A new report has shown the cost of medical malpractice lawsuits is insignificant to the total cost of health care. As detailed in the report, the total share of malpractice costs was less than 1% of health care costs, or more precisely 0.6%. Furthermore, while malpractice payments in 2008 hit an all time low, and dropped for the third consecutive year, health care costs continued to rise.
National media blogs have begun to pick up on the truth of so called "lawsuit abuse." And have even begun to receive agreement on the issue of "lawsuit abuse" from those who represent doctors in malpractice lawsuits. "There is no question that it is very rare that frivolous suits are brought against doctors. They are too expensive to bring," Washington defense lawyer Victor Schwartz said in 2004.
The fact of the matter is that "lawsuit abuse" is nothing more than a scarecrow to push a political agenda to protect insurance companies.
