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Archives
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Frankford invests $20M in heart care Philadelphia Business Journal, PA - Nov. 30, 2007 ...Powell said area practices have had a tough time recruiting cardiologists because of high medical malpractice costs along with an unfavorable reimbursement climate for physicians in the specialty... Hospitals back plan to make medical specialists available in emergencies South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Fort Lauderdale, FL - Nov. 30, 2007 ...A grab bag of reasons explain why specialists shy away from the ER: high malpractice insurance costs, the risk of seeing new patients, the increasing number of uninsured patients and the growth of outpatient surgery centers that obviate hospitals... Study: State to blame for medical malpractice woes The Journal News, White Plains, NY - Nov. 30, 2007 ...The groups blamed the malpractice problem on the state government for failing to rein in costs associated with malpractice insurance and for failing to weed out poor-performing doctors from the system... New Yorkers less informed on medical malpractice investigations Newsday, NY (Associated Press) - Nov. 29, 2007 New Yorkers know less about which doctors have been investigated for medical malpractice than people in other states do, and the agency responsible for disciplining physicians does little to root out misconduct and malpractice, according to state officials... Medical malpractice news
Medmal insurer's full $68 million dividend must go to state subsidy The Gazette, Gaithersburg, MD - Nov. 29, 2007 ...An official with the physician-owned Medical Mutual Liability Insurance Society said the insurer is reviewing its options, including filing a legal appeal to the Nov. 20 ruling... Checking on doctors The Courier-Journal, Louisville, KY - Nov. 29, 2007 ...Kentucky Office of Insurance: Maintains a database of closed malpractice claims. Call ... Not ready for retirement Daily Press, Newport News, VA - Nov. 29, 2007 ..."The (malpractice) insurance would have been almost as much as I made," he said. "I don't object to working for free, but I do object to having to pay for working for free."... U.S. trial lawyers back on offense, take on railroads, China Bloomberg.com - Nov. 29, 2007 ...corporate lobbyists drew up an agenda seeking to eliminate asbestos lawsuits, cap medical-malpractice payouts and curb class-action cases. The plan, which might have resulted in savings of tens of billions of dollars in damages, court costs and legal fees, mostly failed... Medical malpractice news
Medical Mutual settles with state on allegations Triangle Business Journal, Raleigh, NC - Nov. 28, 2007 Medical Mutual Insurance Co., the state's largest malpractice insurer, will pay the state $75,000 to settle allegations that it broke state law by investing in real estate partnerships meant to compensate top executives... Insurance chief: $68M dividend must go to state The Gazette, Gaithersburg, MD - Nov. 28, 2007 The state should collect all of a $68.6 million dividend from the state’s leading medical malpractice insurer in reimbursement for state subsidies to keep premiums low, the state’s insurance commissioner has ruled... Editorial: Malpractice standoff The Baltimore Sun, MD - Nov. 28, 2007 ...Surely there's an opportunity to compromise. Mr. Tyler has called for the company to "propose a solution to mitigate rates next year." We would also call on the insurance commissioner to allow Medical Mutual some flexibility in how this is achieved... Health commissioner vows changes after LI needle scare Newsday, NY - Nov. 28, 2007 ...He says he has set up an internal team to make sure investigations move as quickly as possible and plans to appoint an expert group as advisers. He also hopes to boost the Health Department's power to obtain doctors' records... Justice praises Ohio County Medical Society Wheeling News-Register, WV - Nov. 28, 2007 ...He commended society members for their work to have the state Legislature address tort reform earlier this decade. Doctors, at the time, were leaving the state due to high costs of medical malpractice insurance at a rate of 10 per month, Maynard noted... Medical malpractice news
