Malpractice and medical costs

From shrub and his department of HHS:

“One of the major cost drivers in the delivery of health care are these junk and frivolous lawsuits.” He said rising malpractice insurance premiums and needless medical procedures ordered up out of fear of lawsuits cost federal taxpayers “at least” $28 billion a year in added costs to government medical programs. Shrub's Department of Health and Human Services claims total savings – public and private – of as much as $108 billion a year.

However, two other government agencies, the General Accounting Office [I love them -ed] and the Congressional Budget Office disagree. They doubt there are any significant savings to be had because there are no sound studies to prove such savings are possible. In one study, limited to a study of the cost of Caesarian sections in states with limits on lawsuits, compared to states without limits, the savings amounted to less than three-tenths of one percent.

The truth is, to be generous, shrub is making bold claims based on less than sound studies. These are studies too inadequate for use in policy making. To be less than generous, he is lying again. Lying to frighten voters into accepting another one of his stupid decisions. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying shrub wants to rape taxpayers by taking away a jury's right to award what it deems fair to an aggrieved patient, its just that...yes, I guess that is what I'm saying.

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