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Archives
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Opinion – Robert Montion: Health-care bills need amending Visalia Times-Delta, Visalia, CA – Dec 31, 2009 …If we want to cut costs, give physicians some breathing room by introducing real medical malpractice reform that caps unjustified awards while maintaining room for justice to be served… Opinion – Keith Forman: Medical malpractice: A look from both sides The Daily Record, Baltimore, MD – Dec 31, 2009 …One of the most significant events was that I went from being a med mal defense lawyer back to being a Plaintiffs’ med mal lawyer… Opinion – Mark Strain: The critical last two weeks of 2009 Collier Citizen, Naples, FL – Dec 31, 2009 …There are plenty of procedures that coincide with these batteries of tests and medications; all piled on to make sure all the risk is covered, even for the simplest medical conditions that many times do not warrant such attention... CBO increases tort reform savings estimate National Underwriter, Hoboken, NJ – Dec 30, 2009 A new study by the bipartisan Congressional Budget Office almost doubles its earlier estimate of the reduction in cost of medical liability insurance through a common package of tort reforms… Medical malpractice news
State budget cuts prompt belt-tightening for agencies The Williamsport Sun-Gazette, PA – Dec 30, 2009 … lawmakers voted to raid the Mcare fund used to help pay malpractice costs for doctors. If those dollars disappear, it means the health system will dig deeper into its own pocket to help cover malpractice for its 107 physicians… Trial lawyers sidestep malpractice curbs with blitz in Congress BusinessWeek – Dec 30, 2009 U.S. Senate staff members arriving at work by subway this month were greeted by signs proclaiming that “98,000 patients may die” through medical malpractice… N.C. includes more disciplinary actions in physician profiles American Medical News, Chicago, IL – Dec 30, 2009 …The disciplinary information, which physicians and physician assistants are required to report, make North Carolina's physician profiles among the most comprehensive in the nation… Opinion – J. Richard Goldstein, MD: Assure adequate supply of physicians in New Jersey The Times of Trenton, NJ – Dec 30, 2009 … The American Medical Association lists our state as one of the least desirable places in the country to practice medicine. Our tort environment is just one reason we are near the top of that dubious list… Medical malpractice news
Editorial: Our health system is sick, but our system of government is much sicker Beauford Observer, Washington, NC – Dec 29, 2009 …The proponents of Obamacare say that it is intended to cut unnecessary medical costs. Yet there is nothing in the bill that reduces the cost of medical malpractice. The Trial Lawyers made out like bandits in this thing… Advertising – An underground campaign New York Times, NY – Dec 28, 2009 …Trying to fend off any limits to patient lawsuits, the lawyers decided to press their arguments in a new location — the subway system here… Medical malpractice news
Opinion – J. James Rohack, MD: AMA is working with the Senate Wall Street Journal, NY – Dec 28, 2009 … It also authorizes grants to test alternative medical liability reforms that show promise in benefiting patients and reducing the impact of defensive medicine. The AMA supports passage of the amended Senate bill… System reform at what cost? The Hutchinson News, Hutchinson, KS – Dec 27, 2009 …The KHA along with regional doctors and administrators say health care reform should include liability system reforms… Editorial: Heal the health bill Orlando Sentinel, FL – Dec 27, 2009 … For this reason, we're disappointed the Senate ruled out a public insurance option, and neither chamber made a serious stab at medical-malpractice reform, interstate insurance sales or changing the cost-inflating system that pays providers for the quantity, not quality, of care… Opinion – Ron Slagell, Samantha Pearl: Health-care reform – We need to do better Battle Creek Enquirer, MI – Dec 27, 2009 … Many critical issues are not sufficiently addressed in the current legislation: true reform around medical malpractice lawsuits, personal responsibility, pharmaceutical access and cost… Opinion – Cara Peggs: Docs realize that coverage does not mean care The Indianapolis Star, IN – Dec 27, 2009 … Doctors already have no autonomy or authority -- due to federal regulations -- but still carry all the liability and risk, as you see in the billion-dollar medical malpractice industry… Missouri bill would regulate docs’ malpractice premiums Kansas City Business Journal, MO – Dec 25, 2009 A rural Missouri legislator wants to tie medical malpractice insurance rates to malpractice judgments in the county where a health care provider practices… Senate, House to haggle over differences Wall Street Journal, NY – Dec 25, 2009 … However, Democrats didn't focus on malpractice as they shaped their bills, especially after they lost hope of gaining any significant Republican support. The final Senate bill contains a mostly symbolic suggestion that states adopt alternatives to lawsuits, but no major direct changes to the system… Medical malpractice news
