May 16, 2006

Covering For the Taxpayers

Republicans in the state Senate, led by gubernatorial candidate state Sen. Jim Bryson, are continuing to try to protect taxpayers in the event that Gov. Bredesen's new "Cover Tennessee" healthcare entitlement program turns out to be another fiscal disaster like TennCare. The Nashville City Paper reports here:

With the strength of a Republican majority, Bryson was successful in adding an amendment that would make contractors - not the state - assume all insurance risk for benefit coverage provided in the Cover Tennessee plan to provide health insurance for the working poor.

Here's what you need to know: Bredesen's proposal for the "state" to bear the risk really means for Tennessee taxpayers to bear the risk. Insurance companies live and die by calculating risk. If they won't bid on Cover Tennessee because it is too risky, it is too risky for taxpayers too.

Sen. Bryson yesterday also proposed medical malpractice reform, another sensible reform needed to lower healthcare costs in the state both for Cover Tennessee and for Tennesseans in general. Gov. Bredesen, whose campaigns are heavily funded by trial lawyers, is also opposed to this needed reform.

Here's the text of his emailed press release on medical malpractice reform:

Bryson moves to end lawsuit abuse
Medical malpractice reform will improve access, reduce rates
(NASHVILLE) – Senator Jim Bryson (R-Franklin) today filed legislation to end the runaway medical malpractice litigation that is driving up the cost of healthcare.

"Any successful health care plan must reform lawsuit abuse in Tennessee," said Sen. Bryson. "There is no point in trying to provide access if we are going to allow doctors and specialists to be driven out of business by frivolous legal action."

Sen. Bryson's medical malpractice reform would limit punitive or noneconomic damages in individual cases. Actual medical expenses and lost wages would not be capped.

"Lawsuit abuse is destroying the healthcare delivery system in Tennessee," said Sen. Bryson. "Our rural areas are hardest hit, particularly women in need of obstetric and gynecological care."

Tennessee has been designated as a "crisis state" by the American Medical Association because threat of lawsuits and increasing malpractice insurance rates limits access to health care across the state. Texas, Georgia and Mississippi have enacted medical malpractice reform that has reduced malpractice insurance rates and retained or attracted physicians to practice in those states.

Nationally, half of all neurosurgeons nationwide are sued every year. In Tennessee, every cardiothorasic surgeon practicing for 10 years or more has been the victim of a lawsuit. Most individual healthcare providers working in gynecology and obstetrics for 10 years have also been sued.