Insurance companies that are on the hook for medical malpractice lawsuits, like to spin the idea in the public's mind that malpractice lawsuits are driving the high cost of medical care. In fact, very few cases go to trial, and when one reads about huge judgment awards...the amount awarded is often reduced on appeal. The medical costs attributable to malpractice suits is about 2.4% as cited by Forbes in 2010. Article. If anything, there have been more restrictions placed on malpractice in specific jurisdictions since 2010.
but they don't go to trial b/c they're settled via arbitration, correct? so the doc pays insurance, then when malpractice hits, s/he pays a lawyer and shells out money, so the cost is ultimately insurance/lawyer/payout.. I'm not sure that the malpractice lawsuit stats include this data.. I think ppl are entitled to sue if malpractice is involved, I just don't know that the stats are complete so I've never been able to get my head around the problem..
re insurance, I think single payer makes sense... it's crazy how expensive our system is, and I believe that insurance & big pharma have a lot to do with it... btw, my friend's neighbors are all genentech ppl and swear up and down that it's the fda who makes them pay exorbitant money to get their drugs thru trials so it's not their fault the drugs are so expensive... boo hoo. I've heard that other countries test for safety, and once it's proven safe, they release the drug - with no guarantee of efficacy.. I'm too tired to remember where I heard this, but it was recent so it may come back to me..