Cutting Down On Medical Costs

Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX), the ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee, does a great job of making the case for Medical Liability Reform in a piece on National Review Online, the Critical Condition blog, “The Truth about Tort Reform.”

In his report, he refers to the Harvard School of Public Health report that found that 40% of medical malpractice suits filed in the U.S. are “without merit.” Yet despite the frivolous nature of many of these suits, juries often award millions of dollars to plaintiffs — and their trial lawyers. He reports that these predatory suits amount to legalized extortion and require doctors to purchase malpractice insurance at great expense. A recent Department of Health and Human Services study found that unlimited excessive damages add between $70 billion and $126 billion annually to health care costs.

The subject of how various states have dealt with Tort Reform will be the topic of a panel discussion on Friday afternoon during our Spring Clinic in Kansas City, April 8-10. To register go to FarmEquip.org or call (314) 878-2304. Discounted rooms are still available but are limited in supply. Don’t put off registering for this event any longer!