Doctors and tort reformers continue to wage a propaganda war about the cost of medical malpractice premiums increasing because of outrageous medical malpractice awards. The real reason premiums are on the rise in some states, however, is what they are hiding from you. Research shows that lawsuits and jury awards are not causing the premiums to rise.
In New York recent headlines complained of 14% rate increases in medical malpractice insurance premiums. Immediately tort reformers blamed lawyers and said they were the reason the costs were sky rocketing. A little research, however, tells a different story.
The truth is that in the past New York’s rate increases were artificially low so the state had to do something to set the rates at their proper place. The reason the rates were so low was because the New York state government was not doing there job properly in maintaining high enough rates. They were also raiding the fund from time to time.
A little more research showed that medical malpractice cases did not contribute to the increase. The facts are cases in New York remain at a static number and payouts are keeping pace with health care costs. The research also showed that the story about doctors fleeing the state because of high premiums was not true either.
It’s time the public hear the truth about why doctors’ premiums are increasing and lawyers and patient victims stop taking the blame.
For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Medical Malpractice and Negligent Care.