Editorial: Reveal more about suspected doctors Newsday, NY - Nov. 27, 2007 ...New York's Office of Professional Medical Conduct, which is responsible for investigating and disciplining doctors, is far too secretive. And it's much too lax in dealing with the relative handful of doctors who have suspiciously large numbers of malpractice settlements and judgments... Opinion - Fred LeBrun: Thank Cuomo for getting health insurers to rate doctors Times Union, Albany, NY - Nov. 27, 2007 ...The state Health Department's Office of Professional Medical Conduct has a long-standing reputation for protecting rather than punishing, a reputation that was officially reinforced by a state comptroller's report in August critical of the OPMC's lack of initiative in seeking out cases of medical misconduct to review... APCapital completes stock buyback Lansing State Journal, MI - Nov. 27, 2007 ...Medical liability insurance provider American Physicians Capital Inc. has completed a $15 million stock buyback. It also is moving forward on a $20 million discretionary buyback plan approved in August... Medical malpractice news
Florida to see doctor decline: 32 percent fewer physicians practice in state, survey says Orlando Sentinel, FL - Nov. 26, 2007 ..."Florida has much to offer in regard to its general living but has had problems in the past with malpractice insurance. Also, constitutional amendment changes have affected some physicians, particularly if they have a high-risk specialty practice, such as obstetrics/gynecology, thoracic surgery or neurosurgery."... Investigations of doctors kept secret Newsday, NY - Nov. 26, 2007 ...The report identified 177 doctors who met the criteria for a malpractice probe but were not examined. And it found that OPMC's malpractice database is incomplete... Editorial: Don't panic over judge's ruling on medical malpractice Pantagraph, Bloomington, IL - Nov. 26, 2007 ...The Associated Press reports that insurance rates are going down along with the number of malpractice suits and doctors are not fleeing the state for less-lawsuit-happy locations... Opinion - Ed Murnane: Med-mal ruling not a surprise; but will have impact(s) St. Clair Record, IL - Nov. 25, 2007 While it was disappointing, the ruling by Cook County Judge Diane Joan Larsen that the 2005 Illinois medical-malpractice reform bill is unconstitutional, it was not unexpected, nor is it the end of the world for advocates of fairness and of common sense legal reform in Illinois... Pa. medical liability climate improves, governor says American Medical News, Chicago, IL - Nov. 25, 2007 ...Rendell also noted that competition among medical liability insurers is on the rise, with 57 new companies in the market since 2002. Meanwhile, two of the state's largest carriers recently filed for rate decreases that await approval from the state insurance department, he added... Doctors' insurance rates fall since limits The Ledger, Lakeland, FL (Associated Press) - Nov. 25, 2007 ...Four years ago, many Florida doctors threatened to quit their practices because their malpractice insurance premiums were spiraling out of control... Opinion - Larry Sobal: Recent state, federal changes are going to hurt Appleton Post-Crescent, WI - Nov. 25, 2007 ...The reason this Patient Fund needs to be preserved is that Wisconsin has a system to assure that, in a case of medical malpractice, this fund allows a patient or their family will be covered for damages... Editorial: Paging Dr. Spitzer New York Daily News, NY - Nov. 25, 2007 ...It's time to strip the licenses of the small fraction of physicians who rack up outrageous numbers of malpractice cases. And it's time to drive recidivist incompetents out of practice by denying them affordable malpractice insurance... Editorial: Yes, rate physicians Times Union, Albany, NY - Nov.25, 2007 ...Now Attorney General Andrew Cuomo wants to change the way doctors are evaluated, not on the basis of the bottom line but according to nationally recognized parameters, such as morbidity studies, malpractice suits, patient feedback and, above all, the quality of care delivered... Panel recommends state kick in $600 million for hospitals Hartford Business, CT - Nov. 25, 2007 ...And although the General Assembly adopted a complex measure two years ago to address skyrocketing malpractice insurance rates, the report says the high cost remains a significant problem for care providers... Medical practices contribute to early births The News-Press, Fort Myers, FL - Nov. 25, 2007 ...But others say the C-sections and labor inductions are driven by malpractice fears, a growing practice of delivering a bigger baby via C-section or inducing labor early, better reimbursement rates by insurance companies... Editorial: Malpractice limits The Daily Journal, Kankakee, IL - Nov. 