Study finds tort reform not the answer for medical malpractice crisis

[burythehatchet]

"The study comes just weeks after University of Texas researchers released a similar study that found malpractice payouts in the state remained fairly stable over the past 14 years."
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/business/content/business/epaper/2005/03/22/a1d_malpractice_0322.html

[ryban]

1. Tallahassee Democrat: Malpractice costs aren't a real crisis

A comprehensive study of medical malpractice claims in Florida since 1990 shows no sharp increase in lawsuits relative to population growth and a modest increase in the size of settlements, according to two Duke University professors.

"When we compared the number of malpractice cases to the population in Florida," said Neil Vidmar, a professor at Duke's School of Law, "there has been no (large) increase in medical malpractice lawsuits in Florida."

Vidmar, who has a Ph.D. in sociology, was joined by Dr. Paul Lee, a professor at Duke University's School of Medicine and an attorney, in conducting the study.

Vidmar said the data in the study came from public records filed at the Florida Department of Health since 1975, when a law was passed to require medical malpractice insurance companies to file extensive information annually on claims.

<snip>

http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee/news/local/11145554.htm

[Hamcracker]

2. This has been known since basically forever. The GOP won't admit the truth

[xray s]

3. The solution to medical malpractice insurance "crisis"

1. Do something about medical malpractice.

2. Pass a law that says insurance companies can not pass losses from stock investments on to policy holders.

[rodeodance]

4. Bush makes proclamations and it it the TRUTH (and we believe)-sad