It seems that in the US, healthcare is always an issue, especially the rising prices. However there are alot of Medical Malpractice suits where it seems that people are raking in millions, which I think would cause prices to go up, becuase someone has to pay for the lawsuits/insurance. In Canada I read it is very hard to prove, and I am sure in Cuba, or many other countries if a doctor messes up, then tough. If we made malpractice harder to prove, or limit the amount someone gets from settlement, or better yet take away a good portions of a Lawyers take, would that help curb healthcare prices?
cheryl a
you bet your bottom dollar they would
crushinator01
for sure.
djstocks
Yes!!! Doctors have to pay through the nose for liability insurance to protect themselves against frivolous malpractice suits, and that gets passed along to the patient (or their health insurance company).
Not that I have anything against valid malpratice claims, tho.
Tom's World
At this point I don't believe prices would drop.
Medical malpractice is a cost covered by the individual doctors buying liability insurance. Less law suites could possibly lower their insurance cost, which would mean more profit for them. The doctors at this point would most likely keep charging the insurance company's the same fee for their services so health care cost would remain the same to us because doctors today have become very money oriented.
They may not go up as fast but I doubt they would drop. Everyone involved is to use to getting the money now
Golfer
One thing is for sure......you aren't a lawyer because no lawyer would want to bring this out in the open. Just ask any doctor, medical clinic, or hospital what they think. Know any "new" doctors going into pediatrics? Hmmm, wonder why not. The bad news is that it isn't just the health care field, it's every aspect of our lives being held hostage to greedy lawyers. They encourage lawsuits at every opportunity, and because there is no penalty if they lose the case, the incentive not to sue is non existent. What would you like to bet that lawyers would never support "loser pays all legal fees" legislation. Why? Because, even when they lose they still get paid. Don't expect change though since a high percentage of our congressmen are lawyers.
Douglas R
Yes , our health care costs would drop. The biggest fly in our health care ointment is, in my opinion, that there is no penalty of any kind for filing a frivolous lawsuit. I've heard of cases where all parties met in the Judges chambers, at the end of the meeting the Judge dismissed the case. The defendant stood up, put his crutches under his arm and walked out. If the system could be changed so that in the case of a lose the plaintiff covered the defendants legal fees people would stop filing frivolous suits.
tommy44432
Doctors are not gods. Half of all doctors graduated in the bottom half of their class. Remember that geek that sat next to you in math class? The one that couldn't do anything right? Remember how you shook your head when he/she couldn't grasp the concept of 2 plus 2? He went on to medical school and graduated dead last in his class. You want him/her as a doctor? Still want to limit medical malpractice settlements? If the geek writes you a prescription for heart problems, when all you have are hemorrhoids, and you die...shouldn't the geek have to pay big time?
Rocketmaniac
Yep I think the cost would go down. The problem is changing the way tons of americans sue over BS. My wife is a nurse, and I can't count the number of BS lawsuits her hospital has been involved with. It's time for people to start taking responsibility for their own actions and not blaming everything on others.
(ok, I'll get off my soapbox now)
CHARITY G
It's a huge myth. 90% of medical malpractice cases are committed by the same 3% of doctors. Professional regulation is the answer.
AveGirl
Yes, that is one thing.
Also, the doctors need to charge equal prices for insured and uninsured. If the uninsured can't pay, they should be given the payment option. Insured are charge outrageous rates while the uninsured are charged lower rates based upon income or based upon the drs discretion.
Orignal From: Would healthcare prices in the US lower if people stopped suing for Medical Malpractice?
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