Senate votes 60-39 to pass Reid health bill National Underwriter, Hoboken, NJ - Dec 24, 2009 Members of the Senate voted 60-39 at 7:16 a.m. today to pass H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act bill... How ObamaCare will affect your insurance Forbes.com - Dec 24, 2009 ...The bill is light on malpractice reforms, and only funds a few pilot projects. So doctors will still be in a state of litigation-induced paranoia... Federal antitrust exemption for health insurers remains under Senate bill California Progress, San Mateo, CA - Dec 24, 2009 ...most of the exemption, which was granted under the 1945 McCarran-Ferguson Act, was removed in the House version of the bill, and it would be one of the items to be negotiated in a conference committee... Medical malpractice news
Health care plan has supporters, critics here Intelligencer Journal, Lancaster, PA - Dec 23, 2009 ...Medical malpractice lawsuits — or more precisely the fear of them — are driving up the cost of medical care, Rizzo said... Jailhouse docs choose inmates over insurance CNNMoney.com - Dec 23, 2009 ...Better pay, better hours, retirement benefits and free malpractice insurance are just a few of the reasons why physicians are picking prisoners over civilian patients... Opinion - Michael E. Getnick: Don't blame civil lawsuits - blame negligence The Ithica Journal, NY - Dec 23, 2009 ...Those who want to reduce the number of lawsuits should focus on reducing the negligent behavior that harms people and causes them to sue. Ignoring underlying causes and blaming the victims and their lawyers for suing undermines an important safeguard that our civil justice system provides to all our citizens. State Capitol Q&A: Government involvement in legal liability cases The State Journal-Register, Springfield, IL - Dec 22, 2009 ...The state Supreme Court is expected to rule soon on the legality of the caps on damage awards in medical malpractice cases that lawmakers established in 2005 to quell an uprising of doctors who claimed they were being financially ruined... Senate OKs health bill amendment, limits debate on full bill National Underwriter, Hoboken, NJ - Dec 22, 2009 ...The PPACA bill amendment also would cut Medicare physician reimbursement rates 21% in 2010, rather than increasing reimbursement rates 0.5%; restructure a proposed system for imposing annual fees on health insurers; increase a proposed hospital insurance payroll tax on high-income workers to 0.9%, from 0.9%; encourage states to establish medical malpractice dispute resolution pilot programs... Medical malpractice news
Opinion - J.G. Preston: Medical negligence damage caps in Texas benefit only doctors, insurers California Progress Report, San Mateo, CA - Dec 22, 2009 While limits on damages awarded to victims of medical negligence in Texas have been touted as a model for America, a study by the watchdog group Public Citizen shows Texas’ damage caps aren’t providing benefits to consumers... Majority of medical liability premiums stabilize or drop The Clinical Advisor, New York, NY - Dec 21, 2009 Ninety-four percent of medical liability insurance premiums remained the same or dropped in price in 2009, according to the annual Medical Liability Monitor survey, which polls insurance companies to track this information... Trial lawyers prepare for tort reform fight The Clinical Advisor, New York, NY - Dec 21, 2009 The American Association for Justice, a trial lawyers group, has launched a grassroots campaign to highlight the issue of medical errors and the importance of malpractice litigation... Smarr: Senate should fix self-gutting malpractice provision National Underwriter, Hoboken, NJ - Dec 21, 2009 A proposed addition to H.R. 3590, the Senate health bill, would encourage states to set up new systems for handling medical malpractice claims – but it also would let claimants opt out of using the new systems... Antitrust exemption for health insurers may continue Main Justice, Washington, DC - Dec 21, 2009 An effort to repeal the antitrust exemption for health insurers took a step back this weekend, when Democratic leaders left it out of a package of changes to the health system overhaul bill the Senate is voting on this week... Editorial: No to health bill The Buffalo News, NY - Dec 21, 2009 ...Malpractice suits drive up the costs of doctors' insurance, but far worse on the economy and the soaring cost of care are the unnecessary tests doctors order to protect themselves. The bill does nothing to combat this insidious problem... Opinion - Alan Moore: The Obama health care bill will lead to a single payer system Examiner, Oklahoma City, OK - Dec 21, 2009 ...Second, tort reform is needed to cap the amount of payouts on medical malpractice suits. These suits, many of which are frivolous, drive the cost of insurance up for everyone... Medical malpractice news
