On Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:01:07 -0400, Tom Francis - SWSports wrote:


I don't disagree with you, but the case has to have some merit. In this
case, I'd be in favor of a review panel type of situation to decide on
merit.

It might work, but I would think it might be difficult to set up.


The problem is, and will always be, what rates as "merit" and what rates
as "frivilous". I've told the story of my own run in with malpractice
as a paramedic - to my mind, the lawyer should have just told the
plaintiff that her kid was lucky to be alive, but...

I would agree things should be done to keep malpractice insurance costs
down. There are clearly cases that are brought that aren't malpractice,
and they shouldn't have been brought. OTOH, there are doctors that live
in court rooms, constantly being sued. Perhaps, pulling a few specific
licenses would keep the insurance rates down. All in all, it is going to
be a tough and interesting debate.



I think, and I would hope that most rational people would think this
way, that the whole issue needs careful deliberation - not radical
change in the space of two months. This is going to take years to fix.

You know, I've heard several pundits say that this isn't going to be
fixed all at once. No one is going to get everything they want, but, the
Sacred Cow will be popped. Health care reform will be being tweaked for
decades.