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

[tombogan03884]

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

While all of that may be true, there is no denying that juries are out of their freaking minds.
2 examples, The dumb bitch that put her coffee between her legs then sued Dunkin Donuts because it burned her crotch when it spilled, she got millions for being a dipshit.
2) Lady is in a store browsing, trips over a kid who is running around unattended like a little animal, and hurt her leg, back and arm, she was awarded several hundred thousand dollars, want to hear the kicker ?

It was HER kid.

[Hazcat]

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

FQ,

I agree that it would be more than the number I gave BUT the numbers we see (10s of millions) is ridiculous.  I also agree that the Dr shouldn't walk but then again lets get real. 

Look at Timothy, in a car crash he gets nada.   And of course the insurance companies did squat.  As far as the paperwork he signed maybe THAT needs looked at (and explained better when signing).

In any case tort reform is needed.

[Timothy]

While all of that may be true, there is no denying that juries are out of their freaking minds.
2 examples, The dumb bitch that put her coffee between her legs then sued Dunkin Donuts because it burned her crotch when it spilled, she got millions for being a dipshit.

A judge later overruled the settlement on the coffee lady.  I think it was reduced to about 750K, still rediculous but better than the original!

[Timothy]

Look at Timothy, in a car crash he gets nada.   And of course the insurance companies did squat.  As far as the paperwork he signed maybe THAT needs looked at (and explained better when signing).

I have a form I signed on August 7th, 2006, about 24 hours after my accident.  It IS my signature but since I was in a drug induced coma with a severe concussion and barely alive, I have no recollectioin of signing that waiver!  Actually, I have a box of documents I don't remember signing during the 70 days of incarceration!

Did I say Providence Hospital SUCKS?

[PegLeg45]

I have a form I signed on August 7th, 2006, about 24 hours after my accident.  It IS my signature but since I was in a drug induced coma with a severe concussion and barely alive, I have no recollectioin of signing that waiver!  Actually, I have a box of documents I don't remember signing during the 70 days of incarceration!

Did I say Providence Hospital SUCKS?

In most states that is not a legally binding document because you were under the influence of drugs.

I also feel your pain.....the girl that hit me had the state required minimum of 25k liability.......and didn't have a pot to piss in so a lawsuit was useless. My health insurance found a third party loophole and bailed on my bills.....leaving me owing a ton...but hey, I'm alive and that's what's important.

I have a friend, that I met when he came to visit me in the hospital to talk about prosthetics. He lost his right leg above the knee due to an incompetent doctor who made a wrong diagnosis and rushed him into emergency surgery for what he thought was a blood clot. He sued and won (rightfully so, IMO), but I don't know what he won...not my business.

I know my own ortho doc pays 300k+ per year in malpractice insurance. He half-jokingly say's he has to design, patent, and sell a new surgical instrument every year just to pay it (he actually has a dozen patents already).

There's no easy answer to the problem........ doctors need and should be held accountable and responsible for their actions, but at what cost? I personally know two doctors (good ones too) who moved their business out of state because OB/GYN insurance went so high they couldn't pay it. I know another doctor that quit practicing altogether and started teaching because of the same thing.

I don't know.......I'm on medication and rambling again.

[Sponsor]

[tt11758]

Actually Peg you touched on the point I was trying to make earlier.  (sorry for the delay, was actually WORKING)

I have a good friend who is a general surgeon, one of the best in the business, ZERO malpractice claims, etc.  This poor bastard pays more for malpractice premiums in a month than the wife and I make in a year.  That's gotta be passed on in cost of service. 

As somebody said earlier, the first step to controlling healthcare costs needs to be tort reform.  And TAB, before you come unglued on me about that, I agree with you that if you screw up you are responsible.  But perhaps tort reform might be a way for the malpractice companies to weed out some of the dipshit, shoddy practitioners, cancel their friggin malpractice insurance and make sure that the doctors that are left are competent to take care of those that need them.

I know, I know............I'm rambling.  Time to go to lunch.
 

[tombogan03884]

 Maybe tort reform will find a way to weed out the chiselers as well, There was a case a few years ago in Boston, 4 people in a car rear ended a bus with 6 passengers, 26 people won disability law suits in that case.

[Hazcat]

Actually Peg you touched on the point I was trying to make earlier.  (sorry for the delay, was actually WORKING)

I have a good friend who is a general surgeon, one of the best in the business, ZERO malpractice claims, etc.  This poor bastard pays more for malpractice premiums in a month than the wife and I make in a year.  That's gotta be passed on in cost of service. 

As somebody said earlier, the first step to controlling healthcare costs needs to be tort reform.  And TAB, before you come unglued on me about that, I agree with you that if you screw up you are responsible.  But perhaps tort reform might be a way for the malpractice companies to weed out some of the dipshit, shoddy practitioners, cancel their friggin malpractice insurance and make sure that the doctors that are left are competent to take care of those that need them.

I know, I know............I'm rambling.  Time to go to lunch.
 

LUNCH!?  Hell it's beer-thirty here (OK it's actually 3:15 but I keep my yard arm WAAAAYY up high on the fore mast )  

[TAB]

Actually Peg you touched on the point I was trying to make earlier.  (sorry for the delay, was actually WORKING)

I have a good friend who is a general surgeon, one of the best in the business, ZERO malpractice claims, etc.  This poor bastard pays more for malpractice premiums in a month than the wife and I make in a year.  That's gotta be passed on in cost of service. 

As somebody said earlier, the first step to controlling healthcare costs needs to be tort reform.  And TAB, before you come unglued on me about that, I agree with you that if you screw up you are responsible.  But perhaps tort reform might be a way for the malpractice companies to weed out some of the dipshit, shoddy practitioners, cancel their friggin malpractice insurance and make sure that the doctors that are left are competent to take care of those that need them.

I know, I know............I'm rambling.  Time to go to lunch.
 

the point of this thread is, why should doctors get a break and every one else does not?    Its funny, my wife was all for reform, until we had this convo( lasted about 2 hours) now she is still for the reform, but thingks its messed up that she gets diffrent treatment for a scrap of paper on the wall.

[PegLeg45]

Maybe tort reform will find a way to weed out the chiselers as well, There was a case a few years ago in Boston, 4 people in a car rear ended a bus with 6 passengers, 26 people won disability law suits in that case.

That's also a point I was going to make too, just got to rambling and forgot.
It goes both ways. There needs to be limits and controls on both sides of the fence........and a little bit of common sense would go a long way too.

the point of this thread is, why should doctors get a break and every one else does not?    Its funny, my wife was all for reform, until we had this convo( lasted about 2 hours) now she is still for the reform, but thingks its messed up that she gets diffrent treatment for a scrap of paper on the wall.

And you do make a good point, TAB.....when the end result is the same, why the big difference in costs.
I don't have an easy answer.