Beginning to sound a lot like a campaign season Daily Herald, Arlington Heights, IL - Dec 21, 2009 ...The state's legal, medical, business and political circles continue to await an Illinois Supreme Court decision on a 2005 law that limited jury awards on pain and suffering in medical malpractice cases, a ruling that could propel the issue to the forefront of the campaigns... Editorial: Trial lawyers buy Democrats in Congress Washington Examiner, DC - Dec 21, 2009 Neither of the Obamacare proposals now before Congress includes a medical malpractice reform provision despite the fact that the public wants one -- and that it would cut annual health care costs by $200 billion... Malpractice setup haunts Lee County, U.S. health care The News-Press, Fort Myers, FL - Dec 20, 2009 In the six years since Florida put limits on damages in medical malpractice lawsuits, insurance premiums and lawsuits have dropped. But physicians — including those in Lee County — continue ordering billions of dollars worth of extra tests... Opinion - Marcus Rayner: Tort reform is the key to a healthier New Jersey The Times of Trenton, NJ - Dec 20, 2009 ...Malpractice insurance costs so much because New Jersey's current civil justice laws are decisively anti-physician. Malpractice awards in New Jersey are not capped, for one... Tort law brought more doctors, but its effect on patients is unclear Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, TX - Dec 19, 2009 ...Although Texas is being held up as a national example of success in limiting medical malpractice damages — with a 51 percent increase in new doctors and a 27 percent drop in malpractice insurance rates since a law went into effect in 2003 — the impact on consumers has been far less clear... Opinion - Dr. George Schroeder: America's healthcare system consists of medicolegal diseasecare Muskogee Phoenix, OK - Dec 19, 2009 There must be medical malpractice tort reform, which in Texas and Mississippi have successfully helped bring down healthcare costs... Medical malpractice news
Medical malpractice: Illinois Supreme Court delays ruling on damages cap case Chicago Tribune, IL - Dec 18, 2009 ...The high court didn't give a reason for the decision to delay a ruling. The next batch of Supreme Court opinions is expected in mid-January, the court spokesman said... Editorial: Reforms need court's blessing Belleville News Democrat, IL - Dec 18, 2009 St. Clair and Madison counties have moved off the judicial hellhole list, but the area's medical community remains in purgatory while it awaits the fate of the 2005 medical malpractice reform law... Opinion - Wayne Willoughby: 'Tort reform' won't fix health care Baltimore Sun, MD - Dec 18, 2009 ...Tort law changes are not a novel idea. Forty-six states have passed some kind of tort reform, and about three dozen have some form of cap on damages - but health care costs have continued to skyrocket.... Editorial: Tort reform Udall The Durango Herald News, CO - Dec 18, 2009 Thursday, Colorado Sen. Mark Udall introduced an amendment to the health-care-reform bill aimed at reducing the cost of medical-malpractice lawsuits. It is neither a panacea nor partisan grandstanding, but a thought-provoking effort that deserves serious consideration... Health care reform: Udall pushes $10 million study of malpractice trials The Gazette, Colorado Springs, CO - Dec 17, 2009 ...He says the amendment will save doctors on their malpractice insurance premiums and save consumers cash when they sue their physicians... Caps decision may be another month away The Record, Edwardsville, IL - Dec 17, 2009 ...A ruling had been anticipated Thursday morning regarding a challenge to the Illinois Medical Malpractice Act of 2005 -- a law that caps non-economic damages to $500,000 for doctors and $1 million for hospitals... Voters may be asked again to cap suit awards The Arizona Republic, Phoenix, AZ - Dec 17, 2009 Saying this may be the most business-friendly Legislature for years to come, Sen. Jack Harper, R-Surprise, wants to ask voters to let lawmakers limit how much judges and juries can award to accident and malpractice victims... Medical malpractice news
