Healthcare from a diffrent prespective... from a convo with the wife...

[TAB]

Every single "healthcare reform" bill I've seen has some type of limited liability for the doctor in it.


I really have to ask why, should a doctor be treated differently from anyone else?

Lets take two professionals one a surgeon, the other a contractor (gee I wonder who those could be     ) 

Lets just say the surgeon cuts off some ones leg by mistake (for what ever reason).

Lets just say the contractor builds a house that falls down, the result being the loss of a leg.

Both screwed up very badly, the result was the same.  Can some one please explain to me why the doctor should have a liability cap and the contractor should not?  If we are going to cap doctors liability, why not other professions?  Or should we just cap every ones liability...(rhetorical)

[Pathfinder]

Doctors, lawyers and accountants have better, more powerful lobbies than do contractors. Therefore they buy get more protection from the kongress kritters.

[tt11758]

Every single "healthcare reform" bill I've seen has some type of limited liability for the doctor in it.


I really have to ask why, should a doctor be treated differently from anyone else?

Lets take two professionals one a surgeon, the other a contractor (gee I wonder who those could be     ) 

Lets just say the surgeon cuts off some ones leg by mistake (for what ever reason).

Lets just say the contractor builds a house that falls down, the result being the loss of a leg.

Both screwed up very badly, the result was the same.  Can some one please explain to me why the doctor should have a liability cap and the contractor should not?  If we are going to cap doctors liability, why not other professions?  Or should we just cap every ones liability...(rhetorical)

One question for you, TAB.  To what extent do the premiums for your malpractice insurance affect the cost of the services that you provide?

[TAB]

One question for you, TAB.  To what extent do the premiums for your malpractice insurance affect the cost of the services that you provide?

my  liabilty ins is $47  and change a day so if I'm there for a week thats $250 more your paying. Figure it in creases your cost 10-25%

[fightingquaker13]

One question for you, TAB.  To what extent do the premiums for your malpractice insurance affect the cost of the services that you provide?

That is a good question. My doctor goes naked. (Unfortunately not litterally as she's pretty cute). There is a large sign (required by law) informing you that she has no malpractice insurance when you walk in. She simply can't afford it being relatively young and in a 2 doctor practice. She's good, cheap and I can get answers from her and her staff easily so I don't care. It is an example though of the fact that its not lawyers that are the problem. After all its juries that set damage amounts. The number (per capita) of malpractice suits have remained relatively constant. Yet insurance rates have more than tripled. Gee, who's getting the money? Full disclosure: as a Floridian who lives on the coast I am not a huge fan of the isurance industry.
FQ13

[Sponsor]

[TAB]

damages should be high.

lets use my example, if I were to lose a leg, I would not be able to work, even after years of rehab, I would never be at the same level I am at now.  You should pay for the loss of production over my life time.  assuming I have atleast 30 more years of work ahead of me.  10% loss in production =10% loss in profit x 30 years = $$$$$$$

[Hazcat]

damages should be high.

lets use my example, if I were to lose a leg, I would not be able to work, even after years of rehab, I would never be at the same level I am at now.  You should pay for the loss of production over my life time.  assuming I have atleast 30 more years of work ahead of me.  10% loss in production =10% loss in profit x 30 years = $$$$$$$

Let's say yer making 150,000 a year.  10% is 15,000 x 30 = 450,000.  While that is a lot of cash it is no where near the millions that are paid today.

[TAB]

thats true, but  medical/ rehab bills are $$$$   your going to pay for that.  artifical limbs are also $$$$$  20k for a leg is very common.  if you need one ever 2 years for life


it can get into the millions very fast,   the 10s of millions is a load of crap.

[Timothy]

Well, I got ran over by an asshole, nearly killed by an asshole doctor, infected by another asshole doctor and misdiagnosed by an idiot phlebotomist (not an asshole, actually kind of cute  ) who thought I had a heart infection! 

I sued the driver and won 25K....managed to keep 8K of that.  According to my lawyer, because of the forms they make you sign, I couldn't sue the doctors or the hospital for a cent of the nearly 650K that my insurance company paid to keep me alive or any of the asshole doctors for nearly killing me, several times....!

Now, I'm not the type to wipe someone out because they made a mistake, but it sure would have been nice to actually afford my own physical therapist instead of quiting therapy because it was costing me about 500 bucks every month to continue...

Insurance companies suck, some doctors suck and lawyers suck the most!  I hope that none of you ever have to go through what I did.  Did I say suck enough?     

[fightingquaker13]

Let's say yer making 150,000 a year.  10% is 15,000 x 30 = 450,000.  While that is a lot of cash it is no where near the millions that are paid today.

Haz
Remember that what TAB is talking about (even with his addendmus) is just compensatory damges. Lost wages, med bills, artificial legs, maybe a car service for life since he might not be able to drive etc. Remember though, he lost his freaking leg because some nimrod screwed up! Some amount of punitive damage is in order if it was not simply an honest mistake that anyone could make. If it was due to negligence or incompetance more should be required just to pay for the very real emotional distress of being crippled for life and having to rely on a machine to walk to the bathroom.
FQ13