The only issue I have with tort reform is the monies saved is miniscule in relation to the big picture. One's premium may be reduced $30 over a year's span but will save insurance companies plenty and may not reduce doctor's malpractice insurance. In fact in some states where tort reform took place their rates increased instead.

The way the system is now, it keeps doctors and hospitals on their toes. It can keep the quacks to a minimum, and there are plenty of them out there and always have been for millinium. If reform is needed than it should be done to protect the patient not to boost profits for insurance companies.

I agree, the insurance companies make too much. Their profit margin is around 5% if you only consider premiums vs. Dr. payouts. But they make much, much more on their short-term loans (something like 30% I've been told) rather than any profit from premiums vs. physician pay-outs. It's a racket. But still, I'm not willing to sacrifice the quality of care I currently get which is certain only to punish the insurance companies by switching to national health care.

When tort reform was initiated in California years ago, limiting non-economic damages like pain and suffering to $250,000, malpractice premiums dropped 30-40%. Texas too. For some specialists, that might be $60,000 per year, per doc, reduction in premiums alone. It's part of the solution to be sure...

HEY Jinks
I got an answer to my problem
I can pull a pull a bank job,,and make sure I botch the job cause I want to get caught ,,cause i dont want the money,its a federal crime so i'll pull it in a federal pen,, ,,so I will live in a nice facility,heated pool, chess games at noon,,movies evey evening,,,My own room free room and board 3 meals a day,coffee brought to me at 6 am,,they even will turn out the lights for me at 11pm,,,how nice is that!!! I get an x-box ,color tv in my own private room,,and free surgery and ketamine ,,,yippie,,,,,I can lay around watching soap opeas all day,,no more worrying about whether to use what money I have to either buy groceries with it or buying my meds..pill call 3 times a day,,,wow,,i wont need insurance,,,,they gotta takje care of me cause im federal property,,,,great,,,,,

Sorry but really, even here? People suffering from a dreadful medical condition, and the benighted, self-destructiveness emerges. Unbelievable.

People are dying, right now, because of the ineffable though certainly unacceptable situation we are currently mired.

C'mon. Pass this legislation. Then go back and push for more next year. And the year after that. Until the troglodytic forces on the right, who indeed do not care if you die as long as profit margins stay high and contributions stay just as high, are extinguished.

And this board can resume being a fountain source of knowledge and comfort.

-- dennis

Dennis,

Passing legislation that is bad in the first place just for the sake of "passing legislation" to make it "look good" doesn't make sense. The implementation date is not imminent. You are mistaken if you think that you are going to get health insurance in the next few months once the bill is passed. Why not fix it? Because they can, and then pass a decent version of the bill in time for the implementation date.

Did you REALLY READ it? Based on your comments, I don't think so. I want to be able to appeal decisions. And maintain access to my PM doc in Boston. And receive my lidocaine infusions when I want them. And get all my drugs (as WRITTEN) when I want them. And fight for my ketamine (with the chance of receiving it someday). Spend some time looking over the key points of the legislation and I think you will be really surprised at what you are really going to get.....

I am also deeply concerned about the state of the American economy. We cannot afford the deficit that this bill is going to generate as it is currently written.

I would expect that there are as many uninsured right wingers at the moment as there are left wingers. I think everyone wants health care reform - I don't know anyone who doesn't - do you? Its the right thing to do.

Enough politics....for me anyway.....

XOXOX Sandy

Dennis,

I am not sure who you are directing your post at. Hopefully not me. I think a spirited discussion on how nationalizing health care will affect us is good! My opinons and observations were solely based from my 20+ years working as a provider in health care, not on political preference. I've seen it all, good and bad, from the inside out.

It is a little beyond the pale I would think, to personally attack posters with off-color comments about "not caring if others die," who may not agree with you, especially based off of political persuasion alone. I have observed injustices in our health system that you can't even imagine. I doubt there is anyone on this list who thinks that health care is perfectly fine and need not be tweeked. I suspect that there may be more "troglodytes" on this list than you might think, however....

I have to intervene here and say I do hope this thread is not going to become derailed by political argument or members unable to disagree agreeably.

we try to interfere as little as possible in discussions, but when things become heated between members, we have no choice.

hopefully the topic can be resumed without becoming overly political (specifically partisan political) as well as with no more posts that are negatively directed against one another

thank you

Well Ive got the car gased up,,I could use a good wheelman,I'll swing by and pickup evryone on this board,,ive chartered a bus,,lots of food,tailgate party,,bankjob,,then off to the pen we go,,If we ask for a speedy trail,we could get a quick conviction,plead out,,and then move into out suites and get our free rsd medical treatment hopefully started by next week,,,,,,dress to impress,,,,,im on my way people to pick everyone up,,,bring your pets, i hear your allowed pets in a fed joint....

Giggle!!!!:d

Wow, bobber, love your sense of humor. I got swatted for doing that in the past, though!