Posted on 02/08/2004 4:10:59 PM PST by MountainPatriot
Opponents in the State Senate decided to play politics with the healthcare of Kentucky's citizens by voting against medical malpractice reform. In opposing Senate Bill One (SB-1), opponents, like State Senators Ray Jones and Ernesto Scorsone, danced the old Frankfort two-step to the tune sung by the Amen corner at the Kentucky Academy of Trial Attorneys. It is clear that Senator Jones, Senator Scorsone and other liberals in the State Senate refuse to represent the best interests of their constituents and support this piece of reasonable legislation that will reduce liability insurance rates and preserve the high level of medical care for their constituents.
Those opposing SB-1 are trying to force Kentuckians to swallow a bitter pill where malpractice liability insurance will continue to escalate higher and higher, causing doctors to abandon their practices because they cannot be insured or cannot afford to pay the premiums. In particular, Senator Jones spoke against this important legislation in his local news paper, while doctors in his District are losing their malpractice insurance or are unable to continue to pay the outrageous premiums, forcing them to close or reduce their practices and deny needed healthcare to their patients. Surgeons and obstetricians are hardest hit in Eastern Kentucky, which already suffers from a shortage of physicians. It makes one wonder where Senator Jones' priorities are in opposing SB-1.
Just like their liberal soul-mate, Howard Dean, who can't grasp foreign policy; who on Sunday, January 25, told a group of New Hampshire Democrats that Iraqis are worse off today than with Saddam Hussein; that their standard of living is worse, Senator Jones, Senator Scorsone, and their friends in the trial lawyer's lobby pretend the crisis with malpractice liability insurance does not exist. They could not be more completely wrong. They ignore the problem in exchange for preserving the status quo, while the health of thousands of Kentuckians is at risk.
In their world, it is acceptable for thirty-six percent (36%) of neurosurgeons, twenty-nine percent (29%) of general surgeons, twenty-five percent (25%) of obstetricians, and twenty-one percent (21%) of emergency-room physicians to have reduced or to have left their practices because of the cost of malpractice insurance liability costs. The status quo is fine just as long as the trial lawyers can collect the large fees and costs from punitive damages at the expense of reduced health services and higher healthcare costs--both to doctors and to their patients insurance.
If the problem is not addressed this year, liability insurance and health care costs will continue to increase. For the sake of healthcare, let's hope that Kentuckians will vote in November to hold those who opposed this legislation accountable for their vote in January.
He has drawn opposition from Republican Chris Ratliff. He need to support him. You can contact me concerning his race.
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