Posted on 02/09/2005 1:01:54 PM PST by Ravi
The new math isn't working for Dr. Louis Mameli.
Mameli belongs to a Thomaston-based obstetrician-gynecologist practice that's straining to cover eight central Georgia counties. Four years ago, it was a five-doctor practice, with each paying $25,000 for medical malpractice insurance, he says.
Dr. Nancy Rampell, a neurologist at DeKalb Medical Center, visits the Capitol to lobby for medical malpractice reform.
Now two of the ob-gyns work in other states, and the remaining three doctors pay $95,000 each in malpractice premiums, Mameli says.
"My income is down 50 percent,'' he says. Because of liability concerns, Mameli says, the practice avoids taking pregnant patients considered "high medical risk'' because of chronic health conditions.
The financial crunch on the practice brought Mameli to lobby his local legislators Tuesday at the General Assembly, in anticipation of a House vote Thursday on a bill that would cap jury awards for pain and suffering in medical malpractice cases at $250,000, or up to $750,000 if multiple defendants are liable.
The legislation has traveled a lightning-fast path. A House committee approved the caps last week, in the wake of earlier Senate passage of similar legislation. Consumer groups and trial lawyers say it would keep victims from being justly compensated and discourage attorneys from accepting cases.
The House Rules Committee is expected today to allow the bill to be voted on by the full House on Thursday.
Statewide, the physician insurance problem has become most visible to Georgia consumers at ob-gyn practices.
Because of rising premiums, some ob-gyns have given up delivering babies and offer only gynecological services. Others who still deliver, such as Mameli, struggle to maintain their incomes. And one large DeKalb County ob-gyn practice recently dissolved after its malpractice premiums doubled.
(Excerpt) Read more at ajc.com ...
The brass testicles chutzpah strategy next is for Hillary or some other fecal mass liberal to then ride into power on a socialized medicine plan (but they won't call it that).
My cousins husband was an OB/GYN/Periantologist (sp?). He turned down an extremely high salary from practices in Las Vegas and Texas because he is getting out the baby delivering business.
As long as they can practice their love with women
A dear friend's daughter is doing her residency in ob-gyn in Georgia. I sure hope this passes for all concerned, but especially for their sake.
Your cousin's husband is right to consider doing that although Texas has really reformed their laws well. If he still wants to practice Obstetrics and Perinatology, Texas is the place to do so. They passed an excellent law last year that also had a constitutional amendment enacted and voted on at the same time. Both the law and the amendment passed and the Texas voters affirmed the amendment. Basically, no judge or court can throw out Texas' new malpractice laws. That is always the worry in other states where new laws have been enacted.
Of course, you can go "bare" and not carry insurance after you quit your practice. Then you could get nailed in a lawsuit and have your personal assets seized. Or states with good asset protection laws, you can move assets to your spouse's name or use some other sorts of asset protection. Going "bare" is always a risk whether you do it while you're still practicing or when you retire and are still required to carry insurance.
You don't have to maintain a full policy. You can buy "tail coverage" which covers you for acts under the old policy, but not new acts. Tail coverage is usually substantially cheaper.
Let's see if insurance companies pass on any savings. I doubt they will. Haven't in other states.
Please be more specific about which insurance companies - the health or malpractice. And which states -- list your sources.
You're a drive-by poster.
They have in Texas. TMLT (Texas Medical Liability Trust) lowered rates about 12% after their law was passed and upheld by constitutional amendment.
I wonder what it is with these people on juries in medical malpractice cases? They seem to do all right with death penalty cases, condemnation cases and all these other things, how can they come up with such off the wall results when it comes to medical mistakes?
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