Ill. high court could rule on medical malpractice CBS 2, Chicago (Associated Press) - Dec 17, 2009 ...The court said it could rule Thursday on whether damage awards in medical mistakes may be capped. The General Assembly adopted caps in 2005 as a way to keep doctors from fleeing the state because of rising insurance rates... Opinion - Paul Harrington: Tort reform would cut insurance cost The Burlington Free Press, VT - Dec 17, 2009 ...Addressing the costs of malpractice insurance and a tendency to over-treat patients in order to avoid lawsuits is a much-needed approach that will ultimately benefit patients, health care professionals and the American taxpayer. Opinion - Vince Zarate: To control health costs, limit lawsuits The Trentonian, Trenton, NJ - Dec 17, 2009 ...What is missing from the current hodgepodge of proposals before Congress is a measure to control the thousands of medical malpractice lawsuits against doctors, hospitals and other health care providers... South Florida tops ATRA judicial hellhole list National Underwriter, Hoboken, NJ - Dec 16, 2009 ...ATRA, which defines hellholes as areas that have reputations for uneven justice, said in addition to South Florida its six worst, in order, included West Virginia; Cook County, Ill.; Atlantic County New Jersey and Beyond; New Mexico appellate courts; and New York City... Medical malpractice news
OB/GYNs less willing to take on risky patients, procedures FierceHealthcare - Dec 16, 2009 ...What's driving these doctors to change their practices? The malpractice situation in this area of medicine. OB/GYNs are among the top three specialties in the rate of medical malpractice cases... Opinion - Janet Golden: History echoes in care crisis Philadelphia Inquirer, PA - Dec 16, 2009 ...Meanwhile, low rates for Medicaid services and high malpractice-insurance costs may well lead even more practitioners to stop providing obstetric services to those in need... Opinion - Richard Stacy: Sen. Michael Bennet's elitism The Denver Post, CO - Dec 16, 2009 ...Medical malpractice rates are driving costs out of sight and doctors out of practice. Reasonable caps need to be placed on non-economic damages... Lawsuit activity costs may rise 3% this year, study says National Underwriter, Hoboken, NJ - Dec 15, 2009 ...with the potential for increases in the areas of employment practices and medical malpractice, as well as litigation associated with professional services errors and omissions in the wake of the financial crisis, Towers Perrin said it is estimating that U.S. tort costs will increase 3 percent in 2009, an additional 4 percent in 2010 and 6 percent in 2011... Group names new 'judicial hellholes' Business Insurance - Dec 15, 2009 ...Other jurisdictions on the list of what the Washington-based tort reform group considers to be the “most unfair civil court jurisdictions” include South Florida; West Virginia; Cook County, Ill.; and Atlantic County, N.J... Medical malpractice news
Editorial: Laws defined by elected judges The Clarion-Ledger, Jackson, MS - Dec 15, 2009 Once again, trial lawyers and the state's business and medical interests are at odds over a wrongful death lawsuit and disagree over whether the state's tort reforms over the last decade are being undermined... Bill would limit rate hikes for medical malpractice insurance The Star-Ledger, Newark, NJ - Dec 14, 2009 The Senate Commerce Committee today approved a bill to limit how much medical-malpractice insurance rates can increase year to year... Blagojevich signed caps on damages bill into law The Record, Edwardsville, IL - Dec 14, 2009 More than four years since medical malpractice reform was enacted in Illinois, stakeholders anxiously await a state Supreme Court decision on its constitutionality... Opinion - Nint Weiss: No hasty health care reform Forbes.com - Dec 14, 2009 ...What of tort reform? Under pressure, President Obama said he is willing to let the states look into it, but the House bill's federal funding to support states that conduct "medical liability alternative" studies is only available if these experimental projects do not "limit attorneys' fees or impose caps on damages." ... Opinion - J.G. Preston: Insurance companies reap benefits of medical negligence caps California Progress Report - Dec 14, 2009 ...Medical malpractice insurance companies continue to raise premiums even as their payouts go down. At the same time, there is no correlation between the cost of malpractice premiums that physicians pay, and the cost of health care insurance for individuals... Medical malpractice news
Ohio case could increase physician liability risk American Medical News, Chicago, IL - Dec 14, 2009 ...The high court will decide whether patients can sue for additional damages in medical liability claims if they had more than a 50% chance of recovery before the alleged negligence... Doctor shortage will worsen Wyoming Tribune Eagle, Cheyenne, WY - Dec 13, 2009 ...High medical malpractice costs also make it unlikely that aging doctors would consider working part-time, Lucas said. There's no such thing as a part-time insurance plan, and doctors would have to pay the full rate even if they saw patients one day a week... Opinion - Luis E. Cespedes: Yes: Lifting the limits on medical malpractice would only enrich trial lawyers The Desert Sun, Palm Springs, CA - Dec 13, 2009 ...Currently, the premiums paid by neurosurgeons in California is around $50,000. Without caps, they would be two to three