Let’s See If I Have This Right
The effects of changing medical malpractice rules are so unpredictable and fraught with potential problems that it is necessary to test their effect with a very limited voluntary pilot program. But the effects of a complete and fundamental transformation of the entire health care and health insurance sectors are so predictable and so obviously beneficial that no such experimentation is required. Indeed, they must be implemented now! Now! NOW! No half measures!
Or am I missing something?
Re tort reform, Obama fell back on one of his handy logical fallacies: “I don’t believe malpractice reform is a silver bullet.” Uhm, nobody said it was. Just because it won’t fix all problems with the health care and health insurance systems doesn’t mean that it’s not worth implementing.
Re experimentation. In fact, we have had some experiments along the lines of the proposed national health care reforms. For example: Massachusetts and Tennessee. And we’ve had experiments in other aspects of proposed health care reforms, such as community rating. None of these can be considered successes, and indeed, it would be more accurate to label them abject failures.
Re experimentation and tort reform: supporters of nationalized health care in the US often speak glowingly of the Canadian system. Funny they never mention that the medical liability system in Canada is completely different than in the US, and has much going for it. That seems like a pretty good experiment, with a pretty good result.
For decades now, remember Dan Quayle’s attempt in the early 90’s, tort reform has been resisted by the Democrats who have had lavish contributions from lawyer litigator groups. I can tell you first hand how malpractice insurance has driven out of states and into early retirement good doctors who simply can’t afford the insurance. The crisis in obstetricians in many states was all about malpractice insurance premiums as they are disproportionately sued. Every doctor participates in unnecessary defensive medicine because of this.
It’s the American contingency fee factor, Britain won’t permit this, that the whole ambulance chasing and product liablity legal parasites want protected. I’m married to an attorney and he agrees.
Amusingly, and not at all surprising now under pressure, the Democrats are making utterances that tort reform can’t be ignored. I trust them as far as I can throw them. The weasel words out of Obama are only that.
Comment by penny — September 10, 2009 @ 9:05 pm
Prof,
Stick with broadcasting as Radio Free Obamastan, you’re far less likely to be frustrated with the outcome than with all the latest outrage propaganda against Russia.
Comment by Steve J. Nelson — September 10, 2009 @ 10:02 pm
Is Steve Nelson the same as SOBlime?
The SOB created a double or triple identity?
Or are these characters genuine prostitutes?
Comment by Michael Vilkin — September 10, 2009 @ 11:05 pm
For another example of widespread gov’t subsidized healthcare, take a look at Hawaii, complete with the “public option” IIRC.
Comment by Bikerdad — September 11, 2009 @ 2:07 am
Steve, propaganda requires no facts, no fact checking and no dialogue is desired. If you have a problem with anything posted here then you are free to do your own due diligence and get back to us. And, of course, bring links to verifiable and reliable sources to examine.
You pop up with opinions like clockwork here with nothing to back them up with. It’s getting old.
Comment by penny — September 11, 2009 @ 3:35 pm
And Penny, you sound just like La Russophobe, in declaring that if someone can’t link to something or someone online, then they don’t exist. Well hey, Kim Zigfeld doesn’t exist either outside LR, so where is this person’s expertise on Russia while they trash everyone else’s credentials? Zippo, nada. And I am obviously not the same as SO, as even the Prof can confirm with his IP locales.
And AK is right to harp on the fact that when confronted with a genuine brownshirt, you have no problem with them, so long as they hate Russia as much as you do.
Comment by Steve J. Nelson — September 12, 2009 @ 12:07 am