“The doctors’ lobby says capping malpractice suits will make healthcare cheaper. I’m an M.D. and I don’t believe it.” Those are the words of Dr. Rahul K. Parikh, a doctor who believes, like most of us, that lawsuits are not the reason we have a healthcare crisis in this country.
In an op-ed at Salon.com, Dr. Parikh wrote, “Proponents of reform say that defensive medicine, frivolous lawsuits and high premiums are behind the surge in healthcare expenses.” But “there’s nothing ’sure or quick’ about changing medical liability laws that will improve healthcare or its costs. Defensive medicine adds very little to healthcare’s price tag, and rising malpractice premiums have had very little impact on access to care.” Parikh discusses several studies on the subject, concluding, “Instead of a swamp of frivolous lawsuits, what the data shows is a system that functions.” He argues, “Tort reformers neglect the fact that malpractice reform won’t save one extra life. To make that difference, insurers, doctors and their lobbyists like the AMA need to find ways to improve patient safety.”
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