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Malpractice News
Medical Malpractice Reform Would Curb Costs & Improve Access To Health Care
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The shortcomings of the medical liability system have driven up health insurance premiums and reduced access to medical care, according to a new Joint Economic Committee (JEC) study released today by Vice Chairman Jim Saxton. The new study, Liability for Medical Malpractice: Issues and Evidence, examines the current status of the malpractice system, documents the numerous flaws in the system, and discusses the need for and benefits of reform.
"The United States health care system offers the best quality care in the world," Saxton said. "It is therefore dismaying to see the consequences of exploding malpractice insurance costs. The typical jury award in medical malpractice cases is now $1 million. As a result, doctors are being driven out of medical care or are limiting their services. Hospital emergency rooms are often threatened with closure, and sometimes actually close due to the high cost of malpractice insurance. And low-income households are finding health insurance increasingly unaffordable.
"Among the key findings of the new JEC study is that the lawsuit-based tort system for medical malpractice currently fails to achieve either of its goals. First, the system fails to provide compensation to the right people, as most malpractice claims are not tied to a negligent injury and most victims of negligent injuries never file a claim. Second, the tort system does not consistently punish negligent doctors.
"The time has come to reform the medical malpractice system," Saxton continued. "The reforms reported in this new JEC study would reduce overall spending on health care, and save the federal government upwards of $67 billion over the next ten years. Medical malpractice reform will benefit patients by increasing their access to medical care and by making health insurance more affordable as costs go down. Moreover, many women will find it easier to get Ob/Gyn care," Saxton concluded.
Sexual abuse is a form a medical malpractice
Sexual abuse of or sexual misconduct with a patient is also a serious issue. Six to ten percent of psychiatrists surveyed confessed to having engaged in sexual contact with a patient and in a longitudinal study.
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News about Medical Malpractice cases in New Mexico and nationwide:
Definition:
A statute specifying the period of time after the occurrence of an injury--or, in some cases, after the discovery of the injury or of its cause--during which any suit must be filed.
Economic damages
Definition:
Funds to compensate a plaintiff for the monetary costs of an injury, such as medical bills or loss of income.
Acute Pain
Definition:
Pain that has a known cause and occurs for a limited time. Acute pain usually responds to treatment with analgesic medications and treatment of the cause of the pain.
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