Home Health-care costs are skyrocketing, making it more and more difficult for small employers and employees to obtain affordable health insurance and care. There are many factors that contribute to increased costs. One of the reasons is the ever-increasing medical malpractice insurance premiums for health-care providers. This situation is causing crisis in many areas of […]

http://www.insurancejournal.com Senator John Ensign, R-Nev., has introduced the Medical Care Access Protection (MCAP) Act of 2007, which would set a cap on non-economic damages in medcial mapractice lawsuits. “Medical liability reform works, and it’s turning the tide against frivolous lawsuits and outrageous jury awards,” said Ensign, who is a veterinarian. “We’ve seen it in California, […]

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission on Wednesday voted unanimously to approve a recommendation to Congress to increase reimbursements to doctors by an estimated 1.7% in 2008, CQ HealthBeat reports. Without action from Congress, physician reimbursements in 2008 would decrease by 10% under the current payment formula. MedPAC calculated the new figure using expected 2008 […]

Companies contribute millions, creating unique conflict BY PAIGE ST. JOHN FLORIDA TODAY Campaign finance records through December show the insurance industry — a broad category that includes life, health, auto and home insurers as well as their agents — gave nearly $24 million to candidates in the 2006 state races. Those companies are now trying […]

By KAREN GARLOCH McClatchy Newspapers Patients in the United States travel to Duke University, Johns Hopkins or the Mayo Clinic for medical care. Today some venture even farther — to far-flung places such as Costa Rica, Thailand, India and Singapore. Last year, an estimated half-million Americans traveled overseas for medical treatment. It’s a growing trend […]

http://www.kaisernetwork.org Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) has reintroduced legislation (S 243) he sponsored in the 109th Congress that would limit noneconomic damages in medical malpractice lawsuits to $750,000, CQ HealthBeat reports. Ensign said that the bill would cap noneconomic damages for a single health care provider at $250,000 with a total limit of $750,000. The legislation […]

From the AMA. By William G. Plested III, MD A message to all physicians from AMA President William G. Plested III, MD. The new year is upon us and brings excitement and hope for new beginnings in all of our endeavors. It is time to review our gains and losses in 2006, and to set […]

By STEVE Bousquet http://www.sptimes.com Using the same populist rhetoric that got him elected, Gov. Charlie Crist has defined success and failure for next week’s special legislative session on property insurance. Crist’s call for lower premiums could be seen as the kind of “bumper sticker solution” that brought criticism from his campaign rivals. But by prodding […]

BY BRIAN BRUEGGEMANN News-Democrat Madison County Chief Judge Ann Callis has appointed three fellow judges to serve on a new committee that will meet with doctors and study medical malpractice issues. “These judges are willing to go out into the community and talk to doctors, medical professionals and lawyers, to have a real dialogue on […]