Wednesday, February 16, 2005

Georgia Tort Debate

This article from Georgia frames the debate from both sides:

"It comes down to who can hire the sharpest lawyers and what kind of jury you have. Do you have a jury that can evaluate data and reach a rational decision? Or do you have a jury that wants to give money away?

...Larry Sanders, chairman of Columbus Regional Healthcare System, points to the cost of malpractice insurance for his company.

Four years ago, Columbus Regional was self-insured up to $2 million. For any judgment over that, the company was covered by a policy that cost about $170,000. This year, Columbus Regional has increased its self-insurance exposure to $3 million. The policy to cover any damages in excess of that now costs the company about $1 million. Had Columbus Regional maintained its self-insurance level at $2 million, the policy would have cost the company more than $1.6 million.

Healthcare providers say the high cost of insurance coverage translates into high prices for healthcare."


Link...

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