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Originally Posted by Villages Kahuna
I have all kinds of examples of how tort reform would improve and less the cost of healthcare. Just a couple...
-- My orthopaedic surgeon's malpractice insurance costs him over $400,000 per year. That means that starting on January 1, every dollar of income he books up to that amount has to go to paying his insurance premium. Before the office rent, payroll to the receptionist and nurses, fee to be on the hospital staff, new equipment for the office, and finally his own income.
-- If you had a bad accident requiring the attention of a neurosurgeon anywhere in the southern two-thirds of the state of Illinois, they would have to fly you to either St. Louis or Indianapolis. Because of the cost of insurance, all the neurosurgeons formerly in central and southern Illinois have moved to neighboring states.
-- A well-known OB-GYN on Chicago's North Shore gave up her practice a few years ago and became a night shift pharmacist at a local Walgreens drugstore. She reported to the Chicago Tribune that not having to pay the insurance premiums has resulted in her making more money as a pharmacist and she reported that she is far happier in her job.
I'm sure there are more stories like these. Tort reform really does have to be a part of any healthcare reform legislation that is passed by this Congress.
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About 6 years ago a medical school colleague of mine was the last solo private practice neurosurgeon in Philly. His malpractice ins then was 300 thousand a year. When he was notified there was going to be a big jump in premiums he quit... later took a salaried posn at a university. I do not believe that Philly has a single private practice neurosurgeon. Out of necessity, they have all taken salaried posns where there ins is covered by an institutions group plan.