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State-by-State Data Show Doctors Increasing Nationwide

[Column 337, May 16, 2005] | Archived Columns

By Todd A. Smith*

No one doubts that the health care system has problems. More than 44 million Americans will go without insurance this year. As many as 98,000 Americans die annually as a result of preventable medical errors. More than three-quarters of people think the quality of health care has stayed the same or worsened over the past five years.

Yet to hear some tell it, the biggest problem is doctors fleeing their states because of the cost of malpractice insurance. But is that really a concern? Or is it just a way to avoid addressing the real issues?

The Truth and Nothing But the Truth

The truth is that the number of malpractice lawsuits is dropping, according to the National Center for State Courts, and malpractice costs are less than 2 percent of overall health spending. That means that even if malpractice costs were reduced by approximately a third, there would be less than one-half of one percent of an impact on health costs and almost no impact - if any - on insurance premiums, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

The truth is doctors simply aren't fleeing their states or the profession. In fact, a look at the data in all fifty states shows that the number of doctors has risen in every state, every year over the last three years. And six states have actually seen the number of physicians go up by more than 15% over the last five years.

The insurance industry shouldn't be allowed to price-gouge doctors, and, if that's occurring, lawmakers should look at insurance reforms to stop it. But with all of the truly pressing needs in health care, we must be wary of policy-making by anecdote.

But don't take my word for it.

You can now check out the number of doctors in your state at www.justice.org/StateHealth . This comprehensive online guide to the medical liability laws, cost of medical errors, number of doctors, and more covers all 50 states plus the District of Columbia. And unlike many Web sites, it is completely sourced so you can fact check it yourself.

Why All the Hype?

If all the anecdotes about fleeing doctors aren't true, why do they get so much attention? Because we stopped asking questions. There is a lot of misinformation out there when it comes to medical malpractice - especially on the Internet.

Industries like big tobacco, insurance, and drug companies have a financial interest in avoiding accountability to consumers, patients, and small businesses. And they've mastered using the Internet to spread rumors and hype phony studies.

Know Your Spin Doctor

So how's a smart consumer supposed to sort fact from fiction? Usually, a little healthy skepticism is all you need.

Always look for a credible source. Most fledgling Web sites are easy to spot because none of their graphics or information is sourced.
Follow the Money. If you do find a source, question it. Look up the individual, organization, or company that did the research and try to find out who provided the funding. For instance, a study from a major insurance company about health care is probably not very credible.
Scrutinize Bios. Many Web sites these days are simply front groups for lobbyists like the tobacco and insurance industries. If the biographies of individuals running the site seem vague or work history seems unaccounted for, try searching for the names on a search engine like google.com.

The first step to improving the health care system is talking truthfully about what's really wrong.