February 22, 2005
No-fault medical malpractice reform
Slate has a great piece on revamping the current train-wreck that counts as a medical malpractice system in this country. The suggestion is the transition to a "no-fault" insurance, similar to what many US states have in place for auto insurance and what Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and New Zealand have in place for malpractice insurance. In short, in exchange for the guarantee of compensation should an avoidable error occur in the provision of health care, the patient agrees not to sue. This cuts down on legal overhead and creates a system in which a significantly higher percentage of patients who do suffer from avoidable error are compensated, all while not creating conditions in which charges of negligence, incompatence, and malice are necessary.
I'm all for it. But I do think that simply not allowing lawyers to take a chunk of awards would the current system a lot.