times higher. Florida physicians pay $250,000 premiums... Opinion - Walter T. Clark:; No: Arbitrary caps on malpractice cases unfair to victims of carelessness The Desert Sun, Palm Springs, CA - Dec 13, 2009 ...Just as doctors should be fairly compensated, so should the victims of those who are careless. Our system should provide a level playing field and seek deterrents as well as fairness. Editorial: Do medical malpractice caps fit? The Desert Sun, Palm Springs, CA - Dec 13, 2009 ...Most important are quality controls in medical procedures, reliable records available electronically and making sure operations are done on the right patient and on the right part of the patient's body... CBO stands by estimate tort reform will save taxpayers billions LegalNewsline.com - Dec 12, 2009 ...said as much as $54 billion could be saved over the next 10 years if Congress enacts legal reforms including a $250,000 cap on damages for pain and suffering and a $500,000 cap on punitive damages and restricting the statute of limitations on malpractice claims... Medical malpractice news
Opinion - James B. Dolan: Doctors: Less red tape, more focus on patients Orlando Sentinel, FL - Dec 11, 2009 ,,,Another critical flaw in the legislation is that it does not address medical liability reform, an essential cost-containment element that has been shown to significantly lower health-care costs... Factbox - U.S. Senate action on health bill amendments Reuters - Dec 10, 2009 ...A measure by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, a Democrat, and 18 other senators that would repeal federal antitrust law exemptions for the health insurance and medical malpractice insurance industries that have existed since 1945... Senators talk schedule; CBO eyes medical malpractice National Underwriter, Hoboken, NJ - Dec 10, 2009 ...The CBO now believes tort reform could cut malpractice insurance costs 10%, Elmendorf writes. Earlier, the CBO had estimated the reduction would be about 6%... Legislatures cap damages: Minorities, union workers hardest hit PointofLaw.com - Dec 10 2009 One of the pending cases in five states challenging medical damage caps is Klotz v. Shapiro before the Supreme Court of Missouri... Medical malpractice news
Editorial: Online information helps patients News & Record, Greensboro, NC - Dec 10, 2009 ...In fact, malpractice settlements and criminal records already are available at county courthouses. But few people are likely to make a special trip there to check up on a doctor. Having that information accessible online is far more convenient... Opinion - David M. Herszenhorn: News and notes on the health care debate El Paso, Inc., El Paso, TX - Dec 10, 2009 ...Fourth, we need legal reform, including moving malpractice into specialty courts where experts decide the standard of care... Opinion - Martin Anderson: Creating a health-care GM The Providence Journal, Providence, RI - Dec 10, 2009 ...By leaving the for-profit malpractice-lawsuit industry intact, Congress will effectively scare most health -care practitioners into following what they think the emperor wants... Lawmaker wants caps on jury awards to accident and malpractice victims The Verde Independent, Cottonwood, AZ - Dec 9, 2009 ...Harper said that imposing limits on what has to be paid out will help Arizona's "business climate.' He particularly noted the malpractice caps Texas enacted in 2003. "I understand doctors are just flocking there,' Harper said... Medical malpractice news
Senate may repeal health insurers' antitrust exemption The News Journal, Wilmington, DE - Dec 9, 2009 ... and medical malpractice insurers have been exempt from federal antitrust laws designed to protect consumers and encourage competition. A group of senators, including Sen. Ted Kaufman, D-Del., wants to change that.... Opinion - Charles M. Arlinghaus: Legislators have huge problems to solve The Union Leader, Manchester, NH - Dec 9, 2009 ...The Superior Court ruled that legislators couldn't use $110 million in a medical malpractice trust fund because it doesn't belong to the state. That decision could conceivably be reversed by the Supreme Court... Health care issues: Medical malpractice lawsuits Forbes.com (Associated Press) - Dec 8, 2009 ...THE ISSUE: Would restrictions on medical malpractice lawsuits mean cheaper health insurance?... Medical malpractice news
Malpractice reports are easier to find The News & Observer, Raleigh, NC - Dec 8, 2009 ...The N.C. Medical Board announced Monday that it has expanded its Web site to include malpractice settlements or judgments and criminal records for its 35,000 licensed physicians and physician assistants... Opinion - John Brinson: Use market-based measures to fix health care, not government The Morning Call, Allentown, PA - Dec 8, 2009 ...Fourth, mandate that medical malpractice liability laws be reformed to stop defensive medicine and the lawsuit game that adds billions to the cost of health care every year... Medical malpractice news
