Tort Reform in Medical Malpractice Suits Will Fix Rising Premiums

UPDATE. Reading an email from one of my Insurance Industry Magazines & with the possible shutdown of the Federal Government again this Friday, I thought I would re-post this again.

There have been so many distractions in other news lately, who knows what the current impasse is over.

While C.H.I.P. is off the table as a bargaining chip, those of us in the Disability Community can breathe a little easier, though we do still need a deal for Immigrant Children.

According to this magazine, there is still a push demanding a full Repeal of Obamacare, which I will not sit still for.

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Here is something I wrote earlier this year for my personal Facebook Page. Don't Repeal Obamacare FIX IT. Here's How.

Don’t Call It “Trump-Care”

Caring does not hand people a death sentence.

All 24 Million of us who were at risk for loss of Health Coverage are breathing easier now that the “American Health Care Act” has failed to pass - thanks to the so-called “Freedom Caucus.”

Now is not the time to let our guards down & think they will just let the issue drop. The Republicans have vowed to put a new Health Plan on the table for a vote after the recent defeat of the American Health Care Act, provided they can reach a consensus in their own divided party. While Donald Trump may have a Plan there is NO CARING IN IT.

Instead of looking for ways to improve Health Care for all Americans, they are playing the blame game.

As a Licensed Life & Health Insurance Agent for the past 11 years, I have put together some talking points for WHEN the Republicans launch their next attack to “Repeal & Replace Obamacare.”

Part of the problem people complain about insurance in general is access to care, keeping their doctor or finding one that accepts their plan in the first place. People forget that the medical providers have a choice also: the choice to accept a plan or not. No President can control what they do or do not accept.

Then there’s the rising costs of Premiums & Deductibles.

Most accurately the #1 factor in driving up the cost of Healthcare & Health Insurance is Medical Malpractice Lawsuits.

Why is nobody pointing out this FACT???

Suing for Actual Damages & perhaps even additional for Pain & Suffering may all be legitimate, but it is the PREDATORY PERSONAL INJURY TRIAL LAWYERS that pile on additional PUNITIVE DAMAGES to “quote unquote Send Them a Message” that have CAUSED the collapse of our Medical System.

It has been this way forever & has less to do with Obamacare’s failure & everything to do with Tort Reform with Medical Malpractice lawsuits against doctors. Think of all the TV advertising done by law firms: you can’t turn the TV on without seeing several attorney ads.

Who do you think ultimately pays the price for these legal settlements??? We do.

Everyone in the Medical community – all the way down to Insurance Agents are REQUIRED to carry liability insurance. For doctors, nurses, hospitals & etc it is called Malpractice Insurance. For insurance agents, it is called Errors & Omissions – or E&O for short.

People don’t realize the great personal risk that individual insurance agents are willing to engage in just to do our job.

I have been a “1099 Self-Employed” Life & Health Licensed Insurance Agent for 11 years & as such don’t have Employee Benefits for myself. I cover other people’s Health Care needs while I myself depend on Obamacare.

I have been fortunate enough to have my FMO’s pay my E&O on my behalf just to have that protection in place. It’s one of the only employee benefits we get: having our E&O paid for us.

In all my 11 years of doing this, I have never been called into question because of my personal morals, high ethical standards & the way I present.

I always make it their decision & ask them what their primary concern in buying insurance is: do they know they have something going on medically, or is keeping more dollars in their paycheck more important to them.

This is where Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) & Voluntary Supplements come in. These types of plans are used WITH a High Deductible Plan to pay Out of Pocket Expenses until the Deductible is met & the Major Medical Plan begins to cover their expenses.

Point being, our society is so litigious that these lawsuits against doctors, hospitals & insurance companies are most directly what is causing the rising premium costs.

These are just a few talking points to keep in mind, but for the love of God, don’t call this or any future Trump Health Plans “Trump Care.”

Not only is it a Health Plan with No Caring in it, it takes away from the accomplishments of President Obama.

Let’s see how long it takes & what’s in their counter-plan: but don’t call it “Trump-Care.” It’s a Health Plan.