Posted on 08/21/2009 7:14:29 AM PDT by DogBarkTree
President Obama's health care "reform" plan has met with significant criticism across the country. Many Americans want change and reform in our current health care system. We recognize that while we have the greatest medical care in the world, there are major problems that we must face, especially in terms of reining in costs and allowing care to be affordable for all. However, as we have seen, current plans being pushed by the Democratic leadership represent change that may not be what we had in mind -- change which poses serious ethical concerns over the government having control over our families’ health care decisions. In addition, the current plans greatly increase costs of health care, while doing lip service toward controlling costs.
We need to address a REAL bipartisan reform proposition that will have REAL impacts on costs, and quality of patient care.
As Governor of Alaska, I learned a little bit about being a target for frivolous suits and complaints (Please, do I really need to footnote that?). I went my whole life without needing a lawyer on speed-dial, but all that changes when you become a target for opportunists and people with no scruples. Our nation’s health care providers have been the targets of similar opportunists for years, and they too have found themselves subjected to false, frivolous, and baseless claims. To quote a former president, “I feel your pain.”
So what can we do? First, we cannot have health care reform without tort reform. The two are intertwined. For example, one supposed justification for socialized medicine is the high cost of health care. As Dr. Scott Gottlieb recently noted, “If Mr. Obama is serious about lowering costs, he'll need to reform the economic structures in medicine—especially programs like Medicare.” [1] Two examples of these “economic structures” are high malpractice insurance premiums foisted on physicians (and ultimately passed on to consumers as “high health care costs”) and the billions wasted on defensive medicine.
Dr. Stuart Weinstein, with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, recently explained the problem:
”The medical liability crisis has had many unintended consequences, most notably a decrease in access to care in a growing number of states and an increase in healthcare costs. Access is affected as physicians move their practices to states with lower liability rates and change their practice patterns to reduce or eliminate high-risk services. When one considers that half of all neurosurgeons—as well as one third of all orthopedic surgeons, one third of all emergency physicians, and one third of all trauma surgeons—are sued each year, is it any wonder that 70 percent of emergency departments are at risk because they lack available on-call specialist coverage?” [2]
Dr. Weinstein makes good points, points completely ignored by President Obama. Dr. Weinstein details the costs that our out-of-control tort system are causing the health care industry and notes research that “found that liability reforms could reduce defensive medicine practices, leading to a 5 percent to 9 percent reduction in medical expenditures without any effect on mortality or medical complications.” Dr. Weinstein writes:
“If the Kessler and McClellan estimates were applied to total U.S. healthcare spending in 2005, the defensive medicine costs would total between $100 billion and $178 billion per year. Add to this the cost of defending malpractice cases, paying compensation, and covering additional administrative costs (a total of $29.4 billion). Thus, the average American family pays an additional $1,700 to $2,000 per year in healthcare costs simply to cover the costs of defensive medicine. Excessive litigation and waste in the nation’s current tort system imposes an estimated yearly tort tax of $9,827 for a family of four and increases healthcare spending in the United States by $124 billion. How does this translate to individuals? The average obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYN) delivers 100 babies per year. If that OB-GYN must pay a medical liability premium of $200,000 each year (which is the rate in Florida), $2,000 of the delivery cost for each baby goes to pay the cost of the medical liability premium.” [3]
You would think that any effort to reform our health care system would include tort reform, especially if the stated purpose for Obama’s plan to nationalize our health care industry is the current high costs.
So I have new questions for the president: Why no legal reform? Why continue to encourage defensive medicine that wastes billions of dollars and does nothing for the patients? Do you want healthcare reform to benefit trial attorneys or patients?
Many states, including my own state of Alaska, have enacted caps on lawsuit awards against health care providers. Texas enacted caps and found that one county’s medical malpractice claims dropped 41 percent, and another study found a “55 percent decline” after reform measures were passed. [4] That’s one step in health care reform. Limiting lawyer contingency fees, as is done under the Federal Tort Claims Act, is another step. The State of Alaska pioneered the “loser pays” rule in the United States, which deters frivolous civil law suits by making the loser partially pay the winner’s legal bills. Preventing quack doctors from giving “expert” testimony in court against real doctors is another reform. Texas Gov. Rick Perry noted that, after his state enacted tort reform measures, the number of doctors applying to practice medicine in Texas “skyrocketed by 57 percent” and that the tort reforms “brought critical specialties to underserved areas.” These are real reforms that actually improve access to health care. [5]
Dr. Weinstein’s research shows that around $200 billion per year could be saved with legal reform. That’s real savings. That’s money that could be used to build roads, schools, or hospitals. If you want to save health care, let’s listen to our doctors too. There should be no health care reform without legal reform. There can be no true health care reform without legal reform.