25, 2007 It was one of those overlooked stories easily passed over in the continuing drumbeat for nationalized healthcare. A Cook County judge ruled that an Illinois law attempting to limit damages for medical malpractice is unconstitutional... Opinion - Susan Estrich: California needs a better antidote for bad doctors Stockton Record, CA - Nov. 24, 2007 ...was a cosmetic surgeon who had held himself out to be board certified when he wasn’t, who already had paid out two major malpractice awards for stupid mistakes, not to mention unethical conduct, and was facing a third at the time... Opinion - Drew Thornley: Tort reform the right cure for Texas' doctor shortage Houston Chronicle, TX - Nov. 23, 2007 ...Lower costs and fewer restrictions in a marketplace will lead to more market participants, greater supply, and lower prices for consumers. Texas' medical malpractice insurance industry provides a clear example of this principle... Medical malpractice news
Malpractice insurance rates fall Bradenton Herald, FL (Associated Press) - Nov. 23, 2007 ...Doctors covered by First Professionals Insurance Corp., the state's largest malpractice insurer, saw their rates go down about 8 percent last year. In some riskier specialties, such as anesthesiology and pediatrics, the reduction was nearly 20 percent... Uninsured flocking to Catholic Charities clinic Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA - Nov. 23, 2007 ...The plan is to offer care five days a week by early 2008, but there has been a lag in clearing volunteers through a federal program that allows retired health professionals to do volunteer work without malpractice insurance... What recourse do victims of medication errors have? Los Angeles Times, CA - Nov. 22, 2007 ...Unless there is proof of injury or death, patients and their families have no legal recourse, said Dr. Bruce G. Fagel, who is also a Los Angeles-based medical malpractice attorney... Opinion - Bill Cotterell: Citizen initatives come courtesy of corporate cash Tallahassee Democrat, FL - Nov. 22, 2007 ...In 2004, the medical associations and trial lawyers had a shoot-out at the constitution corral with malpractice amendments... Medical malpractice news
Court says malpractice verdict was correct Charleston Daily Mail, WV (Associated Press) - Nov. 21, 2007 A judge was correct to slash a $10 million medical malpractice verdict down to $1 million by applying West Virginia's cap on "non-economic" damages, the state Supreme Court ruled Tuesday... Editorial: Declining birth service options raise alarm The Times Herald, Port Huron, MI - Nov. 21, 2007 ...Moreover, these specialists are more likely to face malpractice claims, a factor experts cite as the reason fewer obstetricians/gynecologists are willing to practice. A total of $2.9 billion was paid in OB-GYN malpractice claims between 1985 and 2006... Preventing medical errrors Monterey Herald, CA - Nov. 21, 2007 ...to teach medical students, residents, interns and health care staff how to react to emergencies, communicate more effectively and most importantly, reduce medical errors, a critical area in the medical profession that can lead to costly mistakes, medical malpractice suits and patient deaths... Md. wants malpractice insurer's $68M dividend The News Journal, Wilmington, DE (Associated Press) - Nov. 21, 2007 Maryland's largest medical malpractice insurer should return its entire $68.6 million dividend to the state, instead of giving part to the doctors it insures... Md. lays claim to doctor dividend Baltimore Sun, MD - Nov. 21, 2007 ...If the insurer and the regulator can't agree, doctors could face a 22 percent rate increase Jan. 1 after three years of stability... Wayne County: Doctors to catch break on insurance Detriot Free Press, MI - Nov. 21, 2007 ...Statewide and Wayne County malpractice rates next year will be less than those in Ohio and Illinois, according to data from the American Physicians Assurance Corp., the state's largest physician malpractice insurance company... Romney: Cap medical malpractice lawsuits Forbes (Associated Press) - Nov. 21, 2007 ...Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney called Tuesday for capping medical malpractice lawsuits, a point that drew loud applause at an Iowa medical school... Medical malpractice news
