Letter: Special fund may be the answer to malpractice woes

Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2003 | 8:36 a.m.

The subject of medical malpractice has been politicized to the point that the voting public is unable to ascertain the truth from fiction. In reality some medical specialties do face rising insurance rates, particularly OB/GYN and orthopedic surgeons. These specialties may deserve special treatment because of a unique problem. The vast majority of medical providers, however, are not facing rising insurance rates and deserve no special treatment by the state Legislature or Congress.

So, who should bear the burden for malpractice? Should it be the innocent victim, or the medical provider who committed malpractice? If the voters determine that special treatment should be given, the costs should be borne by all members of society and not just the malpractice victims.

This could be addressed by the state or federal government stepping in and picking up the cost of medical malpractice insurance coverage over a certain amount (perhaps $1 million) or by setting up a state or national entity that would provide malpractice insurance similar to Nevada's old State Industrial Insurance System. The cost could be covered through general tax revenue on a state or national level for far less than we are about to spend rebuilding Iraq, or it could be covered by a small surcharge added to every medical provider's bill.

JOHN A. GREENMAN