field, processes should be put in place that reduce these mistakes so they become extremely rare. After all, why can they build and maintain large aircraft (among other things) that have a very miniscule failure rate, but for some reason, we can’t manage to do that with healthcare?

[CA renter]

[quote=afx114]The tort reform faction seems to be making quite a fuss about 1%-2% of the problem:

“If you were to eliminate medical malpractice liability, even forgetting the negative consequences that would have for safety, accountability, and responsiveness, maybe we’d be talking about 1.5 percent of health care costs. So we’re not talking about real money. It’s small relative to the out-of-control cost of health care.”

http://washingtonindependent.com/55535/tort-reform-unlikely-to-cut-health-care-costs

All the evidence available shows that the liability “crisis” is a myth. Malpractice payments account for less than 1% of the nation’s health care costs each year. Since 1987 medical malpractice insurance costs have risen just 52% despite the fact that medical costs have increased 113%. The size of malpractice damage awards has remained steady since 1991. Adjusted for inflation, the average malpractice payment has actually decreased since then. The number of payments for malpractice judgments of $1 million or more has never exceeded one-half of one percent of the annual total number of malpractice payments dating back to 1991.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/08/tort-reform-wont-fix-healthcare-ctd-1.html

Check out this 4-part series titled The Truth About Health Care and Tort Reform:

However, we also find, in state after state, that the passage of tort reform laws does nothing to reduce overall health care costs. Health care costs and patient insurance premiums continue to increase at the same rate as before, if not faster. And the promised cost reductions from less “defensive medicine” never materialize.

[/quote]

Thanks for the links, afx. This is what I’ve read elsewhere, too. Quite frankly, if they want to eliminate malpractice lawsuits, it would be more effective if they just tried to avoid making mistakes in the first place. Yes, mistakes happen, but in the medical field, processes should be put in place that reduce these mistakes so they become extremely rare. After all, why can they build and maintain large aircraft (among other things) that have a very miniscule failure rate, but for some reason, we can’t manage to do that with healthcare?

[CA renter]

[quote=afx114]The tort reform faction seems to be making quite a fuss about 1%-2% of the problem:

“If you were to eliminate medical malpractice liability, even forgetting the negative consequences that would have for safety, accountability, and responsiveness, maybe we’d be talking about 1.5 percent of health care costs. So we’re not talking about real money. It’s small relative to the out-of-control cost of health care.”

http://washingtonindependent.com/55535/tort-reform-unlikely-to-cut-health-care-costs

All the evidence available shows that the liability “crisis” is a myth. Malpractice payments account for less than 1% of the nation’s health care costs each year. Since 1987 medical malpractice insurance costs have risen just 52% despite the fact that medical costs have increased 113%. The size of malpractice damage awards has remained steady since 1991. Adjusted for inflation, the average malpractice payment has actually decreased since then. The number of payments for malpractice judgments of $1 million or more has never exceeded one-half of one percent of the annual total number of malpractice payments dating back to 1991.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/08/tort-reform-wont-fix-healthcare-ctd-1.html

Check out this 4-part series titled The Truth About Health Care and Tort Reform:

However, we also find, in state after state, that the passage of tort reform laws does nothing to reduce overall health care costs. Health care costs and patient insurance premiums continue to increase at the same rate as before, if not faster. And the promised cost reductions from less “defensive medicine” never materialize.

[/quote]

Thanks for the links, afx. This is what I’ve read elsewhere, too. Quite frankly, if they want to eliminate malpractice lawsuits, it would be more effective if they just tried to avoid making mistakes in the first place. Yes, mistakes happen, but in the medical field, processes should be put in place that reduce these mistakes so they become extremely rare. After all, why can they build and maintain large aircraft (among other things) that have a very miniscule failure rate, but for some reason, we can’t manage to do that with healthcare?

[Author]

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