I just saw that 54% of Americans support medical malpractice “reform” as a way to lower healthcare costs. Trial lawyers need to start spending money to spread the following messages:
If a doctor orders a test he or she feels isn’t medically necessary, that doctor is breaking the law.
Many doctors who run these unnecessary tests receive compensation for these tests. For example, some doctors own shares in lab companies. Every test the doctor orders puts money in the doctor’s pocket. Do you think that the real reason those doctors order unnecessary tests is because they’re afraid of being sued?
Many doctors also own equipment such as MRI machines. These machines are very expensive, and only get paid off if the doctor uses the equipment to run tests. Do you think that a doctor who is facing a large monthly bill for his MRI machine is likely to run unnecessary tests out of fear of being sued, or out of fear of not making the payments?
Some hospitals illegally hire doctors because they know that hiring them will lead to more business for them. Here’s how it goes: Doctor Smith sends 50% of his patients to hospital A, and 50% to hospital B. Hospital A offers the doctor a job with a big salary increase with the understood expectation that the doctor will start sending more patients to hospital A. This sort of thing is illegal, but common. Point out all the qui tam lawsuits over it.
The only way – THE ONLY WAY – we’re going to win this battle is by talking about crooked doctors. Yes, it’s important to point out all the medical errors out there, but that’s not enough because (a) some people don’t care about others, and (b) some people still think that lawyers make too much money. Point out how doctors, HMO’s, and insurers game the system and make A TON OF MONEY by doing illegal and unethical things.
Point out how Tenet healthcare – JUST ONE COMPANY – had to pay the government $900 million dollars because of its conduct.
Work with healthcare lawyers to explain what the corrupt practices in the healthcare industries are, and how much those cost American taxpayers.
Medical malpractice lawsuits cost taxpayers mostly indirectly. Healthcare fraud cost us directly. It’s complete and utter bullshit to say that we need to figure out how to stop medmal lawsuits, but not figure out a way to stop doctors from upcoding and other overbilling practices.
Get your act together and start pushing the right messages, or med mal lawsuits will be thrown under the bus to pass healthcare reform. Mark my words.