Saturday, June 11, 2005
Malpractice Insurance for Bariatric Surgeons Increasing
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Other Perils of Overweight - New York Times:
" But after several years in which the surgery was seen as the last best hope by many obese people, a growing array of scientific data shows that the risks are greater than patients realized. One new study reported that almost one in 5 patients had complications after surgery. For one in 20 patients, the complications were serious, including heart attacks and strokes. Another recent study said the mortality rate for the most common type of bariatric surgery, gastric bypass, was one in 200 - a rate higher than for coronary angioplasty, which opens blocked heart vessels.
For thousands of patients, the weight-loss surgery has eliminated debilitating diseases and improved the quality of life. But the threat of malpractice lawsuits against doctors and hospitals, as well as the reluctance of health plans to cover the surgery costs, is creating difficulties for people now seeking treatment. "
The article points to an Annals of Internal Medicine article titled Meta-Analysis: Surgical Treatment of Obesity (Annals is another one of those nice free full-text journals).
[Via Common Good]
Friday, May 27, 2005
Medical Malpractice Law in the United States - Kaiser Family Foundation
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Medical Malpractice Law in the United States - Kaiser Family Foundation:
" The Kaiser Family Foundation today issued a new report that explains how medical malpractice law in the United States works and provides an overview of recent trends and reform approaches. The Foundation also posted state-specific data on medical malpractice claim payments on statehealthfacts.org, the free online source of current health and health policy data for all 50 states. "
Saturday, May 7, 2005
25 Years and a 1288% Increase in Malpractice Premiums
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"...losses paid out per doctor rose much faster than premiums paid per doctor (1288% vs. 312%), or medical care inflation (480%), from 1975-2001 (see this graph). After 2001, when med-mal insurers were exiting the market in response to this reality, insurance regulators permitted substantial premium price increases that began to correct for these imbalances (though far from fully -- really returning medical malpractice paid-loss ratios to 1995 levels, which were still 150% higher than they were in 1975). It is an unavoidable fact that the exceptional growth in losses paid per doctor over time explains medical malpractice premium growth..."
[via PointofLaw.com]
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
House Bill Would Fund Special Health Courts
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"Known as the Medical Liability Procedural Reform Act of 2005, HR 1546 would authorize grants to as many as seven states to establish special health courts to restore reliability to medical justice. The hallmark of the courts would be full-time judges with health care expertise, whose sole focus would be on addressing medical malpractice cases. Each participating state would be required to report on the effectiveness of the health courts, and the U.S. Attorney General would be required to hire a research organization to evaluate them."
Via [Common Good]
Sunday, April 17, 2005
Malpractice Insurance Summary for PA
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The Coalition for Affordable and Reliable Health Care, an advocacy group supporting medical liability reform, has a has an accurate summary of the malpractice insurance situation in Pennsylvania (and other states in the Union).
"A full 80% of medical students who come to Pennsylvania for a world-class education ultimately choose to practice elsewhere, according to the Pennsylvania Medical Society. (PA Medical Society, June 17, 2003)"
[Via PointOfLaw Forum]
Thursday, March 31, 2005
Malpractice Payouts in Pennsylvania Rose in 2004
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Malpractice Payouts in Pennsylvania Rose in 2004:
"In 2004, insurers reported paying out $448 million, a 13.5 percent jump from $394.5 million reported in 2003, according to the U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration. The 2004 figure broke the previous record, which had been set in 2001.
The increase in 2004 came after two years of decline. One researcher said he thinks payouts are climbing steadily, but that the steep increase in 2004 also was bumped up by delayed reporting of some payments made the previous year."
[Via Point of Law Forum]
Saturday, March 12, 2005
Frist Indicates Willingness To Compromise With Democrats on Malpractice Legislation
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Kaisernetwork.org--Frist Indicates Willingness To Compromise With Democrats on Malpractice Legislation:
" Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) on Thursday said he would again push for medical malpractice legislation this session and indicated that he would consider compromises with Democrats to examine the "elements of insurance reform" in addition to establishing caps on noneconomic damages awards, CongressDaily reports. Republicans have been unsuccessful in passing legislation that would impose a $250,000 cap on noneconomic damages because of Democratic filibusters. Democrats maintain that rising medical malpractice insurance premiums stem from problems within the insurance industry. Frist suggested that he might be willing to reconsider the $250,000 limit but added, "There absolutely should be a cap." According to Frist, medical malpractice reform will be considered in the Senate after bankruptcy and other tort reform legislation, including changes to the asbestos litigation system, are addressed (Heil, CongressDaily, 3/10). "
Thursday, February 10, 2005
"What the Doctor Saw"
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Published in the Fulton County (Georgia) Daily Report: What the Doctor Saw:--The court system through the eyes of a surgeon sued for malpractice (PDF--432k)
" Outstandingly reported account of a surgeon's professional liability trial from the standpoint of the defendant and his family as well as the lawyers on both sides. "
[Via Overlawyered]
Monday, February 7, 2005
Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report Highlights News of State Medical Malpractice Developments
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Summarizes recent developments in tort reform in Georgia, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, North and South Carolina, and Wyoming.
[Via UK Medical News Today]
Thursday, February 3, 2005
PA State Medical Society Frivolous Lawsuit Project
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In 2004, the Pennsylvania State Medical Society began a project to support physicians who chose to countersue lawyers who brought frivolous malpractice lawsuits under the Frivolous Lawsuit Project. A recent newsletter gave the following update:
" In May of 2004, the Society settled its first frivolous case, resulting in an apology from the offending attorney and an agreement to make an undisclosed monetary payment.
The countersuit was brought by Charles Dunton, MD—a gynecological oncologist from Delaware County—against Diane Rice, Esq., of Bucks County.
Ms. Rice had filed a medical malpractice action on behalf of her client in which she accused Dr. Dunton of providing inadequate care. That action was eventually resolved in Dr. Dunton’s favor when Ms. Rice was unable to produce an expert to support her allegations.
In her apology, Ms. Rice admitted she did not obtain an opinion from a qualified medical expert prior to filing the suit... "
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