A nationwide survey of doctors suggests that a dozen states are in the midst of a medical liability insurance crisis, causing physicians to either limit services, close practices, or move to other states.
The AMA said costs for medical liability insurance, which insures doctors against malpractice lawsuits, could reach as much as $200,000 or more annually for some physicians, such as surgeons or obstetricians.
Thirty more states are showing signs of the same problems, which are driven by skyrocketing malpractice insurance premium increases and a withdrawal of some insurance companies from the market.
The states "in crisis" are Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington and West Virginia.
The only states that have escaped the current crisis are states that enacted law reforms during similar liability crises in the 1970s and 1980s, according to the AMA. Those states -- California, Colorado, Indiana, Louisiana, New Mexico and Wisconsin -- all have laws that limit the amount paid to patients for pain and suffering and limit the amount lawyers can charge for contingency fees.
This situation is totally out of control in the US. It is beyond insane. There is no question that the traditional medical paradigm is flawed and doomed.
But, two wrongs don't make a right. The abuse of the legal system is beyond belief. While it appears the only recourse is legislative, that will only happen when large numbers of people actually die or suffer irreparably because the physicians in their area simply could not afford insurance anymore.
I take the position of an inverse paranoid. I believe this is actually a good thing.
Why?
More and more doctors are becoming increasingly frustrated with the current system. They are becoming increasingly open to more natural options which are far less expensive, less dangerous and radically reduce their risk of a malpractice law suit.
More importantly, this approach will satisfy the original reason that most doctors went into medicine; to help people improve people's health, NOT just to treat disease.
The reward of seeing people regain their health far exceeds any financial compensation.
All in all, doctors will be ripe for the opportunity that we will be offering them.
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