Defense of truth never rests in medical liability debate

AMA Leader Commentary. By Donald J. Palmisano, MD, April 19, 2004.

AMA LEADER COMMENTARY

A few words about current events in medical practice

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A message to all physicians from AMA president Donald J. Palmisano, MD.

Through 10 months as AMA president, I've spoken to scores of state and county medical associations, specialty societies, physician rallies and civic groups. I've done what seems like countless interviews with reporters for local and national media and delivered the AMA message on C-SPAN, CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox and MSNBC.

Most of these appearances have focused on a medical liability crisis that threatens patient access to care in 19 states -- home to about half the U.S. population. Another 25 states are at risk.

The AMA message is credible, consistent and based on evidence. It explains the urgent need for reform and offers a practical, proven solution.

We're getting that message to our patients. But we can't let up, not for one second. Because our opponents are stepping up their fight as well.

Among their weapons are myths and misinformation. One recent example was a commentary in the March 24 USA Today. Written by a law professor, it appeared torn directly from the playbook of this broken system's defenders.

It included several claims that the AMA has debunked time and again. Let's once more round up some usual suspects:

Myth: Medical liability insurance rates have been rising because insurance companies have lost money in the stock market.

Fact: A.M. Best Co. reports that medical liability insurers have about 80% of their investments in bonds. In fact, their return on investment has been stable and positive for the past five years at 4.5% to 5.4%.

A recent report by Brown Bros. Harriman & Co. confirms that no correlation exists between the premiums charged by the medical liability insurance industry, on the one hand, and the industry's investment yield, the performance of the U.S. economy or interest rates, on the other.