Malpractice insurer cutting some rates Crain's Detroit Business, MI - Nov. 20, 2007 ...Statewide, malpractice insurance rates will decrease by an average 6.5 percent next year, the group said... Med Mutual ordered to reimburse state premium subsidy fund Maryland Daily Record, Baltimore, MD (Associated Press) - Nov. 20, 2007 ...Maryland Insurance Commissioner Ralph Tyler has rejected a proposal from the state's largest medical malpractice insurer to pay one-third of its recent dividend to its policyholders... State orders Med Mutual to withdraw $68M dividend Baltimore Business Journal, MD - Nov. 20, 2007 ...Medical Mutual Liability Insurance Society of Maryland, the state's largest insurance provider for physicians, passed nearly $72.4 million in state subsidies on to their doctors... Editorial: More doctors or more lawyers? St. Clair Record, IL - Nov. 19, 2007 ...Making life easier for doctors means there will be more of them in more places. And making life easier for lawyers-- Illinois already has some 84,000-- will foster more ambitious lawsuits... Medical malpractice news
Puerto Rico in shock over fake doctors Miami Herald, FL - Nov. 19, 2007 ...Rodríguez said he first became suspicious of the licensing board when he learned of complaints that it was not moving fast enough to review malpractice claims. He says many indicted doctors had dozens of claims against them, but continued to practice... Federal panel asks high court to explain malpractice limits The Clarion Ledger, Jackson, MS (Associated Press) - Nov. 19, 2007 ...A federal appeals panel is asking the Mississippi Supreme Court to clarify when the clock starts ticking on the filing of certain medical malpractice claims... Cook County judge negates malpractice reforms Suburban Journals, Town and Country, MO - Nov. 18, 2007 ..The ruling struck down medical malpractice reforms -- which were widely praised for creating a new climate for doctors in the Metro East -- enacted by the Illinois General Assembly in 2005... Lack of supervision adds to resident errors, study finds American Medical News, Chicago, IL - Nov. 18, 2007 ...Improving residents' medical knowledge and their technical expertise to sharpen both their judgment and technical competence would fix two of the three leading contributors to medical errors, educators said... Back on doctors' radars Sun Herald, Gulfport, MS - Nov. 18, 2007 ...In post-reform Mississippi, with the lowest number of doctors per capita, malpractice insurance has fallen, and hospitals can now draw physicians to a state in dire need... Stork tries a new strategy Philadelphia Inquirer, Nov. 18, 2007 ..Proponents say such specialization improves care and makes it easier to recruit young doctors, who find the field's long hours and high costs of malpractice insurance unappealing... Insurance out, Botox in The Daily Times, Salisbury, MD - Nov. 18, 2007 ...Nationally, rising malpractice costs and decreasing reimbursement fees from insurance providers, as well as their perceived increased meddling has taken a toll on primary care doctors... Insurance costs, malpractice suits reduce OB-GYN numbers The Times Herald, Port Huron, MI - Nov. 18, 2007 ...doctors specializing in obstetric and gynecologic surgery shelled out the most dollars in indemnity payments when compared to doctors in 27 other specialties. They also face more malpractice claims, which experts said are driving many out of business... Options for prenatal, birthing services are getting slimmer The Times Herald, Port Huron, MI - Nov. 18, 2007 ...Obstetricians are a dying breed, thanks largely, experts said, to an increasing number of malpractice claims and high insurance rates. At the same time, hospitals are closing birthing centers largely for the same reasons... 'Doc Talk' answers community questions The Patriot-News, Harrisburg, PA - Nov. 17, 2007 .."Doc Talk" grew out of the medical society's desire to educate the public on the state's malpractice crisis, said program chairwoman and society vice president Dr. Gwendolyn Poles... Caps lawsuit loss creates uneasiness again for Illinois doctors The Daily Journal, Kankakee, IL (Associated Press) - Nov. 17, 2007 ...The urologist was concerned about the area's reputation as lawsuit-friendly but felt confident a new Illinois law limiting malpractice awards would help keep insurance rates reasonable... Medical malpractice news
Senate vote may impede farm bill Argus Leader, Sioux Falls, SD - Nov. 16, 2007 ..."If every time you get a bill, medical malpractice and immigration law and everything in between is going to be considered, that obviously is a recipe for inaction," Johnson said... Editorial: Enough to make you sick New York Daily News, NY - Nov. 16, 2007 ...He must force his department to crack down on bad doctors. He must cut its tolerance for quacks. Did you know that doctors can run up 30 malpractice settlements and still be counted as in good standing?... Medical malpractice news
