<p>I don’t know about med mal contributing to higher insurance, though it wouldn’t surprise me. We in Louisiana pay unbelievably high car insurance rates. People who relocate are amazed at how much cheaper car insurance is, even for their teenage sons, than it was in Louisiana. It has a lot to do with the number of uninsured motorists there are in our state, even though it is illegal to be uninsured, and also, the number of motor vehicle lawsuits we have. I would not be surprised that an analagous situation occurs with regards to health insurance and prescription drug costs as well.</p>
<p>Last year, when D needed a physical before going to college, we visited the pediatrician and got her checked out. She had a tetanus shot, meningitis vaccine, and a physical. They also took blood and looked for a few things. </p>
<p>Our insurance company, Care First Blue Cross/Blue Shield (which is supposedly nonprofit but made $28 million in profits the year before for it’s coverage in Washington DC) managed to consider that every charge “exceeded customary costs” and other BS and ended up paying the pediatrician’s office $35.</p>
<p>Now, maybe the blood work was excessive, but nothing else the pediatrician did was even remotely out of bounds. For some strange reason, I remember what my parents paid our pediatrician for my pre-college visit back when health insurance didn’t cover primary care check ups. It was also $35. Thirty years later, and they expect that there’s been no increase in cost?</p>
<p>I lived in Louisiana and paid that high auto insurance too. It’s hard when you have the combination of high insurance and a high percentage of uninsured drivers. People with money challenges will get insurance coverage, go get their inspection done, and then cancel their insurance to save money. And the rates will stay high because the uninsured number is so high, and then people can’t afford insurance, and so more people will cancel their coverage, and it goes on and on…</p>
<p>There have been studies showing that claims are generally down or have leveled off, along with the amount of the claims. The premiums have continued to rise even when claims do not. One well known study done at Harvard analyzed malpractice claims in particular and found that a very small number of frivolous claims were filed. Instead, when they analyzed legitimate bad results at hospitals that were likely the result negligence, they found that most of the injured patients never filed claims. Here is a synopsis of the study. It is from 2006 but I have read that similar studies have been done since. I’m not finding those as easily. </p>
<p>[Study</a> Casts Doubt on Claims That the Medical Malpractice System Is Plagued By Frivolous Lawsuits - May 10, 2006 -2006 Releases - Press Releases - Harvard School of Public Health](<a href=“http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/2006-releases/press05102006.html]Study”>http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/2006-releases/press05102006.html)</p>
<p>It defies common sense that many frivolous malpractice claims will be filed. I used to be a med mal defense lawyer and every good defense lawyer knows how to shut down a frivolous suit. We did not pay off frivolous suits - the insurance wouldn’t do it and the doctors wouldn’t support it. Of course, the doctors say there are more frivolous claims than there are. Defense costs are huge because lawyers try to wait the plaintiffs out. You’d be shocked at what it costs to just get copies of all the medical records in order to review a case. The plaintiff has to hire an expert - very expensive - and in some areas, there aren’t many doctors willing to testify against their fellow doctors. </p>
<p>Years ago, anesthesiologists got tired of being sued and even more tired of causing a large number of injuries and deaths. They changed their practice standards and it had a huge impact on patient care. They decided to do a better job. Imagine that…</p>
<p>[Anesthesia</a> Patient Safety Foundation - About APSF - Foundation History](<a href=“http://www.apsf.org/about_history.php]Anesthesia”>http://www.apsf.org/about_history.php)</p>
<p>I just read the article through ^^^ link. It said 1/3 of lawsuits had no merit, but each of those lawsuits still cost $55K to resolve. I would say most Americans believe if there is a slightest possibility of wrong doing, they could get some money for it.</p>
<p>My father got involved in a car accident when he hit a car in front of him because it stopped suddenly, that car hit another car coming from the opposit direction. The driver who got injured sued my dad because she claimed due to the injury she could no longer be a fireman (or woman). Without even any investigation the insurance company was willing to settle for few hundred thousand $. The woman was not satisfied with the amount, decided to go to court. The insurance company then went into full investigation, found out the woman already had pre-existing condition which would have prevented the woman from becoming a fireman, and she was driving with an injured arm (maybe that’s why her car went out of control). The judged determined my dad didn’t cause any additional injury to the woman, she didn’t receive any compensation from the insurance company. This lawsuit dragged out for 3 years.</p>
<p>A friend of mine had some house guests. He let them ride his horses at his ranch. One of the guests fell off his horse and broke his arm. He was advised to sue my friend because the insurance would pay for it. He actually told my friend that it wasn’t personal because it was money due to him from the insurance company. My friend said, “No, this is personal.”</p>
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<p>In health insurance, it’s exactly the opposite of Atlas Shrugged. America clings stubbornly to its market-based, for-profit model. Works great for those rich enough or lucky enough to have good insurance; not so much for the rest of us.</p>
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<p>Well over half of personal bankruptcies are due to medical bills, but here’s the scary part: Many of those people HAD insurance.</p>
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<p>[Medical</a> Bills Cause Most Bankruptcies - NYTimes.com](<a href=“http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/medical-bills-cause-most-bankruptcies/]Medical”>Medical Bills Cause Most Bankruptcies - The New York Times)</p>
<p>There is a saying that most of us are one major medical disaster away from bankruptcy. </p>
<p>One reason for high medical malpractice costs and settlements is lack of a societal safety net. If that handicap newborn is unable to hold down a job when grown, or provide self care, the costs will be enormous. With national health, as well as some provision for care for the indigent, those fears for the future will be mollified, and suits less essential. </p>
<p>Wisconsin resident with teacher friends here. School employees in our area have a choice of 2 plans, one quite cadillac, offering free choice with high copay and premiums, the other, an HMO.</p>