After reading Jon Van’s “Malpractice insurance crisis could limit care; Protest highlights growing problem” (Business, Jan. 3), it became evident once again that the impact of the malpractice insurance crisis increases with each passing day, affecting even more patients.
More and more, we read about the insurance companies placing blame on lawyers for this problem and vice versa. Yes, it is true that malpractice settlements and frivolous lawsuits have risen. And malpractice rates have risen. But does it really matter who is to blame?
The biggest problem we face is that our patients are not getting the care they need. We cannot focus on who has caused the escalation of our malpractice insurance rates. As physicians, we have seen our rates increase dramatically, to the point that many of us cannot afford to pay. Because of this, we have had to make some difficult decisions that affect our patients. We have had to curtail the medical care we provide or had to turn away new patients. We need to end this crisis now.