Obama urges Dems to pass health care Burlington County Times, Willingboro, NJ – Dec 7, 2009 … Lawmakers also voted down a measure by Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., to limit plaintiff lawyers' fees in medical malpractice cases, a politically fraught issue that pits Republicans against Democrats. That vote was 32-66… Opinion – Thomas F. Gamba and Hector J. Lombana: Medical malpractice reform steers debate off course Miami Herald, FL – Dec 7, 2009 … It now appears initiatives aimed at curbing medical malpractice claims and awards will be included as part of the bills for broader changes, and these med-mal tort reforms are likely to be a significant boon for doctors and their insurers but a heavy burden for injured patients and their families… Opinion – Marc K. Siegel: The don’t-check list New York Post, NY – Dec 7, 2009 … But as no less an authority than Dr. Howard Dean, the former Democratic Party chairman, has admitted, there's a simple reason why none of the ObamaCare bills try to address medical-liability reform: The lawyers just have too much power in Congress… Opinion – Andrew Damiani: He wants to give this speech The Reporter, Lansdale, PA – Dec 7, 2009 …The first step toward health reform will be tort reform; malpractice insurance is a safety net not a lottery… Blog: A “public option compromise” that’s not? TIME – Dec 6, 2009 … Amendments that would have altered the bill were all voted down, including proposals to scrap huge sections entirely and provisions to limit the tax deduction for insurance company executive employees and cap plaintiffs' lawyers' fees in malpractice cases… Senate rejects health bill pay cap amendment National Underwriter, Hoboken, NJ – Dec 6, 2009 …Members of the Senate also voted 32-66 against Senate Amendment 2927, an amendment offered by Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., that would have capped medical malpractice awards going to plaintiffs' attorneys to one-third of the first $150,000 in compensation awarded… Obama rallies Democrats on healthcare overhaul New York Times, NY – Dec 6, 2009 …Republicans uniformly oppose the bill, saying it would bring too much government intrusion into the $2.5 trillion healthcare system. They are urging far more modest measures that aim to reduce premiums by limiting medical malpractice law suits and allowing insurance companies to sell policies across state lines… Lawmaker wants voters to cap damage awards The Arizona Daily Star, Tucson, AZ – Dec 5, 2009 Saying this may be the most business-friendly Legislature for years to come, Sen. Jack Harper, R-Surprise, wants to ask voters to let lawmakers limit how much judges and juries can award to accident and malpractice victims… Opinion – Michael Getnick: Enough with the tort reform myths New York Daily News, NY – Dec 5, 2009 …Repeated studies have shown that approximately 100,000 people die each year due to medical malpractice in our nation's hospitals… Leahy wants antitrust law to apply to insurers The Burlington Free Press, VT – Dec 4, 2009 …For more than 60 years, health and medical malpractice insurers have been exempt from federal antitrust laws designed to protect consumers and encourage competition. A group of senators led by Sen. Patrick Leahy wants to change that… Medical malpractice news
Health insurance group wants rising medical costs slowed down The Detroit News, MI - Dec 4, 2009 ...In addition to outlining firm and measurable cost-containment goals, the legislation also should seek to reform the medical malpractice system and increase penalties to prevent people from only seeking insurance when they get sick... Ask AP: Thorium fission, health care costs The Associated Press - Dec 4, 2009 ...Doctors want the health care legislation to address malpractice, but trial lawyers — generous campaign contributors to Democrats — are trying to stave off any major changes. The outlook for such reforms in the future is uncertain. Senate clears first two amendments to healthcare bill Baltimore Sun, MD - Dec 3, 2009 ...Thursday, a group of 10 conservative and liberal budget experts issued a joint statement endorsing proposals for more taxes on high-end "Cadillac" health plans, a more powerful commission to cut Medicare spending and changes to medical malpractice law... Medical malpractice news