- Sarah Palin
A situation is about to be created where doctors will be liable for not doing things which are forbidden.
In Canada, at least when the government cancels your MRI, you can’t sue the doctor for not doing it.
Under HR3200, that’s exactly what will happen.
John Edwards is back in busin
ess.
Ping!
Tort Reform? Taking away $billions from the trial lawyers associations that fund the Democratic Party?
Sarah, you are absolutely correct, but the Democratic lawyers in Washington (Obama, Clinton and Kennedy clan members, et al.) will fall on their collectivist swords before considering Tort Reform.
Actually I think that is "bidnib"
But if you can’t have tons of frivolous lawsuits, how are all the lawyers going to pay for the “one call that’s all” commercials that are on during the TV Judge shows and the Maury Pervich and Jerry Springer shows.
Hilarious isn’t it that all the ads on during those shows are lawyers, fast food, and pawn your car title ads. The ads you see should tell you something about yourself.
Sarah sure can land a body blow! This is going to be as big as the “death panels” meme. She’s got some mighty rhetorical fists!
Do you want healthcare reform to benefit trial attorneys or patients?
Obama is gonna get all wee-weed up today...LOL.
As Tammy Bruce would say, “TYPE, TYPE, SEND” !
GO SARAH !
Health care is no different than any other business, when you have a shortage of doctors and a massive influx of illegal aliens then you have the makings for high prices. Supply and demand are at work. Though there are other problems, repulsively high malpractice insurance, greedy pharmaceutical companies and pricey medical equipment, the problem still largely lies in supply and demand. This is the problem with illegal immigration, they don’t bring any professional abilities with them, they come in the tens of millions to leech off the present professions and government programs, giving nothing back to society.
We are already a bankrupt nation, yet we still allow the madness of unchecked illegal immigration. When are the a-holes in DC going to recognize this problem and put a final end to it?
Let us do a comparison on who is leading our side in the ObamaCare battle:
Palin- stopped “death panels/rationing,” focusing on issues like importance of “tort reform,” and an end to defensive medicine practices.
Romney- tells Obama to “slow down” and to have “bipartisan leadership”
You bots stay on that cruise to ambivalence aboard the SS Romney 2012
Spare me. Just because I don't worship at the alter of Palin, doesn't mean I'm a Romney supporter - in any way, shape or form. If you can find any post I've made that has been supportive of Mitt - in any way - please quote it.
Otherwise, keep your insults to yourself.
Another lightning bolt from Wasilla strikes its target in DC.
It’s all well and good to address the “surface” arguments,
and perhaps in so doing, she can expose that their surface
arguments have little to do with their true goals.
But we who are “out here in the weeds” need to directly confront
the TRUE GOALS of this policy -
total control of the populace through the ability to grant and deny healthcare.
But it's not a problem to them - it's the solution to the problem, which is us.
The people are too stubborn, too conservative, and cling too much to their guns and their religion.
So? Change the people.
When will they put a final end to it? Never.
What ... a call for tort reform is now a "lightning bolt?"
Get real. Folks have been suggesting that for at least the past 20 years. The problem has never been in the suggesting, it's been in the actual doing. Tort reform attempts on the national level have not been notably successful or comprehensive for the usual reasons: party politics and special interests.
It's worth pointing out, however, that the Congressional Republicans did take a stab at it in 2005, and it's been part of the party platform for some time.
It's very nice that Sarah Palin is on-board the tort reform train -- but she didn't invent the idea.
You are so missing the point...!
Sensible Sarah ping!
"You bots stay on that cruise to ambivalence aboard the SS Romney 2012"
Some people who have blind devotion for a particular candidate can't quite grasp the fact that criticism of their "hero" is just that criticism, and not the work of some secret Romney cabal.
