Opinion: Malpractice solution: Target negligent doctors

There have been many tears shed for the physicians who have to pay astronomically high liability insurance premiums. Most of the suggested solutions involve putting a top on the amount of damages that may be awarded to people injured due to the medical malpractice of a physician.

The only realistic solution is for doctors themselves to weed out those doctors who are negligent. Doctors have long been noted for being reluctant to take away the licenses of negligent physicians. Estimates vary, but somewhere between 1 and 5 percent of all doctors are notoriously negligent. Why do the competent doctors refuse to get the negligent doctors kicked out of the profession and thus cure the crisis?
-- David B. Higginbottom, Frostproof

Derail the gravy train

Re: Malpractice solution, Jan. 22.

This editorial carefully ignores the heart of the problem. It implies that doctors should be more forthright in reporting errors and insurance companies should manage investments better. Then premiums will come down.

This is absurd. The real problem is frivolous lawsuits and outrageous damage awards.

Punitive damages, if justified, should go to states or the federal government. They should not enrich attorneys and their clients. Derail this gravy train, and premiums will drop dramatically.

Will this happen? Probably not before the golden goose is dead. Too many lawyers in legislatures and in Congress will not discipline their fraternity brothers.
-- Lynn Wiley, Floral City

When will the people get control?

Re: Drugmaker moves to bar imports, Jan. 16.

Drugs are vital for the survival of people with AIDS, cancer, diabetes, heart problems, arthritis, etc. If one pill costs $10, $20, $100 or more, and it helps, you must have it. You pay or you suffer and die.

Drug companies often claim costs are due to recovering their development costs. If you look closely at their operating statements, stockholders' reports, executive compensation, reserve R&D accounts, lobby costs, advertising and sales expenses, you start seeing a better picture. In my opinion, you will also see a lot of "fat cats."

Millions of dollars of federal, state and local grants are given to universities and research institutions to develop cures. In addition, charities like the American Cancer Society, Heart Association, Arthritis Foundation, etc., also donate millions to those research efforts. The beneficial drugs resulting from these billions often end up as patents, licensed to drug companies under numerous royalty and payment arrangements. Under some scenarios, drugs or cures could be delayed or suppressed by the owner of the license, especially if the drug competes with his own high-volume, high-profit established products.

Your article on why drug costs are less in Canada is correct: "because the government caps prices." We put price controls on every exclusive water, gas, telephone and electric provider in the United States. When it comes to life-saving, life-enhancement drugs and treatment, we grant exclusive rights to the license holder to do whatever his conscience dictates.

Can we ever get control? Not until our legislators get the courage to override the vast drug lobby and contributions. Only then will they legislate to get control and help those who elected them.

The same is true with our American Medical Association. For years we have allowed the AMA to regulate itself. Many of our fine doctors are so strapped with high-cost malpractice insurance, they can't make a living. Lobbyists want a cap on malpractice awards. Doctors should revolt against their AMA for not punishing those few doctors who are repeatedly found negligent and who cause so many malpractice suits.

We will always have rotten apples in the barrel. We have the best medical care in the world, thanks to dedicated, hard-working men and women who devote their lives to caring for the sick and injured. They need our help and respect for the sacrifices they made and continue to make. Administrators, legislators, editors and all professionals need to ensure that the billions of dollars spent on health care are not squandered on redundant, illegal, greedy, selfish, incompetent rotten apples. It is time the public takes the responsibility to see that our elected officials make the needed changes.
-- Alva (Al) Brown, St. Petersburg

Press on against cardiovascular disease

Your article, Heart attack death rates keep sliding (Jan. 19) points out the progress we have made in the fight against cardiovascular disease, America's leading cause of death. While the article focuses on older Americans, it would be tragic to forget that more than half of those with cardiovascular disease are under age 65. Declining death rates overall don't tell the whole story either, because cardiovascular deaths for women have been steadily rising, and the overall death rate may now be leveling off. With so many at risk, we can't risk complacency.

We have better treatments for elevated cholesterol and blood pressure, it's true, but obesity and diabetes rates are rising ominously. Some 3,000 kids under age 18 will become daily smokers every day. We must continue to press on through research and education, until cardiovascular disease has been truly defeated.
-- Jack Pyhel, M.D., St. Petersburg

Care getting better for veterans

I want to alert your readers to three recent decisions that will improve health care for veterans in your community and across the nation.

