Hospital closes, Drs. leave, lawyers blame insurance co. also Specter vs Toomey

www.countypressonline.com ^ | 2/4/04 | By William W. Lawrence

[Tribune7]

Some of our editions, last week, carried a flyer from the Delaware County Trial Lawyers Association blaming insurance companies for the malpractice premium crisis that is chasing doctors from our state.

Now, insurance companies are refusing to do business in this state. And I know of several doctors who have left the state or retired before they were ready.

Mercy Community Hospital right off the Blue Route has closed and it's never going to reopen. But hey, it's the insurance companies.

What the lawyers are basically saying is "who are you going to trust, your own eyes or us?"

I know the answer. Support caps on non-economic damages in lawsuits -- and not just the malpractice ones.

* * *

I got a call last week from a woman who questioned our letter policy. When it dawned on her that her concerns were unfounded, she mentioned that she was a Haverford English teacher. Then she said that she knew we "don't like teachers."

That was a mistake. We think good teachers are worth their weight in gold.

We explained that what we don't like is bad teachers and the teachers' union. We told her that we don't like the unions because they hurt children. She disputed that.

We said that every time a teacher's union calls a strike, children were hurt. She was asked if she believed that. She got flustered and hung up. I think she felt guilty. She should have. For the record, each time a teacher union calls a strike or demands that its members "work to rule," children are hurt.

These actions should be banned by law. Think of the children.

We need vouchers.

* * *

MTV is for losers. I've always suspected it and Sunday's half-time show confirmed it.

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[Tribune7]

Haverford is in Delaware County, Pa.

[Tribune7]

ping

[Tribune7]

ping

[xJones]

Some of our editions, last week, carried a flyer from the Delaware County Trial Lawyers Association blaming insurance companies for the malpractice premium crisis that is chasing doctors from our state.

"Stay around so we can sue you and get rich."

I don't suppose these trial lawyers would accept a cap on non-economic damages in lawsuits. Perhaps when all the doctors are run out due to insurance costs, the lawyers will step in.

[Malesherbes]

Thanks for identifying the state. Sometimes in posts it is impossible to figure out where the item is from.

As to the substance, one day, soon I hope, the general public will realize that part of the health care "crisis" the Dems rail about is the role of rapacious trial lawyers, one of the Dem's major constituencies.

[Tribune7]

I don't suppose these trial lawyers would accept a cap on non-economic damages in lawsuits.

They are fighting tooth and nail to stop it. That's what the flyer was all about -- how insurance companies are making the whole crisis up.

[Tribune7]

Thanks for identifying the state.

I almost figured that with hospitals closing and doctors leaving it couldn't be anyplace else but Pa. :-)

[Ciexyz]

PA needs tort reform badly.

[Tribune7]

I heard a doctor say he expects us to go back to city run clinics with all day waiting rooms. It's getting scary.

[Ciexyz]

Is this more a problem in Philly than in other areas of the state? Except for obstetricians, western PA seems to have enough doctors. At least for now.

[Tribune7]

Is this more a problem in Philly than in other areas of the state?

Yes, by far. Although I think in the Poconos it's starting to get bad too.

[Lancey Howard]

Here's the scheme:

1) The scumbag trial lawyers give lots and lots of money to the scumbag Democrats.

2) The scumbag Democrats work to keep the scumbag trial lawyers happy.

3) The wet dream of all trial lawyers is that one big lawsuit "jackpot", and in the meantime they take what they can get from whatever "deep pockets" they can attack. The Democrats try to keep the rails greased for their benefactors by opposing anything that even smells of "caps" or "reform" - - this is what the lawyers pay the Democrats to do.

4) The upshot of this whole quid pro quo circle-jerk is that the "health-care crisis" is growing completely untenable in Pennsylvania as hospitals are closing, doctors are retiring early or leaving the state, and nurses and other health-care workers are losing their jobs. This is precisely what the scumbag Democrats WANT. Why?

5) Because as the health-care crisis hits home with more and more people, guess what more and more people will believe is the only solution? That's right - - socialist ("universal") government health-care.

I firmly believe that the scumbags are deliberately throwing gasoline on the "health-care crisis" in order to try to force socialist health-care on EVERYBODY. The scumbag Democrats will NEVER agree to reforms of any kind unless and until the scumbag lawyers are held to account. This will require a massive and merciless TV and radio advertising campaign targeting the scumbag lawyers. It better start soon.

[Tribune7]

I firmly believe that the scumbags are deliberately throwing gasoline on the "health-care crisis" in order to try to force socialist health-care on EVERYBODY.

I had thought the same thing. Make it so the "free market" doesn't work i.e. doctors leave, hospitals close, cost of drugs rise -- then bring in socialism.