Senate farm bill flooded with non-farm issues The Daily Republican, Mitchell, SC (Associated Press) - Nov. 15, 2007 ...According to Senate aides, other amendments would deal with digital television, the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, medical malpractice and protecting children from online predators... 'Victory for victims' Lake County News-Sun, Waukegan, IL - Nov. 15, 2007 The Illinois State Medical Society and a physicians' insurance company call it "very bad news." Trial lawyers call it "a very important victory for victims of medical malpractice."... Editorial: Hope high court has better sense Belleville News-Democrat, IL - Nov. 15, 2007 It's disappointing that a Cook County judge has ruled the state's medical malpractice law unconstitutional. Still, everyone knew that regardless of how the judge ruled, the Illinois Supreme Court will have the final say... Doctors address Hawaii's health care system KHNL-TV, Honolulu, HI - Nov. 14, 2007 ...Doctor Ing is among others who shared their frustrations at the Hawaii Medical Association Forum. Many are calling for medical liability reform to weed out frivolous lawsuits... Medical malpractice news
Judge knocks down jury award cap law Peoria Journal Star, IL - Nov. 14, 2007 Illinois' hard-fought law that limits jury awards in medical malpractice cases is unconstitutional, a Cook County judge ruled Tuesday, setting the table for a decision by the state Supreme Court... Judge lifts caps on malpractice lawsuit awards Beacon News, Aurora, IL (Associated Press) - Nov. 14, 2007 ...Cook County Circuit Court Judge Diane Joan Larsen sided with plaintiffs' argument that the caps on non-economic damages such as pain and suffering in medical malpractice cases violate victims' rights... Circuit Court ruling strikes down Illinois' 2005 medical liability reform law Insurance Journal, CA - Nov. 14, 2007 A Cook County, Ill., Circuit Court ruling yesterday that strikes down the state's 2005 medical liability reform law by calling the caps on non-economic damages for medical malpractice lawsuits unconstitutional is being criticized by a national insurance group... Court: No limit on medical malpractice damages The News-Gazette, Champaign, IL - Nov. 14, 2007 ...Opponents of such limits believe they violate victims' rights, but supporters claim they are key to cutting the high malpractice insurance rates that drove many doctors, particularly specialists like obstetricians and neurosurgeons, out of state... 'Tort reform' law struck down Chicago Sun-Times, IL - Nov. 14, 2007 ...Twice in the past 30 years, the Supreme Court of Illinois has ruled that caps on jury awards illegally take away the lawful power of juries to decide damages... Judge overturns state medical malpractice law Belleville News-Democrat, IL - Nov. 14, 2007 ...Caps weren't the only part of the law. Lawmakers also strengthened insurance regulations to encourage competition and lower insurance premiums and boosted oversight of doctors to better weed out and punish those causing medical problems. Larsen only weighed in on the constitutionality of the caps, not the other parts of the law. But the entire law is now in limbo... Hawaii needs more doctors, panel says The Honolulu Advertiser, HI - Nov. 14, 2007 ... Several of the panelists said putting a fair cap on damages in medical liability cases would benefit both patients and physicians. "The lack of medical liability reform is a major obstacle" to recruiting doctors, said panelist J.P. Schmidt, the state insurance commissioner... Medical malpractice news
Decision expected on first 'test case' challent of Illinois malpractice caps Belleville News Democrat, IL (Associated Press) - Nov. 13, 2007 ...A Chicago judge is set to issue a decision in a lawsuit many see as the first test-case challenge of an Illinois law placing caps on some medical malpractice awards... Measure would make it harder to sue emergency room doctors Arizona Daily Star, Tucson, AZ - Nov. 13, 2007 ...That is a more difficult burden than the current requirement for a plaintiff to show only that it's more likely than not the doctor committed malpractice, a standard that would then apply to virtually all other types of medical claims... UM med students learn how to prevent errors that cost lives and money Miami Herald, FL - Nov. 13, 2007 ...to teach medical students, residents, interns and health care staff how to react to emergencies, communicate more effectively and most importantly, reduce medical errors, a critical area in the medical profession that can lead to costly mistakes, medical malpractice suits and patient deaths... Doctor shortage a focus of 2 Honolulu events KHON2 Fox TV, Honolulu, HI - Nov. 12, 2007 ...The nation's top doctors have a message for lawmakers here and in Washington: "Take action to have fair Medicare payment, have fair Medicaid payment, and put controls on liability insurance premiums," Davis said... Medical malpractice news
