Recent News
Medical malpractice insurance bill clears House subpanel
A bill that would have the federal government cover medical malpractice costs for physicians who volunteer at community health centers cleared the Energy and Commerce panel's health subcommittee on Thursday. The sponsors of the bipartisan Family Health Care...
What happened to tort reform?
Ignoring tort reform does no one any justice and essentially drives up the cost we all pay. It wasn't long ago that the Congressional Budget Office determined that medical liability reform, also known as tort reform, could save our country money in health-care...
Majority of physicians believe concerns over malpractice lawsuits result in “defensive medicine”
A survey by Mount Sinai School of Medicine researchers has found that 91 percent of physicians believe concerns over malpractice lawsuits result in "defensive medicine," ordering more tests and procedures than necessary as a protective measure. The study, which...
Continue health reform
News that the Norwich OB/GYN Group is closing is evidence that the job of reforming the health care system is not over. The closing will be a hardship for the 5,000 patients who now have to seek care elsewhere. It creates a potential shortage in obstetric and...
State’s tort climate gets high ranking
Some good news about Wisconsin’s business climate courtesy of a California-based free market think tank. When it comes to the burden imposed by personal injury lawsuits and related litigation, Wisconsin fares well in the latest rankings by the Pacific Research...
Medical liability: A world of difference
As states and health care systems seek federal grants to test new ways of tackling medical liability issues in the U.S., some observers suggest looking beyond America's borders for inspiration. While they agree no one system offers a perfect solution, experts say...
Guest Blogger: Rep. Michael Burgess, M.D. (R-TX) on Obamacare’s Impact on Doctors
As the health care reform debate began over a year ago, the American Medical Association, the top doctors group in the country, released a list of its top priorities for health reform. The AMA is a powerful association, and many have credited it with helping to kill...
Litigation Fears Impact Physician Work Hours
A new study published in the Journal of Law and Economics (2009;54:635-663) has revealed that physicians work fewer hours when their risk of litigation increases. Researchers Eric Helland, of Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, Calif., and Mark H. Showalter, of...
Tenn. Doctors Continue Pursuit of Malpractice Caps
Tennessee doctors pushed for Congress to put caps on malpractice awards, but the health care reform bill signed into law this week by President Obama sets no such limits. Now, the Tennessee Medical Association is pinning its hopes on the next General Assembly. The...
Ga. court upholds key medical malpractice changes
A sharply divided Georgia Supreme Court on Monday upheld a key part of a sweeping 2005 law that made it more difficult for patients to win medical malpractice cases involving emergency health care providers. The court's 4-3 ruling was a blow to plaintiff's attorneys...