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New Report Shows Malpractice Costs Irrelevant to Health Care Costs

Jonathan Nace
Jonathan Nace
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Posted by Jonathan NaceJuly 17, 2009 9:23 AM
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A new report has shown the cost of medical malpractice lawsuits is insignificant to the total cost of health care. As detailed in the report, the total share of malpractice costs was less than 1% of health care costs, or more precisely 0.6%. Furthermore, while malpractice payments in 2008 hit an all time low, and dropped for the third consecutive year, health care costs continued to rise.

National media blogs have begun to pick up on the truth of so called "lawsuit abuse." And have even begun to receive agreement on the issue of "lawsuit abuse" from those who represent doctors in malpractice lawsuits. "There is no question that it is very rare that frivolous suits are brought against doctors. They are too expensive to bring," Washington defense lawyer Victor Schwartz said in 2004.

The fact of the matter is that "lawsuit abuse" is nothing more than a scarecrow to push a political agenda to protect insurance companies.

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Mark BelloInjuryBoard Attorney Member
Posted by Mark Bello
July 17, 2009 12:17 PM

Jonathan: As you may have noticed, I frequently blog on the public fraud known as 'tort reform' and 'lawsuit abuse'. You correctly report the total lack of a connection between heatlh care costs and malpractice litigation. Even if there was such a connection (and, as your post proves, there is not), the safety issues would outweigh the cost issues. If the system prevents financial accountability for incompetence and negligence, the system encourages incompetence and negligence. This will make all of us less safe. Thanks for posting this report. Regards, Mark

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