Revenue shortfall threatens state budget Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA - Dec 3, 2009 ...The previous fiscal year ended June 30 with a whopping $3.25 billion deficit, forcing the Legislature and Mr. Rendell to reduce spending by cutting many programs, closing some historic sites, laying off more than 700 state workers and wiping out some one-time revenue sources, such as the $750 million Rainy Day Fund and a $700 million fund that helped doctors pay their malpractice insurance... Opinion - Jack Markowitz: Big left in government puts squeeze on all others Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, PA - Dec 3, 2009 ...Recently renamed the American Association for Justice, it spends millions to head off reform of the "lawsuit lottery" in medical malpractice cases. Consumers would save billions if that lobby backed off... U.S. senators line up amendments for health bill Reuters - Dec 2, 2009 ...A measure by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, a Democrat, and 18 other senators that would repeal federal antitrust law exemptions for the health insurance and medical malpractice insurance industries that have existed since 1945... Poll shows desire for tort reform in health care package LegalNewsline, Chicago, IL - Dec 2, 2009 A majority of Americans say tort reform measures should be taken to drive down healthcare costs, a new poll shows... Medical malpractice news
Senators express hope for a health reform bill Washington Post, DC - Dec 2, 2009 ...GOP lawmakers also are expected to propose significant changes to medical malpractice laws... Malpractice system turmoil Times Union, Albany, NY - Dec 2, 2009 ...Several task forces have been convened to address the rising premiums, but they failed to find a resolution because of friction between the medical community and trial lawyers. The Legislature froze premiums for the past few years to protect doctors... Editorial: House bill punishes states with capped medical lawsuit costs The Detriot News, MI - Dec 2, 2009 ...The bill passed by the U.S. House is worse. It punishes those states, such as Michigan, that have adopted caps on "pain and suffering damages" and limit attorneys' fees in malpractice cases... Editorial: Limits needed on malpractice lawsuit awards The Messenger, Fort Dodge, IA - Dec 2, 2009 ...Malpractice reform preserves the rights of patients who have suffered from health care mistakes, while limiting the outrageously high awards that add noticeably to health care costs. The only reason many liberal lawmakers oppose such limits is their concern about offending deep-pockets contributors. State revenue continues to lag behind projections Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA - Dec 1, 2009 ...The previous fiscal year ended June 30 with a whopping $3.25 billion deficit, forcing the Legislature and Mr. Rendell to reduce spending by cutting many programs, closing some historic sites, laying off more than 700 state workers and wiping out some one-time revenue sources, such as the $750 million Rainy Day Fund and a $700 million fund that helped doctors pay their malpractice insurance... Repeal vote nears on health insurers' antitrust exemption National Underwriter, Hoboken, NJ - Dec 1, 2009 Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said an amendment to repeal the antitrust exemption that exists for health and medical malpractice insurers will be offered during action on proposed health care reform legislation... Trial lawyers take their message underground Wall Street Journal, NY - Dec 1, 2009 If some version of tort reform ultimately gets tucked into a passed health-care bill, it won’t be because the trial lawyers didn’t get out the message — at least in one of the more widely trafficked corridors in our nation’s capital... Medical malpractice news
Berks congressmen say they favor health care changes but oppose House-passed bill Reading Eagle, Reading, PA - Dec 1, 2009 ...He said a bill needs to eliminate insurers' ability to refuse coverage to people because of pre-existing conditions, reform medical malpractice law and remove the insurance industry's exemption from anti-trust laws... $20M Oklahoma jury award cap is sufficient, study says The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, OK - Dec 1, 2009 ...The task force was formed as part of House Bill 1603, which was approved during this year’s legislative session Among other things, the bill sets a noneconomic cap of $400,000 for all negligence cases, but the cap may be lifted if a judge or jury finds there’s a permanent physical injury, catastrophic injury or gross negligence or recklessness... Senate begins health care debate amid calls for tort reform LegalNewsline.com - Nov 30, 2009 ...The Senate plan, opposed by all 40 Republicans, lacks legal reforms such as a cap on medical malpractice awards -- something sought by doctors... Senators begin offering amendments New York Times, NY - Nov 30, 2009 ...Mr. McCain, in a floor speech, quickly moved from criticizing the proposed Medicare changes to complaining about a lack of tough provisions on medical malpractice lawsuits. “Where is any meaningful medical malpractice reform anywhere in this 2,000-page bill?” he asked... Malpractice rate hike New Hampshire Business Review, Manchester, NH - Nov 30, 2009 Hundreds of New Hampshire physicians and surgeons are going to see an increase in their medical malpractice insurance premiums for 2010... |
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