2008 Woodie Awards
Lawsuits drive out health care providers
By Paige Gabriel
Issue date: 1/17/08 Section: News
An increase in medical malpractice lawsuits is causing some Tennessee health care providers to close their practices.
Practitioners of obstetrics and gynecology are closing their offices or moving their practices "because of the high cost of medical liability insurance and the risk of being sued," according to the proposed "Healthy Mothers and Healthy Babies Rural Access to Care" (SA 6373) amendment to Farm Bill 2419.
The amendment did not receive the necessary two-thirds majority vote from the U.S. senate to be passed into law, but the issues of inadequate health care services, particularly obstetrics, remains an issue.
"More than 30 of our state's 95 counties have inadequate access to obstetrical care, and 15 counties have no obstetrical access at all," Tennessee Senator Bob Corker commented on his Senate Web site.
According to the amendment, reforming the medical liability system would provide increased access to obstetrical care.
Individuals who sue for medical malpractice would be allowed to seek unlimited awards for economic damages but would be limited to the awards they could receive for damages caused by pain and suffering, according to the amendment.
Johnna Tucker, a Chattanooga freshman, says she supports the goal of increasing access to health care but does not like the proposed methods of reaching these goals.
"I was in a car wreck awhile ago and I received money for pain and suffering and I could have used a lot more," Tucker said.
Tucker said she believes that in some instances people abuse their right to file a medical malpractice lawsuit but she insists that in other cases the money awarded is necessary for recovery.
"I would love for heath care to be more available to everyone who needs to use it," Tucker said.
"But I definitely think that there has to be a better way of increasing the availability of health care that does not come at the expense of other people who do need money to recover."
Audrey Glor, a junior from Hendersonville, Tenn., said she believes that there is a problem with health care access.
"I think that possibly offering people free services and having the government pay for it someway is a possible solution," Glor said.
"Universal health care might be a solution for leveling the playing field for doctors but we would have to figure out a way to do it because it hasn't been done right yet," Glor said.
Practitioners of obstetrics and gynecology are closing their offices or moving their practices "because of the high cost of medical liability insurance and the risk of being sued," according to the proposed "Healthy Mothers and Healthy Babies Rural Access to Care" (SA 6373) amendment to Farm Bill 2419.
The amendment did not receive the necessary two-thirds majority vote from the U.S. senate to be passed into law, but the issues of inadequate health care services, particularly obstetrics, remains an issue.
"More than 30 of our state's 95 counties have inadequate access to obstetrical care, and 15 counties have no obstetrical access at all," Tennessee Senator Bob Corker commented on his Senate Web site.
According to the amendment, reforming the medical liability system would provide increased access to obstetrical care.
Individuals who sue for medical malpractice would be allowed to seek unlimited awards for economic damages but would be limited to the awards they could receive for damages caused by pain and suffering, according to the amendment.
Johnna Tucker, a Chattanooga freshman, says she supports the goal of increasing access to health care but does not like the proposed methods of reaching these goals.
"I was in a car wreck awhile ago and I received money for pain and suffering and I could have used a lot more," Tucker said.
Tucker said she believes that in some instances people abuse their right to file a medical malpractice lawsuit but she insists that in other cases the money awarded is necessary for recovery.
"I would love for heath care to be more available to everyone who needs to use it," Tucker said.
"But I definitely think that there has to be a better way of increasing the availability of health care that does not come at the expense of other people who do need money to recover."
Audrey Glor, a junior from Hendersonville, Tenn., said she believes that there is a problem with health care access.
"I think that possibly offering people free services and having the government pay for it someway is a possible solution," Glor said.
"Universal health care might be a solution for leveling the playing field for doctors but we would have to figure out a way to do it because it hasn't been done right yet," Glor said.
