New York City, New Mexico Emerge as “Judicial Hellholes,” Joining Perennials in Florida, West Virginia, Illinois, New Jersey
Submitted by Hal Williams, Broker at The Keane Insurance Group
Washington, DC, December 15, 2009 — The American Tort Reform Foundation today released its annual Judicial Hellholes®report, naming some of the nation’s “most unfair civil court jurisdictions,” including first-time “Hellholes” New York City and the appellate courts of New Mexico, which join perennials South Florida, West [...]
Doctor continues work for real health reform
Earlier this month, Dr. Donald Behr was invited to attend a conference for the Physicians’ Council for Responsible Reform. The group, a special project of the National Republican Congressional Committee, included several Republican congressman, many who also happen to be physicians.
Behr said he was asked the make the trip to D.C. because of his political [...]
Texas Doctors: “Senate Health Plan Bad Medicine for Our Patients”
After careful analysis of both the good and bad provisions of the U.S. Senate health system reform bill (HR 3590), the Texas Medical Association has determined that it will not support the bill until it undergoes some necessary and significant changes.
“We know that our patients – insured and uninsured, elderly and poor – need a [...]
Abbott defends malpractice reform laws
AUSTIN – Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott took legal action last week to defend the state’s recently enacted medical malpractice reform laws.
In 2003, the Texas Legislature responded to a lack of physicians and doctors’ rising medical malpractice insurance premiums by imposing a 10-year statute of repose on medical malpractice lawsuits. That provision prohibits plaintiffs from [...]
Trial delayed for former nurse charged in killings
By PAUL J. WEBER (AP) – 17 hours ago
SAN ANTONIO — The trial of a former Air Force nurse accused of killing three terminally ill patients has been delayed.
Capt. Michael Fontana had been set to begin a military court martial on Monday at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. But pretrial motions postponed the start [...]
A veteran’s take on health care battle
by Arnold Garcia Jr
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Asked if he was experiencing flashbacks as the contemporary health care debate unfolds, Joseph Califano’s face contorted into a combination wince and smile.
Some of the rhetoric aimed at President Barack Obama’s health care initiative and the verbal bombs aimed at President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Medicare and Medicaid legislation passed [...]
Ethics in Brief: discrimination of patients with HIV/AIDS
A Texas orthopedic surgeon recently entered into a settlement agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights, stating that he and his staff will not deny or withhold medically appropriate treatment from patients solely because they are HIV-positive.
The Truth About Malpractice Lawsuits
Doctors say the suits send health-care costs soaring, but studies show reforms would have little effect
By Catherine Arnst
President Barack Obama tapped into a large vein of public support when he suggested recently that he is open to reforming medical malpractice laws. It’s common currency in the U.S. that litigation drives medical inflation by forcing doctors [...]
. . . And a Buried Tort Bomb
A stealth provision that would undermine state damage caps.
November 12, 2009
In his September address to Congress, President Obama made a nod to bipartisanship by acknowledging that excessive litigation “may be” contributing to rising health costs, and he proposed state “demonstration projects” to test medical tort reform. This wasn’t much of a concession, but it apparently [...]
Trial lawyers could win bonanza in health care reform
By David Frum, CNN ContributorNovember 9, 2009 6:38 a.m. EST
The political equivalent: “Amateurs talk ideology — professionals talk interest groups.”
Small but sophisticated interest groups use big political battles to gain special advantages. Health care reform is, of course, the biggest battle of them all, with trillions of dollars at stake.
On Saturday night with the House [...]