Doctors may face crisis on insurance Star-Gazette, Elmira, NY - Nov. 12, 2007 ...When a state-appointed task force meeting behind closed doors to tackle New York's latest medical malpractice insurance crisis heard the insurance superintendent's suggested solution, there was "shock and silence," one of the participants recalled... Doctors wary of vaginal births after C-sections Houston Chronicle, TX - Nov. 12, 2007 ...While some hospitals have banned the procedure altogether, it's more common for physicians themselves not to offer it, either because they don't think it's safe or their malpractice insurance won't cover it... Editorial: Marshall plan can help the state Charleston Daily Mail, WV - Nov. 12, 2007 ...As Oliashirazi and his team bring along new talent, West Virginians need to keep their eyes on any challenges to the 2001 medical malpractice reforms... Opinion - Dr. Manoj Jain: Honesty about errors is essential to maintain trust Commercial Appeal, Memphis, TN - Nov. 12, 2007 ...In medical school I was never taught how to disclose a medical error to a patient. Doctors, we thought, never made errors, and even when they did, they rarely told their patients... Wisconsin doctors sue to stop 'raid' on state's medical liability fund American Medical News, Chicago, IL - Nov. 11, 2007 ...Wisconsin physicians are challenging what they call an illegal $200 million plunder of the state's medical liability compensation fund to balance the state budget and pay for health care initiatives... Book review - Dangerous prescription: the US approach to health care Boston Globe, MA - Nov. 11, 2007 ...And because their compensation is largely determined by the number of procedures they perform, some doctors proceed with what Brownlee describes as reckless abandon, driven more by greed and arrogance than by concern for patients. To illustrate this point, Brownlee recounts a handful of well-documented cases of unabashed malpractice... Why so many amendments to the Texas Constitution? Houston Chronicle, TX - Nov. 11, 2007 ...Many amendments are promoted by special interest groups or to advance political viewpoints. In 2003, doctors and business groups succeeded in winning legislative and voter approval of an amendment to cap noneconomic damages in medical malpractice cases... Legislator renews ER malpractice fight East Valley Tribune, Mesa, AZ - Nov. 10, 2007 ...That is more difficult burden than the current requirement for a plaintiff to show only that is it more likely than not the doctor committed malpractice, a standard that would remain in place for virtually all other types of medical claims... Hospitals' profits soaring to new highs Chicago Business, IL - Nov. 10, 2007 ...University of Chicago Medical Center, Rush University Medical Center and Northwestern Memorial Hospital are among the large hospitals benefiting from a boost in federal health care dollars, lower malpractice costs and growing demand for profitable heart procedures and cancer care... Medical malpractice news
Study: Doctor numbers overestimated South Florida Business Journal, Deerfield Beach, FL - Nov. 9, 2007 ...There's a host of things experts say are making it less attractive to be a doctor in Florida these days including declining reimbursement from Medicare and health insurance companies, higher premiums on medical malpractice insurance and a lack of residency training slots for new doctors... Editorial: Don't revive state's hospital tax plan The Daily Telegraph, Superior, WI - Nov. 9, 2007 ...The raid on the malpractice fund was a mistake that risks leaving the fund on shaky financial ground. The fund, used to pay malpractice claims that exceed insurance limits, is financed by doctors and hospitals, not taxpayers... Legislators discuss state's budget shortfall East Valley Tribune, Phoenix, AZ - Nov. 9, 2007 ...Allen said she will once again try to pass a bill that makes it more difficult to sue emergency room physicians for malpractice... Seattle: Justices rule for doctors in newborn's resuscitation The News Tribune, Seattle, WA - Nov. 9, 2007 ...A doctor can’t be held liable for resuscitating a baby who was born without a heartbeat and survived with severe disabilities, the state Supreme Court says... WA high court: No liability for doctor who revived newborn Columbian, Vancouver, WA (Associated Press) - Nov. 8, 2007 ...The baby's parents filed a malpractice lawsuit after his 2004 birth. They claimed doctors in Vancouver were negligent when they continued to resuscitate the baby for almost half an hour after he was born... Medical malpractice news