You'd be wrong about that. The comment in question was a case of cross-thread stalking, directed to those of us who are unimpressed by Sarah Palin's qualifications.
For some reason, there's a group of morons who equate "unimpressed with Palin" with "Romney supporter." Their behavior is, unfortunately, a good example of the current state of political discourse at FR and elsewhere.
Which is....?
And those that say "she's no Reagan" are going to be eating their tongues involuntarily!
She reminds me a little (I don’t mean to be blasphemous) of John writing from the Isle of Patmos. She’s probably holed-up writing from a cabin in Talkeetna by Coleman lantern, zapping out things like “tort reform”, “death panel”, etc. And all the “king’s” men in their pin-stripe suits can’t counter her. HAHAHA
Well, I’d ask how someone (moonbats excepted, of course) can accuse anyone of anything without actual evidence . . . but the dewpoint here is 74 right now and so I probably wouldn’t be able to grasp the answer . . . :(
Sean Hannity is aboard (main deck men's room Valet)
I so agree that she strikes like a viper going after prey, and hits it home because of her clarity and because she is not beholden to anybody. I LOVE IT!
Her paragraph about the percentage of doctors who are sued is JUST HORRIFIC.
And with NO TORT REFORM in 1000 pages, who is going to control what universal health care costs all of us, are our tax dollars going to used to pay off lawyers and health care goes into the tank?
ALready posted under thread about tort reform...she has a killer paragraph in her writing about the percentage of doctors who are sued each year in specialty practices (not even including family practice or internists). Something like ONE HALF of all neurosurgeons are sued EACH YEAR. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT? And ONE THIRD of ALL orthopaedic surgeons, ONE THIRD of all EMERGENCY ROOM DOCTORS are SUED EACH YEAR!!!!!!!!!! EACH YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And those arseholes in DC did NOT INCLUDE TORT REFORM, or LEGAL REFORM in any of the ONE THOUSAND PAGES of their COMMUNIST HEALTH CARE MANIFESTO....NOT ONE SENTENCE IS DEVOTED TO REFORMING THE HORRIFIC FRIVOLOUS LAWSUITS THAT HAVE CAUSED MEDICAL COSTS TO SKYROCKET.
Rant/ off
Precisely,
OldDeckHand and I have been engaged in numerous conversations on the Palin topic. I know that he is not a Romney bot, but I wanted to include him in the conversation because he has reservations about Palin’s policy accumen. Steve-b and Reaganaut on the other hand, are definitely romney-bots, with Steve-b leading his own personal crusade to post every single specious lie and rumor about Sarah Palin that he can find. I also resent the implication that support for Palin is worship. I worship the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. My support for Palin is because she represent the charisma, character, and will to do to this government what needs to be done. Pare it down, restore it to its Constitution bounds, and get it out of this Politically Correct/devoid of Common Sense policy making mentality.
EVERYONE else I see on our side is a go with the flow person who just wants some small changes to programs and tax policy.
She's no Reagan.
Consider this little nugget, which perhaps slipped past you:
Dr. Weinstein’s research shows that around $200 billion per year could be saved with legal reform. That’s real savings. That’s money that could be used to build roads, schools, or hospitals.
That merits a bit of attention: what she's saying is ... that's $200 billion that the government could use in other ways. It's still not your money.
Does Sarah Palin really mean that? Who knows -- perhaps she only meant it as a throw-away sympathy grabber.
But the thought process underlying the point was either careless (which is not Reaganesque), or deliberate (which is not conservative).
My money is on "careless." That's precisely the sort of thing that demonstrates Sarah Palin's unreadiness for the big time.
She's quite obviously trying to sound "intellectual" with pieces like this. But she needs 10 years of practice and effort to make it stick.
You've deftly painted the picture of the burr under the RINO's saddle!
Note: she didn't write that paragraph. She's quoting somebody else's work.
It's nice that Ms. Palin is doing a little research -- or somebody is doing it for her -- but let's not pretend that she's offering anything that we haven't read before.
