Walkout works
Monday, February 17, 2003
New Jersey doctors closed their doors for one week so that cardiac surgeons, obstetricians and radiologists wouldn't have to close them forever.
The medical malpractice crisis is driving
the busiest, best and brightest doctors out of the state. New Jersey has been in
crisis for a full year. Doctors held rallies for tort reform, wrote letters and
gave testimony that we needed caps.
The state government did nothing. Neurosurgeons left the state. In 2002, we had
84. In 2003, we have 64. Two counties have no neursurgeon; in Sussex County, a
brain-injured skiier had to be helicoptered to another county. A quarter of
obstetricians stopped delivering babies because of the malpractice crisis.
In the 14th month of the crisis, the doctors we admire most -- the department
chairmen, those selected for "Top Doctors in America" -- were
confronted with staggering insurance increases. The chairman of the cardiac
surgery department at one hospital was told his malpractice insurance would be
$1.4 million for one year in New Jersey and $68,000 in New York.
We had to get the attention of a deaf state government. We succeeded.
-- Anne Sumers, MD, Ridgewood
Crack down on fraud
State politicians' solution to the
malpractice insurance crisis is to limit the amount of insurance a doctor must
carry to $300,000 but not limit how much a lawyer can collect. Legislators
propose that any difference between an award and a doctor's insurance be paid
from a state fund. Wow! Unscrupulous lawyers and phony accident victims will
have an unlimited trough to rob. But of course politicians can't put a rein on
lawyers and excessive awards. They have found the enemy, and it is them.
How about a more sensible approach? Have county sheriffs and state law
enforcement officials go after ambulance-chasing lawyers, cheating doctors and
chiropractors and bogus accident victims. Let's clean up the phony insurance
claim racket in this state.
If law enforcement can do that, not only will malpractice premiums be reduced but also the horrendous auto insurance premiums the overtaxed residents of our state have to pay.
-- George R. Koehler, Matawan
Get the facts first
There is an unacceptable amount of malpractice by doctors who aren't disciplined
or restricted from practicing. And the medical community opposes making
information available on those few doctors who are disciplined.
Only a small fraction of malpractice victims file suit. Most don't even know
they are victims. And it has been reported that close to 100,000 people a year
die from medical errors. Many more are seriously injured like the Minnesota
woman who had a double mastectomy after an erroneous breast cancer diagnosis. If
the medical community is so concerned about reducing insurance premiums, it
should begin by keeping bad doctors from practicing medicine.
Doctors say premiums are too high. But missing from all the reporting is the
size of their incomes and what percentage of those incomes goes toward premiums.
Let's look at doctors' tax returns to see if they are hurting as badly as they
claim. We should also look at insurance companies' inancial statements. Are they
losing more money from lawsuits or from bad investments? Are they losing money
at all? Let's get the facts before denying victims of medical errors fair
damages.
-- C. Irving, Milltown
Fearful for jobs
I represent 36 employees who work with a group of seven ob/ gyns in Millburn. We
have experienced first hand the dedication and caring our physicians have
delivered in these difficult times.
We have dealt as best we could with
decreasing reimbursements from managed care companies, an overwhelming amount of
redundant paperwork, barriers to appropriate testing and general bureaucratic
obstacles. The absurd increase in medical liability premiums has caused two
doctors to curtail obstetrical practice. Last year, the premium for our group
malpractice insurance was nearly $500,000, with only three doctors delivering
babies.
We understand that the work action inconvenienced many patients. However, if
action is not taken now, the continuing pressures on all medical practices will
cause a severe lack of providers in New Jersey.
The repercussions of the medical liability crisis threaten our continued
employment, an issue that has not been addressed. Nurses, assistants,
technicians and billing clerks are affected by this crisis. We fear for our jobs
and our financial futures.
-- Jeanette Eger, Millburn
Doctors trapped
What makes the malpractice insurance
crisis worse for doctors is that they no longer have any way to recoup the large
premium increases. In years past, doctors would complain and then raise fees to
help offset the new premiums. In our new medical environment of managed care,
doctors cannot raise their fees because reimbursement is determined by the HMO.
When insurance premiums increase, the money comes out of the doctor's profit.
The doctors' anger and frustration is really directed at the health insurance
industry as well.
-- Stuart Siegel, Union
Taking it out on patients
I was recently referred to an orthopedic practice by my family physician. When I called to make an appointment, I was asked if I was a current patient. When I said I wasn't, I was told, "I'm sorry, but we are not taking any new patients until the medical malpractice issue is resolved."
I assume that the doctors in this
practice, and perhaps many others, are implementing this policy to raise public
awareness of the seriousness of their plight. However, while I understand that
the cost of malpractice insurance is making it difficult for some doctors to
maintain profitable practices, I don't understand how a resolution to the issue
can be facilitated by neglecting people needing medical treatment.
Doctors refusing to see new patients are running the risk of alienating the
public. Such actions give the appearance that monetary gain is more important to
doctors than their Hippocratic oath. I will remember that when I needed
treatment, it was a doctor, not an insurance company, who refused to see me.
-- Stephen Inghrim, Long Valley