"None of which makes so-called "tort reform" a decent idea. What you're talking about would require lavishly-funded national health insurance and accompanying publicly-set doctor salaries. Neither of those items is anywhere near the mainstream political agenda in this country. So, the "even larger context" is pie-in-the-sky, barring the emergence of a new mass movement for economic justice -- also pretty much pie-in-the-sky here."
REPLY: (1) I would challenge your view that: "What you're (i.e.e Communist Banker) talking about would require lavishly-funded national health insurance and accompanying publicly-set doctor salaries". My most important grounds, are that: Cost-effectiveness studies clearly refute your view - it is cheaper to have an up front NHI schema. In fact one of the major reasons for the USA sky-rocketing health care costs, is the huge admin required to figure out whether something is "truely" re-imbursable. I have been to admin centers in USA hospitals - their entire staffing dwarfs the Canadian admin financial staff of even very major Canadian centres.
2)"Neither of those items is anywhere near the mainstream political agenda in this country. "
Why do you say that? (i) Academic & professional medicla bodies ahve already coem out quite clearly that these types of changes are essential; (ii) Doctors themselves - apart from an elite - are actually more and more treated as employees in a way that makes them understand that their old pretence at "clinical freedom" - is a myth. (iii) Much of the public - understand what is happening to their health care & their drugs.
I submit, that one area that the Conservative mystification - has been in practice eroded, is in health care. WHILE I AM HEE: Hi Justin: I am not really sue what you are arguing regarding helath malpractice reforms. What somebody said to you, was surely quite right: Clinical decisions are warped by 'fear of litigation'; which is often a consequence for an inadequate coverage in the health system at the moment in the USA. Florida - on birth asphyxia - took a novel step under this pressure some time ago - with a no-fault insurance schema - Is that still going? My understanding was that this had alleviated considerably litigation. As: the onus came onto the state to provide adequate care for children suffering from birth asphyxia. H
Hari Kumar
"Tort reform," meanwhile would simply transfer needed damage compensation from ordinary people to doctors and insurance companies. It's an atrocious right-wing plot.
Justin is right. Resisting "tort reform" is an important aspect of self-defense.