Re: Why Doctors Are Heading for Texas

robot — Mon, 19 May 2008 15:38:50 -0000

Hmm,

I'd take that opinion piece with a texas-sized grain of salt.

First, it offers no comparison numbers for the increase in doctors nationwide.

Second, it ties the increase in texas, without any proof, to a single cause: tort reform. One should consider a host of other factors like quality of life, programs that offer financial offset of medical school expenses for doctors willing to practice in underserved areas, wages, etc. After determining the impact of each of those other possibilities on the decision for a physician to practice in texas then we can compare the actual overall effect of tort reform. It may be significant, it may not.

Third, in other states in which med malpractice caps have been declared unconstitutional the effect of this change has had little if any effect on the rate of active doctors. For example, in oregon, in which a 500k cap in tort reform was declared unconstitutional, the number of active doctors increased at the same rate during the four years before and after the damages cap were overruled, according to the Oregon Board of Medical Examiners. "The number of active doctors in Oregon rose 11.9 percent from 2000 to 2004, compared to 12 percent from 1995 to 1999," the years when the cap was in place. "There were 8,388 physicians practicing in Oregon in 2000 and 9,382 in 2004—an increase of 994, or 11.9 percent. By comparison, the number of physicians practicing in Oregon grew from 7,517 in 1995 to 8,416 in 1999, an increase of 899, or 12 percent."

Here's a counter argument to both tort reform proponents and those who oppose it:

http://writ.news.findlaw.com/sebok/20071009.html

/r

Re: Our new apartment

robot — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 13:58:59 -0000

dance, little butterfly, dance

Disqus - Latest Comments for robot

Re: Why Doctors Are Heading for Texas

Re: Our new apartment