Thursday, October 22, 2009

Meaningful Tort Reform Needed

Throughout the health care debate one group has been suspiciously silent – attorneys. Of course nothing has been proposed that would restrict or harm them. Could this be because so many legislators are attorneys and wish to protect their own or is it because they donate such large amounts to political campaigns?

If Congress truly seeks to contain the rising costs of health care, tort reform MUST be addressed and it must be meaningful tort reform. Frivolous laws suits need to be eliminated and doctors must be allowed to stop practicing defensive medicine. Costs will drop if unnecessary tests are no longer ordered and malpractice insurances rates are lowered. Some have suggested a study of tort reform. This is merely a way to shelf tort reform and hope it is forgotten. We do not need a study. Some states have already enacted tort reform. That is your study. In Texas malpractice law suits have decreased by over fifty percent. Frivolous law suits no longer clutter its legal system. The cost of malpractice insurance has dropped by forty-five percent. Tort reform works. Only the lawyers don’t approve.

The American Bar Association’s lobby is powerful, but Congress must stop catering to it. The welfare of American citizen should be more important to our legislators than the interests of a select, powerful few. Even with tort reform lawyers will prosper.

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