[johniegrad]

Yours is an excellent point. This is an attempt to cost shift expenses to the government and, while I'm in agreement with most of the sentiments expressed by Freepers here about tort reform, I'm also suprised by the lack of criticism about government (taxpayers) picking this up through a legislative action. The docs should also realize that the more involved they become in government reimbursement (it's already bad), the more they will be beholden to government intervention, regulation, and control.

[WaterDragon]

I can't really blame the doctors for accepting any relief offered. They probably just want to be able to get on with their jobs.

It's the politicians who have NO difficulty shifting problems off onto the backs of taxpayers (which the doctors are taxpayers, too). This whole mess is the responsibility of the voters....doctors and otherwise.....we have to nail these big spending pols who shift tax monies over to their campaign contributing trial lawyers.

[WaterDragon]

There was a period of time when my family did not have medical insurance. We went to a clinic in town that charged on a sliding scale fee. Doctors who were convicted of malpractice (which didn't always mean they'd been negligent) were often required to donate x number of hours to this clinic. My family got excellent medical care there.