http://www.passenlaw.com/blog/personal-injury-law/myths-medical-malpractice-drives-health-care-costs-part-ii Chicago personal injury law blog published by Passen Law Group -- Top Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:50:52 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://www.passenlaw.com/blog/personal-injury-law/myths-medical-malpractice-drives-health-care-costs-part-ii/comment-page-1#comment-450 admin Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:03:32 +0000 http://www.passenlaw.com/blog/?p=1345#comment-450 Dr. Vissers, thank you for your comments. My point is that most doctors paid according to a "fee-for-service" system that rewards overutilization -- the more services performed, the more they get paid. That is a fact for most doctors in the United States. I appreciate that your practice is different, and I am not suggesting that all doctors get paid according to this system. All I am suggesting is that a system that rewards doctors for doing more certainly plays a role in what others consider rising health care costs caused by "defensive medicine." Dr. Vissers, thank you for your comments. My point is that most doctors paid according to a “fee-for-service” system that rewards overutilization — the more services performed, the more they get paid. That is a fact for most doctors in the United States. I appreciate that your practice is different, and I am not suggesting that all doctors get paid according to this system. All I am suggesting is that a system that rewards doctors for doing more certainly plays a role in what others consider rising health care costs caused by “defensive medicine.”

]]> http://www.passenlaw.com/blog/personal-injury-law/myths-medical-malpractice-drives-health-care-costs-part-ii/comment-page-1#comment-449 Chris Vissers Sat, 06 Feb 2010 04:32:31 +0000 http://www.passenlaw.com/blog/?p=1345#comment-449 Your analysis of Myth#2 misses the mark entirely when considering the costs associated with defensive medicine. As an orthopaedic surgeon, I am forced to order tests everyday in order to protect myself from the possibility of a lawsuit. Your assertion that "missing from the discussion is the fact that, in most institutions and contexts, doctors make more money if they perform more tests and procedures" is false. The VAST majority of the defensive testing that I order costs money, but adds NOTHING to my income. Your analysis of Myth#2 misses the mark entirely when considering the costs associated with defensive medicine. As an orthopaedic surgeon, I am forced to order tests everyday in order to protect myself from the possibility of a lawsuit. Your assertion that “missing from the discussion is the fact that, in most institutions and contexts, doctors make more money if they perform more tests and procedures” is false. The VAST majority of the defensive testing that I order costs money, but adds NOTHING to my income.

]]>