Malpractice reform would cut our medical costs

The malpractice punitive awards are individually large, but they are a VERY small part of our health care costs. The reactions do add up significantly; the malpractice insurance premiums AND the defensive medicine practices are costly.

Does it ever occur to anyone that these defensive medical practices are what makes us think our medical care is the best? It's not, but it can look like it because of the extensive tests and procedures we can throw at any problem. Or perceived possible future problem. The lack of a problem, the successful preventative care more common in better health care systems is harder to measure.

When reality hits, and we see that our country's health care system is 37th best, it's hard to see. Just because you can't (or won't) see it, doesn't mean it's not there.


A national single payer - Medicare for All - would almost eliminate the malpractice problem, as most gov paid would be about remediation, fixing, and accommodating any unfortunate happenstance. I can't believe that that's scary to anyone.