Insurance

Malpractice caps need to retain flexibility

February 25, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Nashville City Paper</p> <p>Doctors who face mountainous malpractice insurance premiums because of over-the-top "pain and suffering" lawsuit awards should get relief. But we don't think a blanket cap of $250,000 is the answer.</p>

New Jersey Doctors’ Strategy Email #2

February 25, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<!-- excerpt --><p>Read second email outlining doctors' tactics to divert attention from the real cause of the malpractice "crisis"</p>

Award limits won’t cut premiums

February 25, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Malpractice report is 'shallow,' needs work, senator says</h3><p class="source">The Louisville Courier-Journal (KY)</p> <p>Limits on jury awards, which would be permitted by a proposed constitutional amendment supported by physicians, could raise but won't reduce doctors' malpractice insurance premiums, according to a draft study by the General Assembly's staff.</p>

Med Mal Caps Won’t Solve Insurance Hikes

February 24, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Connecticut Law Tribune</p> <p>It became apparent that caps did not succeed in lowering insurance rates, since just the opposite occurred. Punishment for insurers was swift and severe. In 1988, California voters passed Proposition 103, which rolled back and severely regulated insurance</p>

C.L.U.E. (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange) Irks Consumer Groups

February 24, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">National Underwriter</p> <p>Consumer advocates complain that some insurers are using the C.L.U.E. database to aggressively non-renew or sell at high prices in the tight insurance market.</p>

Pain vs. premiums: Who will pay the price in malpractice debate?

February 21, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Doctors say soaring insurance rates drive them out of high-risk specialties; patients argue lawsuit limits would leave some vulnerable to substandard care.</h3><p class="source">The Seattle Times</p> <p>Jennifer Rufer is a young woman from Spanaway who lost her childhood dream of becoming a mother when doctors, misdiagnosing her with cancer, cut out her uterus and part of a lung and dosed her with chemotherapy.</p>

Texas Legislature Launches Heated Debate On Medical Malpractice Reform.

February 20, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Bulletin Frontrunner (Texas)</p> <p>Harvey Rosenfield of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights told a House panel that limiting damages to $250,000 would probably not solve the insurance crisis that Texas physicians want lawmakers to address.</p>

Panel tackles cap on damages;

February 20, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>High cost of medical malpractice insurance in Texas sparks debate</h3><p class="source">The Dallas Morning News</p> <p>The Texas Legislature formally launched debate Wednesday over whether to place a cap on medical malpractice lawsuit judgments...</p>

Pain at the pump

February 20, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>The specter of war and other factors send gas prices soaring</h3><p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p> <p>The current price "is not based on the actual supply available today," said Jamie Court, executive director of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica. "This is basically wartime profiteering by oil companies."</p>

Critics say bill won’t lower premiums

February 20, 2003  ·  Harvey Rosenfield

<h3>MALPRACTICE: Texas State Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Lewisville, and Rep. Joe Nixon, R-Houston, offer legislation to end "lawsuit lottery" by capping damages.</h3><p class="source">Fort Worth Star Telegram</p> <p>Harvey Rosenfield of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights told a House panel that limiting damages to $250,000 would probably not solve the insurance crisis that Texas physicians want lawmakers to address.</p>

Avoid simplistic solutions to the malpractice crisis

February 19, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">New Jersey Star-Ledger</p> <p>Malpractice reform must leave us with a system that will do right by those who are harmed by mistakes, negligence or malpractice. It should reduce not only premiums and lawsuits but malpractice.</p>

Malpractice insurance: no simple solutions

February 18, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Miami Herald</p> <p>California's malpractice insurance rates continued to increase despite the 1975 limit and didn't drop until voters passed a 1988 ballot initiative that mandated rollbacks on premiums.</p>