Since I have to pay for the malpractice insurance in the big picture, why not move it to the consumer? Instead of my doctor having malpractice insurance, I pay insurance based on the procedure performed... or a blanket coverage related to my income. I believe this would seriously knock down the skyrocketing health costs we run into each year. You insure your car against other drivers... In a way its kind of like life insurance, except the event isn't your death, but your incapacitation. It would also allow doctors to feel more comfortable with procedures that might have a higher level of risk and reward, if the patient was able to cover the malpractice insurance for that procedure.
-- bigattichouse, Dec 21 2004

You insure your car, but most of us have something of a choice before we get in them. An illness requiring intrusive surgery is not usually shopped for.
-- Detly, Dec 21 2004


Because you'd be paying the premium for your procedure rather than contributing to an averaged premium for all of the procedures carried out by that doctor, certain more risky procedures would become unaffordable. Also ther's no penalty for the incompetent doctor as the premiums are covered by their patients, rather than affecting their profitability.
-- oneoffdave, Dec 21 2004



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