Are there any Democrats who believe that medical tort reform will help lower medical costs in the US?

Question

The best physicians are here in the United States. This is where they can get a decent pay check because we don't have socialistic national healthcare! (Only problem here is that they have to pay sky-high malpractice insurance premiums.)
We really need to make tort reform a political issue in 2008. It is the only way to get healthcare costs down. The majority of doctors don't like to charge ridiculous fees. Reforms do not have to forbid lawsuits in legitimate cases of malpractice. But good reform measures would prevent $65 million lawsuits when a much, much lower amount would suffice.

Answer 1

I do think you have a legitimate point. The insurance costs that they have are astronomical.

I do not want goverment health care. I have seen government housing and I will say "NO THANKS!". Socialist health care is definitely not the answer.

Doctors are brilliant. They spend alot of time in school and have a very rigorous course schedule. What would happen if they went to eight years of school to make nothing? No one would do it. We would no longer have the most advanced and skilled medical practitioners.

Answer 2

it will help but its not the main problem. Health care costs have at least doubled over the last 6 years, but not malpractice lawsuits. Doctors make more in the USA sure but most professions can say that. An Electrician in NYC makes double what one makes in Calgary. The industry that spends the most money on advertising Pharmacueticals which is also the industry that spends the most on political lobbying. Thats a problem!!!
The CEO of Oxford, United Health care made 55 million last year. The ceo of Horizon BCBS made 65 million
Of course those numbers are dwarfed by the CEO of Goldman, Sachs who got a 50 million dollar bonus.
BUT the total spent in my home state of NJ on medical malpractice was 165 million which means that devide that by 8 million people in NJ andit doesnt save you very much.
The GOP had a majority from 2001 to 2006 and never even looked at healthcare
Bush instead wasted his time in his lazy failed attempt at SS reform and setting up the medicaid prescription drug boondoggle
which costs taxpayers some 70 billion a year.
The VA buys drugs in bulk and saves big money that way but MEDICAID is not allowed to this
But The Wall st Journal did find out that the top 50 drugs used by those 55 and older raised their price some 15 to 40% in the year after the medicaid bill was passed
Drugs made in the US by US companies sell in Canada for half the price that they sell for here.
And look at last year you couldnt get a flu shot but if you wanted Viagra you were ok
Meanwhile Democratic ideas like a standard medical form across the board for every company, patient, and Dr so as to simplify paperwork and could have saved 10 to 20 % on clerical costs was turned down by the GOP by a 52-1 vote
Illegal aliens pour across the borders to go to USA hospitals but
BUSH!!!! wont do a thing to stop this. It costs Arz, Cal, NM, Tex millions
Healthcare reform would create jobs because more companies could afford to hire more workers if it wasnt so damn expensive
and what have BUSH and the GOP done to address this in 6 years in power ZERO

Answer 3

I think that the problem is hospitals being privately owned, and publicly controlled. So here's my idea...you cannot sue a hospital, you can only file grievance with an independent organization, who is then responsible for investigating the complaint. If fault is found, the agency would then be required to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law. Economically, the money would go to pay expenses, not 'pain and suffering' or other extraneous expenses. And NO lawyers would get rich, becuase they couldn't sue anybody. Then, if a hospital or drug company is found to be in violation, they will have to suspend oir remove the offenders (like a police force, for example) And if an insurance company has to pay out too many time, the doctor or hospital would be subject to higher rates for insurance, or possibly not be able to be covered at all. And while we are at it...let's make drug ads on TV illegal, so people stop thinking that they are sick, and doctors stop getting perks for prescribing medicines, and the instances of abuse go down.

Also, understanding needs to be made that universal access to affordable healthcare is NOT socialized healthcare, it is more like a GIGANTIC group plan. And you still have to pay for it.

Answer 4

No way, but isn't tort reform mostly due to "fault" and "no-fault" STATE laws?

In my time in law school, I NEVER came across a Democrat who wanted tort reform, and why would they? Most think that seeking HUGE punitive damages is somehow helping out the "little guy" - meanwhile inflation in medical costs is rampant!

Doctors now have to perform all kinds of medical procedures just to avoid a lawsuit, and those additional procedures drive up all his costs, as well as the costs to his patient. So its not even malpractice lawsuits causing it, its the AVOIDANCE of malpractice lawsuits causing the inflation.

Answer 5

I Agree with your points regarding the ability of lawyers to get settlements above and beyond what would take care all of the families needs including lost wages, burial costs, further medical treatment, wage earning potential, dependant costs, etc. etc.

I believe that minimum health care services should be offered to all , based on some of the same priciples as your rights to an attorney. All doctors should be required to do work at the National Health care facility of their choice for wages paid by the state at a set level with reimbursements from the state through our taxes. Those who wish to visit their own doctor, get medical prescription costs, eye-care, ambulance rider--etc. etc. covered ought to be able to purchase the additional coverage at their own expense. Not helping those who cannot afford a trip to the doctor only creates a larger problem as most medical needs, when treated at an early stage--are 100% correctable. We all know what happens when people refuse to go to the doctor--the expenses expotentially multiply down the road.

Answer 6

First, it incredibly is significant to comprehend that the full foundation of Obamacare is in line with lies, lies and greater lies. won't improve spending. LIE. it will improve government spending by using 1000's of billions at minimum, and likely countless trillion a 12 months. will improve selection. LIE. the present suggestion already incorporates clauses to ward off changing coverage or figuring out on up new coverage. won't degrade high quality. LIE. each socialized well-being gadget contained in the international is under the common human beings care. government's ought to ration to restrain costs. government well-being care might earnings agencies. LIE. Economists are very unified in opposition to this lie, they say that the provisions made contained in the present invoice might value the rustic tens of millions of jobs. the project is which you rant approximately lies from the right.. yet you're protecting a gadget that's truthfully in line with lies. A gadget promoted by using a guy who has under no circumstances as quickly as in his existence shown any interest in doing something good for the rustic. Open your eyes. teach your self on what's happening. there is not any earnings to the yank human beings contained in the proposed well-being care plan. None. we will pay an analogous volume of money for worse provider and much less selection.

Answer 7

they wont admit it because they see it as an excuse to push national health care. we can fix the problem with rational work but that would imply that a welfare state is not the correct way to go so.... privatized Medical insurance needs to also be addressed. we put sanctions and caps on big business but there is no such thing for the biggest scam business in this country......... INSURANCE

Answer 8

Very few; they and the trial lawyers spend too much time fornicating together.

Answer 9

No