First, President Bush will propose to Congress the largest budgetary increase for health care in the history of the Department of Veterans Affairs. It is 7.7 percent larger than the expected fiscal year 2003 level. The president, in a time of tough budget decisions, has again stepped up to the line on funding to keep America's promise to veterans.

Second, in the annual health care enrollment decision required by law, I announced the continuation of health care enrollment for 6.8-million veterans in Priority Groups 1 through 7, with a suspension of enrollment for new Priority Group 8 veterans.

Third is a new plan between VA and the Department of Health and Human Services for a program that will allow eligible veterans to use their Medicare benefits for VA care.

Together, these actions will make a significant difference to our core constituency -- the nation's service-disabled veterans and the nation's poorest veterans. The VA faces the largest patient load in its history, and it is mushrooming. More than half of new enrollees are higher-income veterans without compensable, service-related medical problems. Without an enrollment suspension, demand will outstrip our capacity in staff and resources, further reducing our ability to serve our core constituency. These actions together will help us maintain health care quality and continue to reduce waiting lists for services at VA hospitals and clinics.

I ask for support for these aggressive measures from veterans and their families, veterans' service organizations and all Americans. These steps will allow the VA to provide better access to reliable, timely and compassionate health care to those with disabilities related to their military service, to low-income veterans and to those with special medical needs, such as blindness and spinal cord injuries.
-- Anthony J. Principi, secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs

Passenger food isn't a real problem

Re: Airline passengers' smorgasbord of smells, by Bill Maxwell, Jan. 22.

With airlines like America West and Northwest charging passengers for their food, it's little wonder that passengers have decided to bring on their own meals.

I disagree with former Northwest employee Terry Trippler's concerns that bringing food on the plane invites problems. The idea that flight attendants lose control over the flight due to passengers bringing their own food on board is ludicrous. There is already unnecessary movement in the cabin due to various reasons so there is no cause to believe that bringing on food contributes to this.

Perhaps Trippler should be more concerned with the amount of alcohol consumed by passengers in flight rather than the amount of chicken wings they bring on.
-- Michelle Moore, Tampa

Something to hang hopes on

When I was a sixth-grader toward the end of World War II, my father built me a telescope to support my keen interest in the universe. As I looked at the moon, I hoped that someday man would travel there. I knew that would never happen in my lifetime.

When I read that Halley's Comet would pass again in the '80s I hoped I would live long enough to see it. Living beyond one's 60s was a rare in those days, so I was not optimistic.

Later I began to hope I would live long enough to welcome in the new millennium. In fact, as I aged, most of my hopes attached themselves to the phrase: if I live long enough.

After watching our new football team go 0-26 the first two seasons and later, when season after season, the Bucs would start strong and then somehow fall apart, I hoped I would live long enough to see them have a winning season. Sure enough they did and I was still alive.

I am uncertain whether my hope for the Bucs had more to do with my hope for a long life than it did with their success. I don't know whom to thank, the Bucs or my doctor.

Now they have captured the ultimate prize of American sports. They have redeemed themselves. And I am left with a certain sadness. What do I hope I will still be living to see? The end of wars? I fear I will have to live beyond 200 to have chance at that.

To tell the truth, I don't care if future Bucs teams ever win another game. I was here, still alive, when they won it all. I was witness to a historic sports event.

I need a new hope, something that might happen in the next 15 years -- no, the next 30. Why shouldn't I live to 100? Of course, I could just hope to live for 30 more years, but life without hope of something significant to experience, well that's not living.

I need help.
-- Erik H. Thoreson, St. Petersburg

The making of a fan

Although I always rooted for my school teams, I never really had a clue about the game of football -- just a bunch of guys crashing into each other. Then you printed the wonderful Guides to the Football Impaired, plus the wonderful lineup sections, and my life changed!

I was able to watch the fantastic Super Bowl game with roster in hand, comparing numbers to offense and defense and "job descriptions" and I had an amazing time! I'm now a real fan!

Wow, Bucs, and double wow to the Times!
-- Elaine Coffin, South Pasadena

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