And with that bold stroke...

...I find something to say. A pet topic of mine, and yet another microcosm of the world according to lies, half-truths and the rule of anecdotal evidence. The Senate Democrats blocked a bill that would limit pain and suffering awards in medical malpractice cases. Thanks, guys, for standing up for the little guy once in awhile.

The truth is that medical malpractice awards are barely related to health care costs (something like a third cousin twice removed, if I read the statistics correctly) and have an infintismal impact on malpractice insurance premiums.

What has driven doctors out of business is largely two things:

• Bad doctors. Something over 50% of all medical malpractice awards (not cases brought - actual awards) are attributable to less than 5% of the licensed physicians in the US. But the self-policing AMA and the state licensing agencies (run by...wait for it...doctors) won't enforce current standards, let alone toughen up to remove the bad actors. Remove the 5% amongst the ranks who continuously hack up their patients, and you've cut the problem in half.
• A downward (or now sideways) run of the stock market. Insurance companies make their money by investing premiums - not by collecting them. In the nineties, the bull market allowed for a massive marketing push by insurers who slashed rates to attract business - and more premiums to invest. Since the end of that market (which just happens to coincide with...well, hell - that's just too easy), the insurance companies have massively hiked premiums to maintain revenue during a down or sideways market.

Are there frivolous lawsuits? Sure. But is that the reason for increasing healthcare costs or rising malpractice insurance premiums? Not really.