Special docket set for Madison County med mal cases St. Clair Record, IL - Nov. 8, 2007 Madison County's five civil circuit judges who preside over medical malpractice cases have set a special Case Management Conferece (CMC) for all their cases to decide which ones will move forward with mediation... Fla. insurers see claims decline, rates dip slightly Jacksonville Business Journal, FL - Nov. 8, 2007 ...The number of malpractice claims filed in Florida has dropped since 2003, when state lawmakers capped damages for pain and suffering for most claims at $500,000. However, the number of claims filed nationwide also declined during that time -- even in states that didn't have tort reform... Editorial: Wake up, Republicans The Washington Times, DC - Nov. 8, 2007 ...Expanding access to private health insurance, reducing government regulation to promote competition and limiting malpractice all rank higher, according to the survey. Palm Beach Medical Care Commission to host forum on malpractice insurance crisis Palm Beach Daily News, FL - Nov. 8, 2007 ...South Florida residents do not fully understand, and the media has failed to adequately report, the depth of the crisis and its impact on health care in the region, commissioners said during a meeting Wednesday... Insurance industry stung by $11 million R-67 loss The Columbian, Vancouver, WA (Associated Press) - Nov. 8, 2007 ...Supporters said R-67 would give consumers a powerful tool to punish bad actors in the insurance industry. Opponents countered that it was an unnecessary magnet for unfounded lawsuits, and would drive up insurance rates... 1199, Spitzer ready for a health care rematch The New York Sun, NY - Nov. 8, 2007 ...Officials are signaling that they intend to extract the biggest savings by securing additional discounts from pharmaceutical companies, by slowing the growth of or cutting managed care rates, and by seeking to reduce medical malpractice costs... Medical malpractice news
WA voters favoring triple-damages insurance measure The Daily News, Longview, WA (Associated Press) - Nov. 7, 2007 ...As of last month, it trailed the nearly $16 million in combined spending by supporters and opponents of a 2005 medical malpractice initiative. Trial lawyers -- who also were involved in the malpractice battle -- have been the heaviest donors supporting the referendum... Voters favor insurance bill, rainy-day fund; Eyman's anti-tax measure passing Seattle Times, WA - Nov. 7, 2007 ...Statewide, Referendum 67 was by far this year's most hotly contested election issue. It was in many ways a replay of the fight waged two years ago over a medical-malpractice ballot measure... Medical malpractice news
A pain for new doctors Houston Chronicle, TX - Nov. 6, 2007 ...Dimino is one of thousands of doctors who have streamed into Texas in something of a physician gold rush sparked by a 2003 tort reform initiative that limited awards in medical malpractice lawsuits... Health care threatens to overwhelm national budget ABC News, NY - Nov. 5, 2007 ...Voters will be looking to candidates to address health system shortcomings including the need to improve access, reform Medicare and other financing, improve quality, and tackle medical malpractice reform... Medical malpractice news
