re: #336 Gus 802

Lawsuits account for “less than one-half of 1 percent of health-care spending.” According to Tom Baker author of “The Medical Malpractice Myth.” Other reading reveals that tort reform in Texas did not result in lowering health care costs in that state.

I am sure there are counter arguments.

I clocked in to tell a little story because I suspect the less than 1/2 of one percent figure does not calculate the cost of defensive medicine.
I had terrible pain in my groin so went to see my Doc. He found nothing so had me wear bike shorts to see if it was just a soft tissue tear or somesuch. No such luck, so he referes me to a Doc to examine me for a possibloe deep tissue hernia. This Doc said he could operate to find out but that he would not do that. So now what? I picked out an ortho guy from the phone book and made an appointment. After a quick consult he orders me out to get an MRI. At the follow up he points out degenerating bone in my hips and said I would need hip replacement which he could do but said I should see another Ortho first who was skilled with some new fangled procedure. So I make the appointment with the Super Ortho who, before even looking at the MRI or anything else has me X-rayed on the spot. One cheap X-ray told him all he needed to know. It cost thousands before anyone took a damn x-ray!