$50,000 malpractice surcharge

I am one of a 3 person family practice group in upstate New York. We make approximately 120,000 per year, a number which has not changed in 5 years. A 50,000 surcharge would drive us out of business. And out of the state. Period.
Comrade Underpaid

This will end many NY practices

I’m a NY neurologist, and was present at the 3/4/8 rally in Albany when Spitzer vowed to help. First, the state raided the money bin, and I don’t feel responsible for that. They argue that malpractice rates haven’t been increased to match inflation. Well, my salary has been going down every year despite my better efforts of seeing more patients, and trying to run a more efficient office.
Let NYS fix this problem. If this, AND the proposed medicare cuts go through this summer, relocation will be my only real option.

“It is normal that the majority of the payout will be concentrated in a small number of jackpot cases. “

Says. . . . you?

Here’s the thing – they’re in YOUR risk pool. If people are getting popped in my insurance risk pool, and my rates start climbing, I want to know who they are, how many claims they have, etc. That info is available to you, I believe. At least you can find out who has multiple payouts.

So the question is not whether I know, it’s why you DON’T know.

Spare me the threats of all of you disappearing. You’re not going anywhere. Most of you can’t afford to pack up and leave, and there’s not going to be some rush to rural Texas or rural Mississippi or whatever other tort reform Meccas you think exist.

This is true because . . . you say so?

4:44 and 9:07 (same poster, I’m guessing.)

I guess math and statistics just aren’t your thing.

You are assuming that the high award defendant pool is a constant group of irredeemable repeat offenders that the rest of the medical community tolerates in its midst because, why . . . they just want to? Where is your proof of that? That sounds like hack trial bar talking points to me. If you look at distributions of outcomes, unless you expect every case to result in the same award (not the case, obviously) the big awards are going to be concentrated among a small number of cases. That expected finding is being twisted by disingenuous persons–not sayin’ you necessarily–into an allegation that somehow it is always the same group of malefactors responsible for these awards and it’s the doctors’ fault for not getting rid of them. To anyone inclined to use the brain for thinking, that is laughable. But nice try.