Editorial: Due diligence on doctors The Boston Globe, MA - Nov. 5, 2007 ...No patients - and especially not patients who have served their nation - should face the risk of being treated by physicians who have fled disciplinary action in another state... Editorial: What's up with docs? Los Angeles Times, CA - Nov. 4, 2007 ...For $40 or so, Healthgrades.com will provide you with a dossier that is valuable mainly for letting you know if the doctor has settled any malpractice claims... Sharing liability: A growing way to handle the risk American Medical News, IL - Nov. 4, 2007 When Lancaster, Pa., neurosurgeon John A. Gastaldo, MD, saw his medical liability insurance premiums double through his regular carrier, he searched for alternatives... State raiding patient compensation fund upsets doctors La Crosse Tribune, WI - Nov. 3, 2007 ...Gerig said she left Pennsylvania after her residency because doctors struggle with their practices and malpractice costs there. The fallout in the long run will be fewer doctors practicing in Wisconsin, she said... Profits up, rates down slightly in medical malpractice insurance South Florida Business Journal, Deerfield Beach, FL - Nov. 2, 2007 ...As the number of medical malpractice claims has declined in Florida, the state's largest medical malpractice insurance companies have generated higher profits... Medical malpractice news
Doctors file suit to stop raid on patients' compensation fund Pierce County Herald, Ellsworth, WI - Nov. 2, 2007 ..."Pennsylvania raided their fund and now they are finding it very difficult to keep good doctors in their state," Harsdorf said. The fund was created in 1975 and helps lower malpractice insurance costs for doctors in the state by providing excess medical malpractice coverage... Judge rejects $11,000 fine for midwife Intelligencer Journal, Lancaster, PA - Nov. 2, 2007 ...Unlicensed, lay midwives essentially work without state oversight and regulation of standard of care. They are not required to carry malpractice insurance, which typically costs licensed midwives up to $25,000 a year. Their services often are considerably cheaper than licensed midwives, making them especially attractive to clients without medical insurance... Opinion - Jim Waters: What the devil does the doctor mean? Bluegrass Institute, Bowling Green, KY - Nov. 2, 2007 ...The governor began his administration promoting capping noneconomic damages in medical-malpractice lawsuits. Apparently, he’s given up on being able to get that idea through a legislature filled with lawyer-legislators... Tennessee medical malpractice judgements down in 2006 Kingsport Times-News, TN - Nov. 1, 2007 ...Overall dollar amounts in Tennessee medical malpractice judgments and settlements were down in 2006 from 2005, according to a state Department of Commerce and Insurance report released Thursday... Medical malpractice news
Senate votes to use MCare Fund for new spending The Bulletin, Philadelphia, PA - Nov. 1, 2007 ...Pennsylvania state senators Tuesday voted 44 to 2 in favor of using the state's MCare Fund to help medical providers move toward electronic recordkeeping and prevent infections to hospital patients... Just when you thought you'd learn about hospital-specific surgery errors... The Olympian, Olympia, WA - Nov. 1, 2007 Specific information about mistakes that doctors make in the operating room no longer is public record, according to a newly issued legal opinion that the Department of Health had sought... Referendum edges toward spending record KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA (Associated Press) - Nov. 1, 2007 ...Campaign spending by both sides has already made R-67 the second-most-expensive initiative or referendum effort in state history, trailing the nearly $16 million spent by doctors and lawyers on a 2005 medical malpractice initiative... Medical society files suit for withdrawal from patient fund The Badger Herald, Madison, WI - Nov. 1, 2007 ...The fund, the Wisconsin’s Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund, was established in 1975 to ensure victims of medical malpractice would be compensated even if their claims went beyond the funds provided for by standard malpractice insurance... Covered: Law will help doctors, uninsured The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, OK - Nov. 1, 2007 ...It's a law that allows doctors, nurses and other health care providers to volunteer their services without having to worry so much about being sued... Study: Medical tourism offers hope to control health care costs National Center for Policy Analysis - Nov. 1, 2007 ...there are fewer regulations limiting collaborative arrangements between health care facilities and physicians, and malpractice litigation costs are lower... Editorial: Our recommendations The Democrat, Senatobia, MS - Nov. 1, 2007 ...During his administration Mississippi enacted what The Wall Street Journal called the most comprehensive tort reform in the country. Not only has this helped Mississippi secure more jobs, but it has saved our health care system from medical malpractice disaster... |
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