News tagged with 'Medical Malpractice'

The House just pass health care reform moments ago in a historic change to the way health care is delivered in this country.

Saturday night a historic vote on health care reform is nearing with a few changes - an abortion amendment was added in some last minute wrangling and the Boehner substitute amendment was defeated.

A House vote is expected tonight on HR 3962.

Medical errors are costing Americans at least $17 billion a year, but is not the focus of health care reform. In fact, the Republican version makes it much tougher for those already injured to seek help.

This afternoon there was some agreement when lawmakers voted 242-to-192 to approve a must-pass procedural measure to set up terms for debate of the $1.2 trillion health care reform bill. President Obama visited with lawmakers to urge passage.

In the discussion of health care reform in the House today what's missing is a reminder that the current system is unsustainable. As Americans lose their insurance through job loss and because of the cost of private insurance, they raise their risk of death by 40 percent.

"Heed the Gavel", yells Rep. John Dingell as Republicans interrupt Democrats who are voicing their approval of the health care reform bill, HR 3962.

The 'Loser pays" proposal is just the latest in a long line of tort reform proposals, part of health care reform, that further erode an injured persons ability to seek a remedy in the court after medical malpractice.

The House and Senate are considering a bill, named after Sgt. Carmelo Rodriguez who was unable to sue the military for medical malpractice under the Feres Doctrine. Pending legislation could overturn the 1950 U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

When Wayne Volkmuth tried to sue a dental clinic for the death of his son, age 7, he found what lawyers and the injured in California understand. Pain and suffering, both physical and emotional, has been arbitrarily capped at $250,000, even before you go before a jury.

Dead By Mistake reports 200,000 avoidable medical mistakes lead to death in the U.S. every year, and during debates over health care reform, no one is monitoring how to make hospitals safer.

Canadas has found one important way to keep down the cost of health care - their medical malpractice insurance comes from nonprofit companies, not for-profit as in the U.S.

Health care reform should not include limiting the liability of dangerous doctors and unsafe hospitals, finds this study done by groups dedicated to preserving the civil justice system.  Medical malpractice claims have fallen like a rock creating record profits for the insurance industry, not lower premiums. 

Kristen Diane Parker, a former Colorado surgery technician accused of stealing syringes filled with pain medication and switching them with used syringes, despite knowing she had hepatitis C, has been denied bail. Parker's actions put nearly 6,000 patients at risk.

For the third straight year, 2008 saw the lowest number of medical malpractice payments. The decline, however, is likely because less injured patients have received compensation, not improved health safety.