The accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers says that about 10% of medical cost owes to medical malpractice lawsuits. About 2% is caused by direct lawsuit costs. Add to that about 5% to 9% because MDs have to practice defensive medicine. They add tests just in case a plaintiff asks in court why they didn’t have work performed.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists found in a study in 2003, that cerebral palsy could not be blamed in the vast majority of cases concerning baby delivery. Yet, it has resulted in enormous liability damage in lawsuits suffered by obstetricians and gynecologists.
The Los Angeles Times has reported that the most performed operation in America is the cesarean section. This procedure is now done in 31% of births, up from 4.5% in 1965.The increase is because of lawsuits.
The New York Times has reported that such lawsuits have influenced doctors into changing the way they deliver babies, calling for an immediate cesarean when seeing only relatively minor fetal heart anomalies.
Just a sample of how ”thoughtful” politicians, intentionally avoiding tort reform, are able to influence our health and medical costs.
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