Re: Recent Poll Numbers

What really should be done is comprehensive reform legislation. There are definitely some things that should be done on the litigation side of things...expert review requirements, heightened pleading standards, mandatory mediation, fee-shifting provisions, etc. are all solid ways to help weed out frivolous cases. Damage caps are not. They really only do one thing and that is help the insureres commoditize their risk.

There should also be greater oversight of the med mal insurers...I don't know enough about how that whole industry works to know what the best types of solutions are, but they have certainly increased premiums to make up for investment losses when the economy slowed.

Insurance companies make most of their money by investing what they recieve as premuims. Being that the market hasn't been so great the last 5 or so years they are raising rates as a means of profiting.

Secondly it almost seems like a never ending cycle-

1. Insurance companies raise malpractice insurance rates
2. The doctor in turn passes on these increases to his patients who,
3. oddly enough pay using insurance monies.
4. GOTO 1