Perhaps you have prismatic vision? - Her point is that the $200 billion is being siphoned out of the available kitty, thus depriving the taxpayers while rewarding the destroyers. We've already paid the taxes; the issue is where it has gone. The Gingriches, Lotts, and Lugars that continually thwarted tort reform in the congress are the ones you should be directing your anger towards.
That’s ok. Sarah has Rush. Hannity can have all of his fawning hot and bothered housewives calling in.
Sean Hannity Show Format:
3:00-3:15PM- Ruth’s Chris ad, Plug Hannity Concert, Plug Tonite’s Hannity Show
3:15-3:20PM- Commercial Break
3:20-3:30PM- Interview to Dick Morris
3:30-3:35PM- Commerical Break
3:35-3:45PM- Take calls from Hot and Bothered Housewives
3:45-3:50PM- Commerical Break
3:50-4:00PM- Repeat plugs for Hannity, Ruths’ Chris, and the Hannity Concerts
Next two hours, repeat first hour.
I love that Sean is passionate about our cause. But I am living in fear of the day that Rush Can’t carry on his show any longer. Sean is the heir apparent, and I just can’t listen to him. But for now, there is Rush, and there is everyone else. Rush is in Sarah’s camp and everyone else will be too come July of 2012
Don't try to weasel out of it. Just apologize, and next time try to be more adult about inviting us to discuss something.
When the ‘Bot’ fits, wear it!
My President has spoken, and I support her.
SINGLE PAYER NATIONALIZED LEGAL SERVICES FOR ALL! NOW!
Cap trial lawyers income and in kind compensation at $100,000 per year.
Perhaps you're trying to make excuses for what she quite clearly wrote. She sees those savings as being available for other government projects. She's still "depriving the taxpayers," just on different things.
Does Sarah Palin actually believe that? No, probably not. If you pressed her on it, she might well retreat from it. I suspect she didn't actually give it much thought, beyond its use as a cheap emotional appeal.
But she did write it, and that's precisely the sort of intellectual carelessness that politicians use to paint themselves into corners. It's exactly the sort of easily-misconstrued comment that's giving Obama fits right now.
It's just an example of how she is not yet ready for the big time. Articles like this are a good way to start ... but only to help her gain the depth she needs. As it stands now, this article merely proves the point that she's not there yet.
Sean is passionate about his paycheck. When Murdoch is done with his conservative patriot ruse, which will be soon, Sean will move on with him.
I share your enthusiasm for Palin (and distaste for Romney — I’m from MA), but ODH is the one who posted Palin’s piece, and with an approbative comment! I would think you’d like that. Unless I’m missing something . . . as I said, I’m not too quick at a dewpoint of 74 . . .
What you're missing is that ODH didn't post the piece....
You prove my point! - Roads and bridges are the area where we get a bigger bang for our buck from government than from private investment. Your smoke stinks to high heaven.
Noooooooo. I said she HAS a killer paragraph in her writing.
She is quoting incredible statistics, the STATISTICS ARE THE INCREDIBLE PART and Rb, I CERTAINLY HOPE she did not MAKE THEM UP. Geeeez. I am pretty sure you don't want her making statistics up either.
Don't worry too much about the folks like me who really admire Sarah, because there are lots of folks who do not, as well. And that is ok. We are all in this together.
You’re right R9, she should stick to sweet nothings like “slow down” and “be bipartisan.”
Or better yet, she should be required to extrapolate and extend every thought to every theoretical logical possible conclusion.
Two points:
1. Savings that the government realized could pay for a road or a school that is currently being borrowed for, against our children and grandchildren’s future.
2. 100% of the $200 billion savings isn’t going to be realized by the government. Most of it will be realized by doctors, patients, insurance companies, and consumers.
I want to apologize to you r9, on behalf of Governor Palin, for her failure to carry that thought out to every theoretical possible conclusion. I also want to apologize for her having an idea that is transcribed for us to share and discuss, as anything that crosses your idealized Caribou Barbie vision of her must cause you intense colorectal distress.
In the future, we should ALL remain silent unless our words are perfect. And while we wait for our PERFECTION, we can watch silently as the SOCIALIST’S PERFECTION unfolds before us.
Mississippi medical malpractice insurance has dropped by 40% after reforms were put in place.
You are sure that it is a bogeyman?
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