Limiting damages in malpractice lawsuits, one of the medical establishment's key priorities, would do little to decrease overall healthcare costs, according to a Congressional Budget Office report.
Although evidence indicates that malpractice insurance premiums are lower in states with restrictions on tort awards, the report said, "even large savings in premiums can have only a small direct impact on healthcare spending -- private or governmental -- because malpractice costs account for less than 2% of that spending." To view the entire report go to: ftp://ftp.cbo.gov/49xx/doc4968/01-08-MedicalMalpractice.pdf