Tort Reform

I was wrong! Unfortunately, I relied upon the opinion of a friend, who happens to be a plaintiff's attorney. Researching the subject, it appears that Texas tort reform has succeeded.

Texas Tort Reform | The Doctor Is In

 

At most, the verdict is still out. I thought "tort reform" was supposed to control costs. The one thing missing from your article is any mention of the impact of "tort reform" on controlling costs. According to this and many other articles, that's no small wonder:

Malpractice damage caps not a cure for high health care costs

 

Tort reform is more than damage caps. In fact it's probably not the most important reform that's needed. Effective reform would reduce providers' malpractice premiums which would trickle down. The cost of care drives the cost of insurance, not vice-versa.

 

The thing is, I've yet to find any documentation that "tort reform" has "trickled down" to consumers in the form of lower health care or insurance costs in any of the many states that have enacted various facets of it.

Don't doctors say they have to charge more because of the high cost of medical malpractice insurance? The document you cited claims that docs in TX have enjoyed 20-50% reductions in malpractice insurance costs. However, I've seen no documentation that any of that savings has "trickled down" to the consumer.

 

That's because the savings didn't trickle down.

 

Did you read the article? Significant economic benefits have been realized.

Maybe. Maybe not. It doesn't happen overnight. So like you liberals accuse the GOP of doing, you advocate doing nothing?

 

Not hardly. I think some tort reform is necassry. Unlike you neo-cons, I just don't think it's the be all and end all answer.

And if you don't think that without some form of punitive measures, insurances and pharm. companies won't run the numbers, and decide that they can make more profits than the actual damages will be, and go ahead with dangerous options, then you're being naive.

 

No one has suggested that it was. It's one component of reform that needs to be considered. The problem is, Pelosi, et. al., won't have any of it. She prefers to ignore GOP suggestions then trumpet that they want to do nothing.

Yeah, I've only been doing this for 30 years and I'm naive. I know how the game is played, son.

 

So does that mean you agree with me, Dad? :thumb:

 

And if you don't think that without some form of punitive measures, Democrats won't run the numbers, and decide they can make more profits than the actual damages will be, and go ahead with a government option, then you're being naive.