Obama pushes drive for medical malpractice reforms

[The Northerner]

WASHINGTON—Administration officials say President Barack Obama wants states to rewrite their medical malpractice laws to cut down on wasteful tests doctors perform because they fear lawsuits.

Obama's budget calls for $250 million in Justice Department grants to help states change their laws in line with recommendations a bipartisan commission issued last year.

Specific reforms exclude caps on jury awards that the American Medical Association and GOP lawmakers have unsuccessfully pursued for years. But they do include measures that have been unacceptable to trial lawyers, an interest group that contributes heavily to Democrats.

Topping the list are health courts in which specially trained judges -- not juries -- would decide malpractice cases.

Source: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2011/02/15/obama_pushes_drive_for_medical_malpractice_reforms/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Latest+news

[Horse with no Name]

1. So Tort Reform is next on his list!

He is a fucking Santa Claus to the corporations isn't he?

[phantom power]

8. remarkable, isn't it

:(

[Poboy]

19. Yep, Limit the liability for malpractice and corporate malfescence.

This guy is a fucking NIGHTMARE.

[tallahasseedem]

2. I do not agree with the President on this...

this is a Republican myth that he is perpetuating. The facts just do not support the need to make these reforms.

[Poboy]

20. Uh, this is his modus operendi. Eventually you will catch on. This is a

breakthrough moment for you!

[tallahasseedem]

21. Wow...

you are soooo awesome at armchair psychology! Bill Frist would be proud!

[superduperfarleft]

24. I think you give some people wayyyyy too much credit. n/t

[superduperfarleft]

25. HATER!1 TEABAGGER!1 PONY POUTRAGE PALIN BLAH BLAH BLAH!!!1111

HOPE YOU LIKE PRESINENT PALIN!!!!11

[tallahasseedem]

27. You're awesome...

and so grown-up!

Seriously, do your self a favor and click the ignore button.

[OhioChick]

3. I thought that pushing for "tort reform" was always a Repub thing? n/t

[Thunderstruck]

4. Isn't this a republican baby?

[rfranklin]

5. Obama just wants to get re-elected...he's innoculating himself...

so the Republican challenger will have very little to get traction with. Unformtunately, it is legitimizing many of the right wing mythologies.

[tallahasseedem]

7. Sad but true.

It drives me crazy every time I hear him or any Republican say this.

[superduperfarleft]

18. So does that mean you're going to apologize for all the personal attacks you threw around this AM?

[tallahasseedem]

22. I will apologize for telling it like it is...

when you apologize for trying to play hall monitor.

In other words, never.

[superduperfarleft]

23. Hey, if acting like a belligerent preschooler on the internet works for you, have at it.

Yeesh...

[tallahasseedem]

26. Thanks!

[jillan]

11. Who is going to vote for him? Ok - we probably will. But - who is going to contribute time and

money for his re-election? Not me.

[bullwinkle428]

29. Translation - electability trumps all principles. It wouldn't be nearly

as frustrating if I thought he was suddenly going to emerge as a spandex-clad FDR-esque superhero the day after his election to a second term, but I'm afraid that's little more than a pipe dream!

[kratos00]

6. Amazing

It's as if he is completely oblivious to what the Republicans really want. It's never been about reeling in jury awards, it's always been about undercutting trial attorneys and removing a source of campaign contributions to Democrats.

[jillan]

9. great - another attempt to screw the middle and poor class in this country.

[gratuitous]

10. "Recommendations a bipartisan commission issued last year"

What commission was that? The Deficit Reduction Commission blew its deadline, didn't issue any recommendations, and failed to garner enough votes to issue any recommendations. So clearly the story can't be talking about the Catfood Commission, right?

Right? Because Jane Hamsher is wrong; everyone knows that!

So what commission is the story referring to, and what recommendations did it issue?

(By the way, for those keeping score, this is the part where everyone just agrees that the Catfood Commission did its job, issued legitimate recommendations, and anyone who notes otherwise can be safely dismissed as Not Serious About Reducing the Deficit. Those people can be safely ignored. Next up: Tort reform, reduction in social security benefits for future retirees, and raising the retirement age. None of these proposals have anything to do with reducing the deficit, but if you notice that, you are Not Serious, either. So watch it!)

[Poboy]

28. Seee, posts like this is why I am shocked you do not have at least 5 hearts.

On point again.

[phantom power]

12. amazing -- he's spending tax dollars to implement fucking tort reform

[taught_me_patience]

13. Here is a really nice rebuttal to "tort reform"

http://www.angrybearblog.com/2011/02/medical-malpractice-reform-truth-in.html#more

Medical Malpractice Reform: Truth in Advertising Needed
Posted by Dan Crawford (Rdan) | 2/08/2011 11:18:00 PM health care reform, tort reform
47 comments Guest post by Michael Halasy, Practicing Emergency Medicine PA, Health Policy Analyst, and Health Services Researcher



Medical Malpractice Reform: Truth in Advertising Needed (Part One of Three)


Medical malpractice liability reform (Tort Reform) has been a hotly contested item for years, as the GOP, with physician support, has continued to market this as a health reform measure that can contain costs.

I think to start, we need to examine results in states where tort reform has already been tried. We need look no further than Texas.

Politicians tried to claim that Texas was a success, Rep Bachmann stated ““The state of Texas did a wonderful job of lawsuit reform and actually saw medical costs come down. We know it works.” Others have touted the Texas experiment as a success..but empiric data is a powerful thing, and as we will see, contradicts this sentiment.

In 2003, they passed the most aggressive tort reform measures in the country by placing a 250,000 cap on malpractice awards. It is true that this reform, after 2003, lowered malpractice premiums. But malpractice settlements and awards have dropped even farther than premiums, suggesting that the main benefactors so far, have been insurance companies. (See Table 1).






BTW... medical malpractice insurance for my wife (who is a gp) amounts to 1% of gross revenue.

[QC]

14. Is there a single right wing talking point the president hasn't validated yet?

Bad teachers, horrible unions, Social Security is bankrupting us, now it's tort reform.

Has he missed anything yet?

[FiveGoodMen]

15. There is no part of the GOP agenda that he does not embrace

When can we be honest and just admit he's a republican?

[Maine_Nurse]

16. It doesn't help much...

Our state has made it very difficult to file a frivolous malpractice suit. That is a good thing and seems to be working fairly well. But it has not stopped doctors practicing defensive medicine in the least.

[tpsbmam]

17. Of course he does.

:grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr:

[bullwinkle428]

30. Hey OFA...good luck getting those donations from trial lawyers next year!